IDEAL CALORIC INPUT / CALORIC BALANCE

Since your goals are different (in this group there are people who are working to build mass, who are working to lose weight, who are preparing for a half marathon...) I want to clarify that training, workloads, nutrition, also follow the specific goal you have.

Consequently, it goes without saying that when you ask me "what is the ideal caloric intake, intensity and type of training" you will be answered.. IT DEPENDS.

Yes, because depending on the objective, the "recipe" will be different.

Just a little introduction to the concept of calorie balance:

In order to survive, in addition to air and water, the human organism needs to introduce daily a portion of food that supplies the energy necessary for vital functions, similarly to an engine that uses fuel as a source of energy to function. power.

Each macronutrient provides calories: 4 cals per gram for proteins and carbohydrates, 9 cals per gram for fats, 7 cals per gram for alcohol (the latter - alcohol - having no nutritional value, which is why they are defined as "empty", which does not mean have no impact on the caloric balance, but which do not give any "benefit" to the body with their intake).

Calorie balance is the difference between income (the calories we take in and absorb) and expenditure (the calories we consume). The relationship between income and expenses gives a positive, negative or balanced balance.

More simply, it will balance when calories in = calories burned, resulting in weight maintenance.

How is it calculated? There are various formulas, more or less precise, which take into account weight, age, height, gender, physical activity performed.

Depending on your goal, your coach (me 😊) calculates what your energy needs are and organizes your workouts accordingly, and in case you're also working with him on nutrition, take care of that aspect too.

WEIGHT LOSS

If you are trying to lose weight we will therefore have to create a caloric deficit, therefore the caloric balance will be negative which can be obtained with a decrease in the calories introduced (thus cutting the food side), but also with a greater caloric expenditure (doing more movement) . Result: calories burned > calories eaten

Proteins - which I always recommend not to overlook! - in this case play an important role, as, combined with weight / resistance training, they help us not to lose muscle mass in this process, but only fat mass.

There are also various nutritional approaches to promote weight loss, some more extreme (for example the ketogenic diet, which eliminates carbohydrates) and some more balanced in which fats and partly carbohydrates are reduced in favor of proteins, for the reason above. I wouldn't call them "right or wrong", but different: a book could be written about them. And it could be the subject of another informative article.

I will limit myself to saying that, according to the philosophy that I personally/professionally follow, I am for a balanced diet, in which all macronutrients find their place, but in different proportions and quantities during weight loss (therefore temporarily) and then pass, during the maintenance phase, to a traditional distribution that favors carbohydrates ("fuel" for the engine that is our body), good fats (unsaturated, which have many functions, including a protective function, and vitamin absorption facilitator), proteins (the building blocks of our muscles).

The approach to nutrition that I propose is certainly not that of 7kg in 7 days, which easily leads to the yo-yo effect (the lost kilos are often recovered ... and with interest), but rather an educational, balanced, to reach the goal in small steps, and to maintain the results achieved.

Those of you who have worked with me on this aspect have been able to see how towards the end of the maintenance phase carbohydrates and also fats have increased, and sweets have even reappeared (!!!) in the list of allowed foods, certainly with limitations, but they are included in the diet.