How to find a balance between moderate but sufficient nutrition? How to combine diet with training regimen? How to achieve amazing results on the way to a beautiful figure and health in general?
These questions are answered by Alena Tropotyaga, a fitness consultant at the Mindful Body Pilates Studio.

Alena, how important is it to stick to a diet during training?

Health in general and the figure in particular depend on the hygiene of work and rest, as well as on the correct alternation of them. Fitness as leisure should be beneficial and enjoyable at the same time. Since proper nutrition is an integral part of any fitness program, this process requires a subtle approach. Especially in terms of psychology. It is undesirable to deprive yourself of everything at once, to review nutrition and introduce new healthy eating habits better slowly. It is necessary to achieve maximum effect with minimum effort. Otherwise, fitness will become another stressor, and you can forget about the result. It is important to stick to the diet, but it is equally important to pamper yourself. Allow yourself tasty, but harmful a little and sometimes (the main words are “a little” and “sometimes”), each time telling yourself: “You can afford it, because you do fitness three times a week”

Does the result (for example, if we want to lose weight or build muscle mass) directly depend on the quality of nutrition during intense training?

Without proper nutrition (in terms of a specific type of training), there will be no result at all.
If we take certain volumes or appearance as a whole for the final result, then without adjusting the diet we can only overcome a quarter of the way to our dream. The rest of the distance for you will remain prohibitive. The same goes for proper nutrition without exercise.

Are there extremes for those who want to lose weight – some adhere only to strict diets, others only train hard. As a result, both sooner or later “break down” and return to their usual way of life. What will be the most acceptable and effective if you want to lose extra pounds?

Time! You need time to realize your plans, whether it be volumes 10 cm less, relief on the shoulders or a royal posture. You must understand that for the successful implementation of the plan, you must have a certain amount of time. And it’s not 2-3 weeks right before vacation. Start getting in shape in September so that in August next year you will impress vacationers at the resort with your forms.
Time and incentive! You need an incentive to move forward: a new New Year’s outfit is 2 sizes smaller, a picture of a beauty in a bikini above your desk, a photo on a friend’s refrigerator 5 years older and 15 kg less than you. Anything that won’t let you stop when the going gets tough. And it will be difficult. Since the training process requires systematic: 3 times a week (no less), without absenteeism and rest (maximum 2 weeks in six months). It’s not easy, but it’s worth it if you decide! Time, incentive and constancy is the key to your success!

What diet and intensity of training should be followed if you want to lose weight?

And for weight loss and for maintaining health, it will be most correct to eat little, but often. If you put your palms together in a bucket, you will see the volume of your stomach. So much you should eat at one time and no more. Surprised? Here’s another surprise for you – you need to eat 4-6 times a day. Fasting is the longest and most dangerous path to a perfect figure (if we are not talking about therapeutic fasting).
The optimal number of workouts per week is 3-5 times. (If we are talking about Pilates, then this discipline can be practiced every day). Two workouts a week is a maintenance regime without progress and, accordingly, without changing the figure, weight and general condition of the body. More than five workouts a week lead to overtraining and, as a result, to exhaustion of the body, loss of interest in training, chronic fatigue, wear and tear of muscles, joints, and ligaments.
Weight loss requires a combination of strength training and cardio. It will not be superfluous to have personal training or advice from a trainer. It is also important to include stretching and Pilates in your weight loss program.

What diet and intensity of training should be followed if you want to build muscle mass?

Meals – 4-6 times a day, but the amount of protein consumed should be higher. Training regimen – every other day or 3 times a week. If you want to train more often, take the program very carefully. Since it takes 48 hours for the muscles to recover (with the exception of the abdominal muscles, they rest in 24 hours), work out the same muscle group in a row 2 days is dangerous.
This program is dominated by strength training with heavy weights and low reps. Cardio is included as a warm-up and cool-down for strength training. As a separate type of training, it is usually used at the end of the training period for drying and visualizing the relief of muscles.

What should be the nutrition before, during and after training?

During training, only drinking is allowed. Therefore, you can drink water or energy drinks. Before training, you can eat 1-2.5 hours, depending on the time of assimilation of products (salad for 1-1.5 hours, meat – for 2-2.5 hours). If you eat later, for example, 30 minutes before a workout, physical activity will negatively affect the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, which will lead to metabolic disorders. If you eat earlier, say 3-4 hours before, you will not have enough energy for work, the training will be carried out somehow and the result is appropriate. Given that you eat 4-6 times a day, 4 hours before training you should be hungry, which means you need to eat!
After training, it is advisable not to eat for about an hour. The exception is nutrition with an intensive set of muscle mass. But in this case, you need to consult a personal trainer.
Keep a food diary. Write down everything you eat. Everything! Even a cup of green tea and a small caramel that your daughter treated you to. Write down in a diary what, at what time and how much you ate. When you re-read it in just a week, there will be no limit to surprise: “I eat so much ?!”

Water and exercise. How much fluid should you drink before and after a workout? Can I drink during a workout?

Drinking is a must! One weighty argument in favor of water is that it actively helps burn fat. Water, only water and more water! Tea, even green and even without sugar, is no longer water. Tea, compote, soup, fruits, of course, contain liquid. But they are not drink, but food. That is, the body does not have enough of the liquid that you consume, along with these products.
Drink 100-200 ml of water in small sips 10-20 minutes before your workout. Drink during training every 5-15 minutes for 2-3 sips. At the end of the workout, also drink 100-200 ml of water and again in small sips. Fluid lost during exercise must be replaced. In addition, if the body does not receive enough fluid during training, he gets tired, and you will not be able to give your best.

There are recommendations that it is advisable to drink a cup of coffee before physical activity for the best training effect, is this true?

Coffee is an energy drink. It is suitable for raising the general tone of the body, but no more. Coffee acts as a diuretic, removing fluid from the body. After drinking a cup of coffee before training, be prepared that after 20-30 minutes you will want to go to the toilet. Not very convenient if you have to do, say, yoga for 90 minutes.

What should be the ratio of fats, proteins and carbohydrates in the daily diet (for example, when doing Pilates, dancing, etc.)?

Thousands of volumes in different languages ​​have been written about the correct combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates and their amount in the food consumed. But no one will count the calories of the food eaten. It’s just impossible! Even if you eat according to fitness recipes indicating the calorie content of the dish, the amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins, these calculations are very, very approximate. Rather, it will adhere to the available rules: 1) eat meat, cereals, vegetables and fruits, refuse (or minimize) flour, confectionery, preservatives, preservative products, fatty and fried foods. Keeping a food diary, it will be easy to make sure that you eat bagels and cookies for three, and therefore you don’t want meat;
2) don’t mix main course and dessert. These are 2 separate meals. Treat yourself to a cake if you feel like it. But do not seize them with borscht with a chop; 3) Do not drink large amounts of liquid with food. You can drink sips with meals, but not lemonade or beer. If you drink beer, do not take croutons or dried squids with him. Just drink a glass of beer, calm your soul. And remember, one meal is equal to two of your palms folded in a ladle. Overeating is the surest way to gain weight.