Are abs made in the gym or the kitchen?
Well depending on your goal both, but the link between the numbers 70:30 or 80:20, and the ratio is important.
If your goal is weight loss and toning up then nutrition will play a massive part in what you want to achieve. You need to create a calorie deficit, for example eating fewer calories than you need to complete your daily tasks. You can do this by swapping low nutritious food to high nutritious food (i.e. chips for a chicken breast) and getting out of the mindset of thinking ‘I have eaten an ice cream now I must go for a run to burn it off’.
On the flip side nutrition is just as important if you want to build muscle and get stronger by training hard in the gym. You need to refuel your body with enough food to promote the growth.
Think of your nutrition as being just as important to exercise, you are what you eat and your body requires fuel to function, you must fuel with high quality food. You wouldn’t put diesel in a petrol car and expect it to work and perform to a high standard. Exercise will be the element that is toning and sculpting your body to achieve your goals. Therefore I can’t specifically say the focus must be ....% vs. ....%, instead achieve the balance you want between fuelling and working hard.
If you would like more information on the balance of diet and exercise please email me gemma@fundamentalsportsandfitness.co.uk
