If you regularly train using cardiovascular workouts and a weight resistance routine while taking nutritional supplements but are not paying attention to basic nutrition than you are essentially throwing away a good portion of the benefits you are gaining from your workouts. Basic nutrition is absolutely essential to making the most of your sports training.

Food calories supply energy and nutrients to the body during exercise. Without proper basic nutrition you loss energy more quickly resulting in a less intense workout. While simple sugars are used up almost immediately, complex sugars or complex carbohydrates provide prolonged energy to the muscles during exercise. Protein is composed of amino acids which support growing muscles. In fact, basic nutritional deficits can cause you to lose hard earned muscle to muscle tissue breakdown or catabolism.

According to Joel Marion, prior Body for Life 2001 Grand Champion, not only are the foods you eat important but proper timing in relation to workouts plays a vital role in maximizing your performance, optimizing fat loss, and minimizing muscle loss. The intensity of your workout is directly related to the amount of calories and fat you burn. You can not be at full intensity if you are suffering from lack of proper nutrition. In addition, intense exercise can increase muscle loss in people who are not meeting their caloric needs.(1)

There are six nutrients needed on a daily basis. These include: water, vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates and proteins. There are three types of calories including: carbohydrates, fats, and protein. Carbohydrates are converted to sugars during exercise. Complex carbohydrates are what your body needs to perform at optimum levels. Fats also fuel the body for exercise. Saturated fat is what you should strive to avoid while monounsaturated fat is the least detrimental to the body. Protein helps build and maintain muscle mass.

Foods high in protein include chicken, egg whites, lean beef, beans and skim milk.

It is recommended that your daily diet consists of 50% carbohydrates, 30% fat, and 20% protein. If you exercise regularly you may want to increase your carbohydrates and protein intake while slightly decreasing your fats.

To improve your nutrition you should try to consume five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, drink eight glasses of water (more if you are consuming a lot of proteins and complex carbohydrates), eliminate junk food and unnecessary fat like in whole milk, and consume only lean meats. If you want to maximize your work outs while eliminating unnecessary muscle breakdown, it is recommended that you consume a nutritional supplement before and after workouts to restore glycogen and creatine levels, decrease muscle tissue catabolism, and encourage muscle tissue growth.

Barry Boswell is a Independent Distributor for Xtend Life Natural Products, the manufacturer of Total Balance, a daily supplement designed to support your daily nutritional needs with 84 synergistic ingredients. To discover how Total Balance can help you, go to ... http://healthybody.xtend-life.com/default.asp?id=270030