While your personal trainer in Westlake Ohio at MaxStrength Fitness may focus primarily on your workout routine, it’s important not to forget your diet. It’s hard to say no to a terrific business lunch, and these casual meetings with clients or colleagues can be a great way to get to know new people and break the ice. But what happens when those lunches start adding inches to your waistline?
While there are dozens diets espoused by personal trainers in Cleveland and across the state, from high-carb / low-fat to low-carb / high-fat to all day protein shakes (and don’t forget the fads like South Beach, Paleo, and ovo/lacto/vegetarian/vegan!), every diet can be analyzed and broken down into similar basic components.
Nutritional Awareness. Studies show that when you do just a little research to raise your awareness of nutrition, you will automatically pay better attention to what you eat. This simple act of adding to your own knowledge is a key factor in losing fat, getting lean, and improving your overall health!
- BUSINESS LUNCH TIP: Look for meals on the menu which include foods you know are good for you, and avoid items that are devoid of or lacking in nutrition.
Food Quality. The one thing all of the diets mentioned above have in common is that they insist on high quality food. Whether it’s grass fed free range protein, organic plant-based foods, or a combination of the two, the focus points are “natural”, “minimally processed”, and “preservative/chemical free”.
- BUSINESS LUNCH TIP: Try to suggest restaurants that have a menu full of real food – healthy proteins, fresh vegetables, and whole grain bread options. Skip the deep-fried appetizer, and ask for olive oil and vinegar in lieu of salad dressing.
Quantity of Intake. Portion size is one of the biggest problems when it comes to dining out. Most plates easily have twice the amount of food on them that you really need to consume in one sitting, and if you linger over a meal, the odds are you’ll keep taking bites long after you are really full.
- BUSINESS LUNCH TIP: Ask for a carry out box at the beginning of the meal, and create a small meal from what’s on your plate. What’s left should satisfy you easily – and you just garnered a second meal for later!
Any diet plan works much better with the addition of exercise. That doesn’t mean you have to hit the gym for hours after every luncheon. If you simply performed a high intensity strength training work out for 20 minutes 2 times a week, you will keep your metabolism performing properly and turn whatever you eat into functional tissue instead of into belly fat.
At the end of the day, those business lunches can continue to be a productive use of time without adversely affecting the cut of your suit. Your personal training in Westlake, Ohio at MaxStrength Fitness should always be accompanied by a sensible diet, and vice versa, for your goals to be reached and your body to stay healthy.