In examining common nutrition mistakes one recent article says the bottom line is, “Don’t let nutrition be your missing link. You will always win with good nutrition.” Let’s take a look at what they meant and a few basic things that you can add to your own routine.

With any kind of physical training nutrition is often the missing link and we overlook it at our peril. Whether the professional athlete, or the executive trying to keep in shape, it isn’t just the exercise. It is the nutrition that goes hand in hand.

Let’s look first at protein. Protein intake is always important for recovery and development of our muscles but it is easy to get too much or too little. If you are watching over all intake you may be replacing some of the other good things you need with protein to your detriment. The typical active adult needs probably about 75 to 105 grams of protein daily.

For example, even a knowledgeable athlete might consider egg whites, tuna, chicken breast, and milk, as good sources of protein — and they are — but over indulging in protein may result in one reducing carbohydrates which are a better fuel for workouts.

A daily intake of, say, six eggs at breakfast, a can of tuna at lunch, a protein bar for a snack, and two chicken breasts at dinner, along with sixteen ounces of milk through the day, would be about 180 grams of protein which is significantly too much. If you are counting calories in order to manage total intake you are likely to swap out other good foods and there in lies the issue.

Someone who believes that restricting protein is the path may find themselves eating only two eggs at breakfast, a salad with a quarter cup of garbonzo beans at lunch, and a veggie burger at dinner would only be getting about twenty five grams of protein, entirely too little. Such low levels of protein will likely contribute to poor recoery, wasting of muscle tissue, and suboptimal results from your training.

By meeting with Adam to discuss your specific needs you can develop a program that addresses your actual protein requirement and how to achieve the correct balance. Also consider good supplements.