Eating for tone:

In the last two issues, you learned about some different elements to include in your workout for toning your body. In this issue we will learn about another integral part of your strategy: eating.  

There are two important components in eating for muscular definition: 

1. To achieve fat loss, your diet needs to be slightly lower in calories than what you burn off on a daily basis 

2. Your nutrition program should be balanced and nutrient-dense to make sure that you are not deficient in anything. This ensures that your body does not break down muscle and that you have enough energy to give your all in the gym. 

In order to lower the calories in your diet in a healthy manner, there are certain foods that should figure into your eating habits prominantly. These are natural foods that are low in calories and nutrient-dense like fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, nuts and whole grains.  Natural foods are usually higher in nutrients as processing typically robs foods of their health value. 

Calorically, the best choices are fruits and vegetables, as they are highest in water.  Occasionally substituting fruits and vegetables for starches as well as making this food group a main staple of your diet is a good choice.  By comparison, 2 cups of rice has 400 calories while 2 cups of peas has only 250 calories and more nutrients, including fiber and proteins.  6-14 servings (One USDA serving= 1 fruit or .5 cups of cooked or raw vegetables) of fruits and vegetables is a good daily serving size depending on your body weight.  For heavier individuals, you may want to increase the serving, right up to 14, and gradually bring it down to the lower level as you lose weight. Balance also includes 5 servings of whole grains. (One USDA serving= one slice of bread, or half a bagel or 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta or cereal.)  This serving size will provide you with plenty of energy while not making you fat from excessive calories. Good whole grain choices are brown rice, whole-wheat pasta and bread. Whole grains have more nutrients than refined flours, plus more fiber which keeps you feeling full for longer. 

An excellent way to cut some starches is to take the quantity that you would normally cook of rice, pasta or other starch, cut that amount in half and mix in an equal amount of vegetables. For example, use one cup of peas with brown rice rather than just a cup of rice. This will save you on calories and add nutrients to your meal.  Switching sweet desserts to a fruit is another great way to cut excess carbohydrate calories and increase your nutrients.

You also need to get an adequate amount of proteins from quality sources in order to rebuild tissue and stay healthy. 2-4 servings daily of good protein sources like grilled chicken, fish, lean beef, tofu or egg whites are necessary to keep your diet balanced. (One USDA serving= 3 oz., or about the size of a McDonald's baby burger.) If you workout very intensely (to gain muscle) or do lengthy cardiovascular workouts, you may want to increase your protein to maintain or add to your muscle mass or to keep your energy levels high.

You should also have 2 low or non-fat dairy servings daily (one dairy serving is one cup of milk or 2 oz. of cheese), as well as a limited amount of essential fatty acids. These acids can be obtained from 10-15 raw nuts and two tablespoons of olive, flax, soybean, or canola oil daily. Both these food groups are necessary for health and energy.

Water also deserves a paragraph to itself. It is a crucial nutrient for health as well as athletic performance. Water keeps you hydrated, lowers your body temperature and helps deliver nutrients to the body. It's also of special importance for getting toned as it keeps you feeling full, despite the fact that it'' calorie free. Try to drink 10-15 glasses of water daily and make sure to sip constantly at the water fountain when working out.

To sum it all up: in order to lose body fat on a constant basis and increase muscle tone, follow a progressive cardiovascular and weight training program and consume daily:

-7-14 servings of fruit and vegetables
-5-8 servings of whole grains
-2-4 lean protein servings
-some good fats
-2 dairy servings 
- lots of water 

Staying close to the recommended servings will provide you with a balanced diet that's low in calories but still high in quantity.  This will help you attain a toned body in the long term as well as keep you healthy and fit.