Failed to prepare? Then prepare to fail!

How easy is it to pop into a petrol station, look across at the mars bars, sweets, rolos, pick ‘n’ mix, coke, sandwiches, rolls, pastys and think ‘screw it, im hungry, it wont hurt this once’ Very easy, far too easy! I work full time and my last two jobs have been predominantly field based, in and out the car all day, driving up and down motorways, in and out of meetings, but that’s a salesman’s life. Before dieting I’d make the mistakes everyone else makes, sandwich after sandwich, pit stop after pit stop always thinking this time will be ok. That stuff adds up to some seriously unhealthy and unproductive calories! A typical petrol station sandwich has this kind of nutritional value; Calories 500 Fat 25g Carbs 39g Protein 20g. Compare that to a meal you have prepared, 200g chicken – 40g protein, 175kcal, medium sized jacket potato, 136 kcal, 31g carbs, 3 g fat. How much of a better meal is that, 1) for fullness 2) satisfaction 3)muscle repair and regeneration 4) muscle energy for days workout 5) health.
Potato and chicken is a standard part of any body builders diet, it takes 10 minutes to prepare and can be kept in a cool box and taken with you anywhere. Prepare it for your 3 meals throughout your working day and see how much less crap you eat. Also see how much less you spend! Sandwich £3, mars bar 60p, bottle of coke £1.50 total = £5.10, a pack of 600g of chicken which should last a day = £4. Feeling and looking good = priceless ;-)
Working in a sales job or an office job you will always be surrounded by people snacking on junk, crisps, chocolates, sweets etc..... prepare yourself appropriate between meal foods to stop yourself being tempted. I’ve been using almonds to munch when I get hungry and its not meal time yet. This was recommended to me by a well known Bristol bodybuilder Gary Farr, it also ensures you get your essential fats. Having a good amount of EFA’s are; Regulate pressure in the eye, joints and blood vessels.
Regulate response to pain, inflammation and swelling.
Mediate immune response.
Regulate bodily secretions and their viscosity.
Dilate or constrict blood vessels.
Regulate collateral circulation.
Direct endocrine hormones to the target cells. Serve as primary constituents of cellular membranes.
Maintain fluidity and rigidity of cellular membranes.
Regulate the flow of substances into and out of cells.
Are necessary for the transport of oxygen from the red blood cells to the bodily tissues.
Are necessary in kidney function and fluid balance.
Are important in keeping saturated fats mobile in the blood stream.
Prevent blood cells from clumping together (conglomeration), the cause of atherosclerotic plaque and blood clots, precursors of stroke.
Mediate the release of cellular pro-inflammatory substances that may trigger allergic conditions.
Regulates nerve transmission.
Is the primary energy source for the heart muscle.

One of the most important of the above when dieting is ‘keeping saturated fats mobile in the blood stream. Here is what happens when you eat a sufficient amount of efa’s ;The Omega-3's stimulate the metabolism by attracting oxygen to cells, supporting energy production, weight loss, and endurance. And you did NOTE the attraction of oxygen cells which helps reduce rosacea, cancer, and almost all types of sickness as the body without a plentiful supply of oxygen is usually more prone to sickness or metobolic acidosis. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to lower appetite and reduce cravings. Inside the body, essential fats assist in turning up the metabolism, enabling cells to burn fat faster. This helps you become trim and firm. While technically classified as a fat, Omega-3 fatty acids are actually an anti-fat.
The last nugget of advice I’ll leave about getting yourself prepared is breakfast. We all want ‘5 more minutes’ in bed, then we ignore our alarms aand need to rush around to get out of the house for work on time. Breakfast is an easy meal to miss. That’s why I use egg whites from www.eggnation.co.uk they supply me with 100% pure liquid egg whites. This is my standard breakfast everyday. 330ml of these. With a scoop of protein and some water makes a great and quick breakfast. I don’t think I could ever go back to the days of separating 10 eggs, scrambling them, then trying to force them down in a rush. They are tasteless, scentless and colourless! They can also be used in regular cooking, so if you have time, feel free to scramble them. Visiting their website is a must for all bodybuilders who want to get the most out of their diet!