A recipe for physical success

In society today, people seem to be more interested than ever in achieving their ideal physique. This pressure seems abundantly present with students. Whether meeting each other in pubs, studying together or doing sports in a group, it’s clear that students are a very social group. Having a positive body image has a positive impact on self confidence, which can help a person feel more comfortable in all of these situations. But while people try to achieve their ideal physique, are they doing everything they can to progress themselves and reach their goals?

The foundation of any diet, to either gain or lose weight, starts with nutrition. Endless hours of work in the gym will be undermined by a bad diet. The first, and arguably most important aspect of nutrition is calories. To lose weight you must eat less than your maintenance level of calories, which is the amount of calories that a person needs to maintain their weight. This is determined by the weight of the individual and is approximately calculated by multiplying your weight (in pounds) by 15.

Logically this makes sense; if your body isn’t getting enough calories to maintain itself then it starts to use up its reserves, usually in the form of fat, to make up this calorie deficit. Thus, fat is being burned and the weight loss process has begun. Of course, if your goal is to gain weight then you must eat a calorie surplus, i.e. more calories than your maintenance amount.

Your calories will come from the 3 main macronutrients, protein, carbohydrates and fat. Fats have 7 calories per gram, whilst protein and carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram. These three nutrients all have different functions once they enter the body and all are crucial in a successful diet.

**Protein**

Protein is important for growth and repair and is a major functional and structural component of all cells. Proteins are made up of long chains of smaller structures called amino acids. They are split into two classes: essential and non-essential amino acids. Essential amino acids cannot be manufactured by the body and must be obtained by eating foods high in protein. Non-essential amino acids can, however be manufactured by the body. When protein is eaten it is then digested and broken down into amino acids, as in this form it can be utilized by the body. One essential use of amino acids is to repair and build muscle that has been ripped and traumatized by a heavy weight workout. This repairing process causes muscle growth, so if you want to bulk up it’s a good to have high amounts of protein present in your diet. However, one key point to remember is that if muscles don’t need repairing then the amino acids will not be sent there to repair the muscle. A high protein diet will not cause muscle gain by itself. Food like chicken, tuna, steak and eggs are good sources of protein.

**Carbohydrates**

Carbohydrates can be split up into the categories simple and complex. The difference lies in their absorption rates once within the body. The Glycemic Index (GI) assigns a number to each food that represents how quickly the carbohydrate in it is absorbed and raises blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for all body processes, so a lack of them can leave you feeling fatigued, which has an extremely negative effect on your ability to motivate yourselves and focus when exercising. Complex carbohydrates, found in food such as brown rice, take longer to absorb and provide a slow release of energy that can be used up throughout the day. This means that they are more likely to be used up and less likely to be stored as fat. Simple carbohydrates, found in foods like chocolate, are released into the body more quickly and have a higher glycemic index. These are more likely to go unused and then be stored as fat. Good sources of complex carbohydrates are oats, brown rice and sweet potatoes.

**Fats **

Fats receive a lot of bad press due to the association that goes with their name. However, just like carbohydrates there are different types of fats, some good (unsaturated) and some bad (saturdated fats). Saturated fats are associated with heart disease as they raise blood pressure and raise cholesterol level. These types of fats are found in chocolate and fast food and can have a negative effect on weight loss if the amount consumed is too high. However monounsaturated fats, which chemically are different as they have one double bond in its carbon chain, can be beneficial. These fats can play a role in lowering cholesterol levels and help prevent heart disease, arthritis and cancer. Sources of monounsaturated include almond nuts, extra virgin olive oil and natural peanut butter.

How you combine the 3 macronutrients to create a diet is up to you. Some like low carb diets, whereas others like low fat diets. Experiment for yourself and see what works for you, keep mixing it up and make it fun.

To summarise, losing weight is done successfully by remaining in a calorie deficit and working out properly with intensity. Eating the right types of food will help you achieve your goals, but eating too much of it will again, hinder your progress. Losing weight is a mental game as much as it is a physical game; the mind will always fail before the body does, so becoming mentally tough is another factor involved in success.

Finally, many people would like to see immediate results without putting in the hard work. However, obtaining your ideal physique may take years and you should enjoy every step along the path. Enjoy the process of transforming into the healthy person who you want to be and dedicate yourself to achieving realistic goals.