How to Build Good Habits for Training and Nutrition | Hardworkout Magazine

Key takeaways

- A daily protein intake of about 1.6–2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight is a good starting point for people who strength train.

- Two to four strength sessions a week is enough for many people, provided there is time to recover between them.

- Three sessions a week that actually happen produce better results over time than five planned sessions that are repeatedly cancelled.

- A strength session can be cut from 60 minutes to 30–40 minutes by prioritising the most important exercises and skipping less important sets.

- Results come from what you do repeatedly over weeks, months and years, not from individual meals or workouts.

There are many ways to eat healthy and train effectively. The challenge is to find solutions that work not only when you have plenty of time, energy, and established routines, but also during periods when your days look different.

A diet and a training plan should therefore be adaptable to different needs, goals, and life situations. This makes it easier to stick to good habits over time, without everything having to be done in the same way every week.

How many training sessions a week should you actually plan for?

The training program should be based on how often you actually have the opportunity to train.

Three good sessions each week usually yield better results over time than five planned sessions that constantly have to be canceled.

For strength training, 2-4 sessions a week will be sufficient for many. Cardio training can be incorporated based on goals and training background. The total training volume should also allow enough time for recovery between sessions.

The program does not need to be complicated. A limited selection of exercises makes it easier to track progress and gradually increase the load.

As you get stronger, you can increase the weights, do more repetitions, or add sets. This way, you can continue to develop without unnecessarily changing exercises or programs too often.

Build Your Diet Around Foods You Like

A healthy diet should meet the needs for energy and nutrients, but the food must also be something you like and want to eat regularly.

Let the main part of your diet consist of nutrient-rich foods such as vegetables, fruits and berries, whole grain products, potatoes, legumes, fish, eggs, and dairy products. Nuts, seeds, avocado, and plant oils are good sources of unsaturated fat.

How much protein do you need if you strength train?

For individuals who strength train and want to build or maintain muscle mass, a daily protein intake of about 1.6-2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight is a good starting point. Feel free to distribute the proteins across several meals throughout the day.


Can pizza, dessert and snacks be part of a healthy diet?

A good diet does not have to be based on certain foods being completely forbidden.

Strict rules can make it more difficult to eat with others and create unnecessary limitations during restaurant visits, holidays, and other social occasions.

Pizza, dessert, and snacks can be part of an otherwise nutrient-rich diet. How often and how much you eat of various foods is more important than a single meal.

This allows room for foods you eat because you like them, while nutrient-rich foods make up the main part of the diet.

What should you do on days when you do not have time to train or cook?

On days when time is short, some simple solutions can make it easier to carry out what you had planned.

Have ingredients available for meals that require little preparation. Whole grain bread slices with eggs or other protein-rich spreads, yogurt or cottage cheese with grains and berries, or dinner leftovers from the day before can save both time and planning.

Workouts can also be shortened when necessary. If you usually strength train for 60 minutes, you can complete 30-40 minutes and prioritize the most important exercises. Some sets or less important exercises can be skipped that day.


When should you change your training and diet?

What works at one point in life may not be the best solution later.

Changed work hours, less sleep, new goals, or other commitments may make it necessary to change how often or how much you train. In some periods, fewer sessions may be right, while in other periods you may have the capacity for more.

The diet can change for the same reasons. Energy needs are influenced by activity level and training volume, while meal timing can be adjusted to work hours and other routines.

When needs or daily life change, diet and training should be able to change with them.

Why do single workouts and meals matter less than you think?

Results from training and nutrition are built over time.

Individual workouts and meals have little significance on their own. It is what you do regularly over weeks, months, and years that primarily affects the results.

You will likely have periods of less training, meals that turn out differently than planned, and weeks where routines change. This does not have to be a problem.

When the basic habits are well established, it is easier to return to them after a break.