Simply about nutrition, no matter how much you train, you cannot lose weight or again muscle mass without the right nutrition

Our health and body beauty are fundamentally reliant on healthy nutrition.

You need to understand what % of your body fat is in order to set goals for yourself. Usually it is immediately clear, like when someone says they wish to reduce weight. However, it is worth going deeper into this question. It is not right to rely on the figures on ordinary scales, because everyone has a different body structure, and in addition to the fat component, the skeleton, muscular system, organs and fluids are also involved in body weight. That is why special scales are used to determine the exact percentage of muscle, fat mass and fluid. A bioimpedance machine is also available, which does a quick analysis of the body's ratio of all the above data.

As such equipment is mostly unavailable at home, you can use a simple (but it doesn’t mean bad) method of calculating body mass index, developed by the Belgian sociologist and statistician Adolphe Quetelet, in 1869.

BMI CALCULATING FORMULA

Body mass index is measured in kg/m² and is calculated using the formula: BMI = m/h2, where:
m — body weight in kilograms,
h — height in metres.

For instance, if a person weighs 74 kg and is 172 cm tall. As a result, in this instance, the body mass index is equal to:
BMI = 74 / (1.722) ≈ 25.01 kg/m²

POSSIBLE RESULTS IN 3 MONTHS OF TRAINING, BASED ON BMI

BMI 16-18,5
Underweight (deficit)
You can gain 3 to 5 kg

BMI 18,5-25
Normal
Gain body relief without putting too much attention on weight

BMI 25-30
Overweight (pre-fat)
You can lose 5 to 10 kg

BMI 30-35
First-degree obesity
You can lose 7-15 kg

BMI 35-40
Second degree obesity
You can lose 10-20 kg

BMI 40 or more
Third degree obesity (morbid)
No guarantee

YOUR CALORIE INTAKE (DAILY CALORIE INTAKE)

Once you understand your BMI, it's time to decide on your goals. These are either weight loss, weight maintenance, or muscle growth.

In any case, the second thing you need to count for yourself is calorie intake (the daily calorie intake rate).

It is simple to calculate calories using a modified version of the Mifflin-St. Jeor formula:

• for men: (10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 5 x age (g) + 5) x A;
• for women: (10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 5 x age (g) - 161) x A.

where A represents a person's activity level. There are usually five levels of daily physical activity:

• Minimum activity: A = 1,2.
• Low activity: A = 1,375.
• Medium activity: A = 1,55.
• High activity: A = 1,725.
• Extra-activity: A = 1,9 (this category usually includes people who participate in, for example, weightlifting or other strength sports with daily training, as well as those who do heavy physical work).

We have already calculated your BMI and calorie needs for you before you begin training on the FISIO® platform. This information is available in your personal user information.

HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT?

It's quite common for you to have set yourself a calorie cap and decide that you shouldn't have any trouble eating less than before.

But you have not changed your diet (the food itself, not the quantity).

There is no loss of weight.

What's the cause?

Simply looking at the deficit is not enough; you also need to pay attention to the balance of your diet, including the right proportions of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates for each day. By neglecting this, by eating only your usual favorite foods, which are likely to contain more sugar, trans fats, salt, flavor enhancers and, simply put, 'empty calories', you deprive your body of vitamins, minerals, healthy digestion and enough protein to repair muscle tissue. You may lose weight, but you will have swelling from excess sugar and salt, and your skin and muscle fibers will not be adequately nourished by protein.

In simple terms, this means that all foods with a low nutritional value should be avoided, even though the calorie deficit for them is followed.

FOODS WITH LOW NUTRITIONAL VALUE

Drinks: Juices, alcohol, sweet soda drinks, tea and coffee with sugar, mineral water with added sugar and flavorings.
Replace with: water, herbal teas.

Sauces: soy sauce, mayonnaise, ketchup, cheese sauce, barbecue sauce and any other ready-made sauces.
Replace with: vegetable oils, sour cream, moderate amounts of sauces made with natural products and spices.

Bakery products: white bread, pies, cakes, buns, doughnuts, croissants, dumplings, buns and buns.
Replace with: wholemeal bread, rye bread, bread sticks.

Confectionery: chocolate, marmalade, caramel, sweets, halva, jelly beans, biscuits, gingerbread, cakes, cupcakes, waffles, cakes.
Replace with protein bars, dried fruit, fruit.

Dairy products: yogurt with additives, shakes, ice cream, curds, sweetened curds, baked milk.
Replace with: cottage cheese, sour cream, medium-fat kefir.

Sausages: sausages, frankfurters, wieners, pâtés.
Replace with: meat delicatessen in moderate amounts and naturally cooked meat.

Bakery: instant noodles, instant mashed potatoes, pasta made from wheat baking flour.
Replace with: cereals, durum wheat pasta.

Fast food and semi-finished products: ready-made dumplings, chebureki, cutlets, meatballs, pancakes, burgers, fries, nuggets, pizza, all fast food products.
Replace with: full meals or healthy snacks - nuts, fruit, dried fruit.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR MEAL WILL BE SERVED IN A CATERING VENUE?

• Choose grilled meat, chicken, and fish
• Simple side dishes
• Vegetable dishes

It will be easy to count and enter into the calorie counter. Also, these are healthy products with a high nutritional value.

BRIEF BUT TO THE POINT ABOUT PROTEINS, FATS AND CARBOHYDRATES

Protein is the basic building material for the body, for muscle and immune system function. All human body cells include protein, which is essential to every stage of metabolism.

Fats give you energy, stimulate brain activity, serve as building material for cells and tissues, take part in the absorption of vitamins A, D, E, K. Fats also help to control your metabolism.

Carbohydrates are your main source of energy.

To ensure that your body receives all the macronutrients and micronutrients it requires, determine and adhere to your own proteins, fats and carbohydrates ratios.

Depending on your goals, you should consume a particular amount of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates each day. If you want to reach your goals, adding calories from any source is insufficient; you also need to maintain your proteins, fats and carbohydrates ratios under control.

Protein: 30% / Fat: 30% / Carbohydrates: 40%
If you train for general weight loss and body toning, it is recommended that you use this classic variation of the proteins, fats and carbohydrates distribution (at home, in a group exercise class or at the gym with low weights).

Protein: 40% / Fats: 20-25% / Carbohydrates: 35-40%
An option of proteins, fats and carbohydrates who work out and need relief.

Protein: 30-40% / Fats: 20-25% / Carbohydrates: 40-50%
An option of proteins, fats and carbohydrates for people who work out and need to gain weight.

There are various apps available to easily calculate these values, for example, the most common one is Fat Secret. Now you know your BMI and calories accurately, all you need to do is enter your values into the app and keep track of your diet.

The table provides a brief summary of the general food together with their proteins, fats and carbohydrates content. Make sure that you have products from all the columns every day. The ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates for the day should be approximately 1:1:4.A simple trick to remember the correct proportions is to imagine a plate divided into three equal parts. Carbohydrates take up two of them, and proteins and fats split the third one equally.

CARBOHYDRATES	PROTEINS	FATS
cereals beans pasta whole grain bread vegetables greens fruits	meat chicken fish egs curdled dairy products	vegetable oils nuts animal fats (butter) dairy products

These are general guidelines on the basics of healthy nutrition. By following these rules, you will get all the micro and macronutrients for your body.

The outcome won't take very long to appear. You are a human being whose physiology has been studied extensively and which obeys simple rules. You just have to follow them.

HOW TO GAIN MUSCLE MASS?

To gain muscle mass, use the same rules as for weight loss. Only you need a calorie surplus rather than a deficit, of course with the condition of the right balance in the body fat and a systematic diet.

Estimate how much food you will need to eat on a daily basis when planning your menu; if you find this difficult or above your strength, use sports nutrition, which consists of special protein and protein-carbohydrate mixes that can help you replace one meal on average.

Consume nutritious carbs (cereals, pasta, nuts), which will fill your muscles with glycogen and help your tissues stay nourished while you exercise. Don't forget to include healthy fats in your diet as they are essential for hormone synthesis, metabolism, vitamin absorption, and immunity. Eat enough protein to support muscular building.

WHAT % OF CALORIE SURPLUS OR DEFICIT SHOULD I CHOOSE?

By default, we recommend choosing 20%.

If you don't want to force weight loss or weight gain, opt for 10-15%.

If your BMI is higher than 30, you can take a deficit of 25–30% (after weight normalization, the reduce the deficit to 20%).

CONSISTENCY'S IMPORTANCE

Day by day you manage what you eat, you weigh it and keep track of it. In the first week of dieting you will feel light feeling and you may lose the first extra kilo, but don't rush to relax and resume your regular eating routine. You can get good results over a long period of time. If you eat right 5 days a week and then allow yourself to go crazy for 2 days, your deficit will not be reduced and your nutritional profile will be compromised, even though you ate right for 5 days. The digestive system is negatively impacted by this as well.