I don’t know what to eat after a workout to build muscle or burn fat after my exercise, or in what quantities or what times to eat them. What should I eat, in what quantity, at what times, and how will I know I’m meeting my goals (how long will it take to see results)? Also: how do I stay confident when I see someone who has the appearance I want to have, especially around people I want to make proud?

Snuggles J.
Hello there! I believe it is protein and carbs that help to build muscles, and vegetables and carbs to build lean muscles. Typically, before a workout you would want a pre workout snack mainly consisting of simple carbs like an apple or an orange. Carbs give us energy which will help us to complete our workout! Post workout snacks after a workout usually consists of protein. This could be a protein shake, peanutbutter toast, or even a cup of Greek yogurt! I would say wait 10-15 minutes before you eat after a workout and to not eat loads before a workout or you may feel ill.
As for your confidence, do not feel bad about your body when you see others who have a body you would like to have! It is good to be inspired by others, but you shouldn't compare yourself. You are on your own journey to a happy and healthy you! Just keep going and you'll see the results that you're looking for 🙂
Sarah O.
You want to eat protein and drink lots of water. And you might consider a protein rich snack maybe 30 minutes before your work out. Nothing massive but maybe 5 crackers and two pieces of cheese.
Results are based on what ur looking for. Losing weight? Within a week if you are significantly changing your diet. Diet controls far more than physical activity. If you've already changed your diet and now you are slowing down on weight loss, exercise will help kick that back into motion but it will take up to three weeks. You will FEEL the strength increasing before two weeks are done.
Staying confident: think about each small thing you do and celebrate. Truly pat yourself on the back and feel proud. Also think about the people in your life. Who do you have that are your cheerleaders? And if you have nobody, then let's work on finding some friends at the gym who are on the same path as you and strike up a friendship.
Christian A.
I need to be having a protein shake after evening workouts. Repeat exercise sessions 3-4 times a week at least. Enjoy life and always tell yourself you are worth it.
Venla F.
You should maybe ask these type of questions from a nutritionist etc. I probably know just as much as you haha sorry! Good luck with your goals and stay healthy ❤️
Ethan S.
Protein shakes are a good option after a workout. Protein helps repair muscle fibers that are broken down during workouts. An estimate of 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight is a rule of thumb. And that’s per day.

Set realistic goals that you know you can achieve but should still be a challenge. Pay attention to your body over the course of your journey. Ask yourself “How do I feel?”, “Do I notice any difference in my overall health today compared to a month ago?”.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look a certain way. Looking towards a desired physique will only inspire you for so long. You have to want to make the changes for yourself, not for others. You need to only compete with yourself and compare yourself with who you were yesterday.

Catalin N.
tough question, i'm also working on that, first of all start documenting on how digestion works, from what you eat what it's used where and how, start eating more vegetable stay away from kfc, MacDonald, and all this "glorious" restaurants, gym is good, and you don't have to like it, just show up there and try out things build some mustles or just some cardio, that's what i've done until now, and i'm looking further on taking some nutrition courses, speaking with a nutritionist would be also nice, but my type of being lead me to learn on my own, do your best and learn how to avoid cravings 😎
Linda E.
Here is what worked for me: to burn fat you need to have protein and avoid carbs and alcohol. To build muscle you should have 2g Protein per Kilogramm body weight. Being vegan I use some protein shakes and bars to get to the amount of protein together with beans, lentils, spinach, chick peas, tofu etc.
Start thinking about the results you want to have and know that you already got them. There is nothing on earth that can be in between a goal that is backed up by persistence and determination. With a daily workout I managed to lose 16 Kilograms and get to a sixpack in around 5 months. So it’s absolutely possible and no need to feel bad when you are only at the beginning of your journey. Keep up the good work 👍
R E.
After any workout try to drink water because your body needs it and have fruits in small portion whenever you feel hungry or you can even take veggies or your fav peas. Everything takes time so try to go natural but with hard work when it comes to achieving your goals.. about the last part confidence comes when you accept your self completely and appreciate what you have because some one else might need to have what you have! Be yourself And accept yourself fully and that’s enough.
Hannah U.
Make sure to eat lots of healthy protein. Grab a protein shake for a quick fix, or try some grilled chicken, fish, or red meat (if you have iron deficiencies, go for red). As far as quantity, determine you're goals (build muscle vs lose fat, etc), you're height, gender, age, etc, and go from there. I use MyFitnessPal to track goals, but I can't tell you exactly what to do without more info. It's hard to see change on a day to day basis because change happens in small quantities over time to add up to a big difference. If you're goal is losing weight, make sure to track your weight and measure you're waist size. If you want to put on muscle, you'll notice improvements by tracking how much and how long you can do certain activities (ex week one you can only lift 20lbs for 10 reps, week three you can do the same weight for 20 reps, week five you can do 30lbs for 25 reps, etc – these numbers are far from exact, just an example). As far as confidence, I personally find that if I think positive thoughts about people that look the same or "worse" than I do physically, it helps me stay positive about myself too. It's easy to fall into the trap of negativity regarding both yourself and others. Otherwise, just remember that you are beautiful, and take time each day to think about those who love you and all the things you've been able to accomplish, even if it's just little achievements, and you'll see your positive outlook on life growing faster than ever
Jeroen W.
Thats a lot of goals and questions you have there. I'm not a dietist or fitness junkie and i don't know what body you have or your current excercise and diet schedule so there's no way I can help you with those goals. What I can suggest for you is to read into SMART goal setting. Specific, Measerable, Acceptable, Realistic and Timed. Go read about it and try to take things step by step.
Noah X.
Hi, my son’s use SoCal supplements – ExtremeBCAA endurance-Recovery Powder. You can buy it online or there is a store at the Block in Orange. One scoop with 10-16 oz of water. It can be consumed before training, before meals, during training or post work out’s. Good for weight training / muscle recovery. A protein powder would be good for gaining mass.
As a “seasoned” female, I would say confidence exudes from within. Intelligence, witt, good sense of humor & heart is far superior to physical appearance. Confidence is very attractive in any form! So fake it til you make it! Until you can let your true self shine. Other’s sense the truth by the way it feels.
Focus on physical and mental health for yourself and not for others perception of you and it should eventually come to fruition for the right reasons and you attract the right people in your life. So I tell myself everyday! 😊
Best wishes for you!
Go get em tiger or tigress!!!!
Nion Z.
For the first question, the best place to look is either a fitness instructor, health coach, dietician, nutritionist, or just the internet. There are too many factors of your body to answer blindly, but start off with slowly lowering your overall calorie intake while increasing base protein and carb foods, think paleo diet. The length of time varies from person to person.

Your second question is the more serious one, this is a self confidence issue. It's wonderful to have a goal but constantly comparing yourself to others is not healthy. Focus on the way you've already improved and what your next steps are.

Also, maybe look into therapy.

Elisandra C.
I personally make myself some sort of meat (usually chicken because it has less fat) then I make my self a salad with good veggies and sometimes some fruit in it I think it’s a pretty nice rounded meal. Oh and definitely water no sugary drinks
Luka C.
Don t care about apperance, care about how do you feel in your body. What to eat? Eggs, milk, some bred to get energy back. Fruit to get back vitamins and minerals that you lost with water
Kasper P.
Forget the food part of the question. The first thing you need to work on is self-acceptance and stop comparing to others. Everything else will fall into place more easily after that.
Poppy N.
You should eat protein (spinach, lentils, hummus). A wrap is a good idea.
Results are seen on the long run (4-6 weeks).
Happens to me too. You just say to yourself that you are a work in progress 😉
Jacy Y.
If you’re trying to lose fat, the most important thing is to be in a calorie deficit. And best to reduce carbs but you don’t need to eat specific things to lose weight. You could eat anything really and as long as you’re in a deficit you would lose weight. To make it maintainable, you need to eat enough throughout the day (not hungry) – so this means you’ll have to eat more low calorie foods. You will see your body transform after 1 week, if you are avoiding carbs your water weight will drop within that week. Then the fat lbs will start to drop depending on the amount of a deficit you’re in. Use a calorie counter app and it’ll calculate the approx. weeks you should be at your goal.

No one can give you confidence, but if you’re working hard toward your goal and you feel proud of your hard work and progress it will come naturally. Remember every day you’re making progress and it’s the little wins that are important. They built up to become your ultimate goal and you should be proud of each win.