A Healthy Diet + EMS Training = Results

Ever heard the saying “abs are made in the kitchen”? There’s a lot of truth to this – transforming your body isn’t just about exercise; it’s also about eating a healthy diet. So, while functional EMS training is a fantastic way to build lean muscle and burn fat if you really want to see the best results, you need to combine this with the right foods.

“EMS training and a healthy diet go hand in hand for a complete body transformation.”

Diet and exercise go together like apple pie and ice cream… or hummus and carrots (let’s be healthy here). If you want to transform your physique, you can’t have one without the other.

Many people believe that exercising means they can eat whatever they want, and while training will burn more calories if you undo all of your hard work at the gym by eating too much (especially too much of the wrong thing) – you’ll end up gaining weight rather than losing it.

Think of it this way: if you really want to achieve your body goals, you can’t adopt one healthy habit and neglect the other. It’s about committing to a healthy lifestyle.

“As a rule of thumb, weight loss is generally 75% diet and 25% exercise.”
– Dr Shawn M. Talbott

Physical activity like functional EMS training is essential for good health, and does support weight loss, but you need to combine this with a healthy diet. This means providing your body with the right amounts of energy, macronutrients, vitamins and minerals to allow it to function at its best.

When you have the right fuel, you can train harder, perform better and feel more energised. If your diet is unbalanced, you’ll end up feeling lethargic, which will make it harder to train. Low energy levels can also lead you to overeat – and crave unhealthy foods high in sugar and fat. In a nutshell, if your diet suffers, so will your training and your weight-loss efforts.

So what should you be eating?
Your daily diet should include the following:

• Vegetables – at least five servings of veg, the more variety the better!
• Fruits – two serves of fruit
• Whole grains – wholemeal pasta and bread, brown rice, oats, quinoa
• Dairy products – milk, cheese, yoghurt
• Quality protein sources – lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs nuts and legumes

You should also limit your intake of these:

• Foods high in saturated fats – fast food, chips, processed meats
• Foods high in sugar – lollies, soft drink, ice cream
• Foods high in salt – processed snacks, convenience foods like cooking sauces
• Alcohol – no more than 2 standard drinks a day

Veggies
According to the Australian Institute of Health & Welfare, fewer than one in 10 adults are eating enough vegetables every day. Vegetables are not just rich in key vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals – essential for good health and reducing disease risk – they’re also high in fibre, which is important for good digestive health. Aim to eat at least five serves of veggies every day, and try to eat as wide a variety as possible.

Fruit
Many people avoid eating fruit because they think it’s high in sugar. While fruits do contain sugar, this is naturally-occurring sugar, and you would have to eat mountains of fruit to cause any problems. Fruit is also high in essential nutrients and fibre. It is recommended to aim for two serves of fruit every day – that’s whole fruit, and not fruit juice or packaged or processed fruit products, which tend to be very high in sugar and lacking in nutrients.

Whole grains
Whole grains contain many important nutrients and are also an important source of fibre. Fibre isn’t just good for your digestive health, it also fills you up and makes you feel more satisfied for longer, so ultimately, you eat less. Whole grains are also a good source of energy-rich complex carbs, which your body needs to function. Eating whole grains is also associated with a reduced risk of health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Aim for four to six serves of whole grains a day!

Dairy
Milk and other dairy products like yoghurt are rich in calcium – essential for bone health and muscle function – as well as protein and other key nutrients. Fermented dairy foods like yoghurt are also high in probiotics, which are needed for a healthy gut. Research has also found that dairy can help to protect against such things as heart disease and stroke. Aim to eat two to three serves of dairy a day.

Proteins
Protein is the “building block” of your body – it’s needed for healthy muscle, skin, cartilage and even blood. Your body also needs protein to produce essential hormones and enzymes. Protein sources like lean red meat, poultry, fish and eggs also provide many important nutrients. Aim for two to three serves of protein a day, and remember – variety is key.

Foods to avoid
It’s also important to make sure your diet is low in saturated fats. This means limiting your intake of processed foods, fast food and butter. Although red meat is an excellent source of protein, it’s important to eat it in moderation as it’s high in saturated fat.

You should also limit your intake of “discretionary foods” that are high in salt, fat and sugar. This means things like packaged snacks, lollies, cakes and biscuits. Not only are these foods high in calories, they’re also nutritionally “empty” – meaning they offer no health benefits.

Alcohol is also something to limit as it is high in “empty” calories, and can damage your health. It can also cause people to make poor food decisions! Who hasn’t craved a fatty, salty meal after a night of drinking?

Hydrate!
Finally, it’s also crucial that you drink plenty of water. Try to drink at least eight glasses of water a day, and more when you train. Water doesn’t just keep your body hydrated, it also helps to boost your metabolism and flush toxins from your body. It can also help to suppress your appetite.

To summarise…

A healthy diet is one of the most critical aspects of your EMS body transformation. It doesn’t matter how hard you train; if you don’t pay attention to what you put inside your body, you won’t achieve the results you want. To put it simply: you can’t out-train a bad diet!

Transform your body today with EMS training. At 20PerFit, we offer the very latest in training technology, helping you achieve results in a fraction of the time. Twenty minutes is all you need! Chat with our friendly team on 1300 202 073.