If our body were a car, good nutrition would be the equivalent high octane fuel and good night’s rest would be that of a pit stop. I’m sure all your car fanatics could relate to that. Take away good fuel and you end up with a f**ked up engine in a few years. Take away pit stop and you’re eventually going to see smoke rising out of your car bonnet. Bottom line is, it’s essential.

So, how exactly does eating right help us make better gains?

We have to first understand what happens to our bodies when we lift. Here’s a brief explanation: When performing any type of physically taxing exercise, your muscle fibers undergo micro tears due to the load applied on them. The moment you’re done with your workout and walk out the gym, your body begins to recover – muscle protein synthesis increases, depleted muscle glycogen is replenished, hormones such as testosterone and GH are secreted to aid the recovery and building process. This is where nutrition and rest comes in. The amino acids from the protein you eat help repair and grow muscle tissue. The glucose from the carbs you eat helps replenish lost muscle glycogen. Other nutrients such as fats, vitamins, minerals play a crucial part in regulating hormone levels and carrying out other necessary processes in the body. This is in fact just a small part of what nutrients do in your body.

Nutrients: Basic functions & sources

I’m sorry if this reminds you of your middle school science classes, but trust me this basic information will definitely help you step up your fitness game.

Good carbs vs Bad carbs: Does the source matter?

This is a topic which often causes a lot of confusion. I thought it would only be beneficial to you, if I let you know. So, the question often arises that if sugar and whole grain oats are both sources of carbs, isn’t it okay to get in your daily carbohydrate intake from sugars alone?
So, before I give you the “yes” or “no” answer, I’d like you to think a bit deeper. Although sugar and oats are both primary sources of carbs there is one nutrient however, that is found in significant amounts in one and barely detectable in the other. This ingredient which causes all the difference is fiber.
Oatmeal contains significantly more fiber than sugar, which means that it releases glucose into the bloodstream much more slowly than sugar. Sugar is just plain glucose molecules. The moment our body starts to digest it, our insulin and blood sugar levels spike, a reaction completely different from the slow digestion of oats. This continuous insulin spike is what results in diseases like diabetes down the road.
The answer to this rather stupid question is no, you cannot get in all your carbs from sugary sources. As a conclusion, it can be said that the source of your nutrients does matter!

How many calories do you need?

If you’re looking for a more or less exact and accurate answer (though I doubt there’s one, due to the vast majority of factors that one has to consider to come to a conclusion), I’d highly recommend you to get an appointment with a sports nutritionist, dietician or maybe just have a word with your trainee and set up a good diet plan. If you’re looking for a rough estimate, however, there are tons of online calculators that will help you out.
You’re daily caloric requirement depends on number of factors:

• your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): It is the amount of energy your body would burn at rest, in a normal environment, without any significant internal process (such as digestion) taking place. People with a lower metabolism, however, burn lesser calories at rest than their energy burning counterparts.
• your age: Your body changes with age and you’re not always going to be like the frolicking boy you were at six, being able to eat candies and ice creams and still feel active all day long.
• your Activity Level: A physical laborer will obviously burn more calories than say a 9-5 office worker.
  As a rule of thumb, for a healthy active male, try keeping your macro nutrient ratio as follows:

Protein (25%)
Carbs (30%)
Fats: 45%

How much sleep?

Even the most qualified of doctors might not be able to give you a to the point answer to this. And to be honest, I don’t think there is one. However, as a rule of thumb, I’d recommend anywhere between 6-8 hours of undisturbed sleep.

Why it’s important?

Let’s just put it this way: less leep = less human
No, literally! Late nights, Netflix and chill sure may be a good idea to spend your weekend alone, but staying awake in front of the screen till 3 AM everyday will do more harm than good in the long run.
Lack of sleep affects everything form proper homeostasis functioning to release of neurotransmitters, amongst many other issues. In simple words it’s bad for you.

Tips for a good night’s sleep

Avoid too much screen time before bed. Staying in the presence of bright light before bed affects melatonin production, a hormone essential for a good night’s rest. Put away your phone and dim the room light well before bed time.
Go to bed feeling clean. Back from that late evening workout and straight in bed? Eew no! Who like to sleep amidst a stinky sweaty mess? Take a warm shower and put on clean clothes before bed.
Keep your bedroom cool. I don’t know if science explain this, but there seems to be some relation between a cool air conditioned room, a cozy blanket and good sleep.
Avoid taking coffee, pre-workouts, caffeine pills or any other stimulant even a few hours before bed. Keep those for morning workouts and afternoon meetings – that’s where they belong. Accomplish your tasks for the day and go to bed feeling great.
Try and refrain from resorting to pornography, anti-depressants, sleeping pills, recreational drugs, etc. to make you feel relaxed before bed. Over time, your body will just want more and more of it until you just cannot get enough.

Hormone secretion while sleeping

Talking specifically about muscle growth, a study showed that Growth Hormone Secretion peaked during the deepest part of your night’s sleep and continued to stay elevated throughout the time you were at rest. Growth Hormone is the major hormone responsible for cellular reproduction and cell growth in your body. This just goes to show that a lot of your bodies recovering and building processes take place when you’re at rest. I hope this convinces you to get off your phone and get in bed on time.

Dealing with sore muscle

So, you’ve been eating right and sleeping 10 hours a day, but you still wake up with sore, cramped muscles the day after you workout. What did you do wrong? Nothing.
What you’re experiencing is nothing but Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) also known as Muscle Fever. According to Wikipedia, it is “the pain and stiffness felt in muscles several hours to days after unaccustomed or strenuous exercise”. Compiling various online sources and personal experience the soreness kicks in anywhere between 18-72 hours post workout.
It is mainly caused due to eccentric contractions of the muscles during a workout and the excess buildup of lactic acid which has a temporary toxic effect of the muscles. “OMG isn’t that bad then?” Oh, hell no! It’s just your body responding to a good progressive workout routine. I presonally like experiencing sore muscles every now and then because it assures me that I trained hard enough.
However, know your body. If you feel a nagging pain in your joints, visible bruising under you skin, etc. chances are you’re experiencing something a bit more severe and only a medical professional will have the right help for you.