Nutrition Advice – 6 Simple rules to maintaining a healthy diet
In the complex world of nutrition, it is easy to feel frustrated with the conflicting nutritional advice out there and it seems like there will soon be nothing left to eat as everything will be damned as cancerous or fattening. Many of those claims in the press are of course somewhat sensationalised to create attention in one form or another. Here are some simple rules to follow when it comes to keeping your diet in check and not easily falling foul of misleading headlines:
- Quality is key – For as long as you are buying good quality ingredients such as fresh vegetables and fruit, lean meats, fish, poultry, eggs, wholegrain products and the like, you will unlikely go very far wrong. Organic produce is definitely ideal should your budget allow for it. It’s more costly, but not as costly as ill health.
- Don’t stress about it! Life doesn’t usually allow for perfect eating all the time, so don’t expect it. Of course there is no harm in aiming for it if you are the type that likes pursuing perfection, but for most people, eating well 80% of the time and not fussing over what you’re eating 20% of the time should keep you sane and in good health.
- Don’t starve yourself! Your body has many functions to perform on a daily basis that require a mixed variety of nutrients. Most of the above mentioned foods will cover pretty much all the nutrients a person really needs to be in good health (especially if organic). If you throw good exercise in the mix then you definitely need to nourish yourself to feed that healthy habit.
- Get enough protein! If you are exercising like a good person, this is key! Muscle tissue breaks down during exercise and in order for it to be reinforced, you must have enough protein especially to help with that process. Proteins or the end product of it (amino acids) provide the building blocks for muscle development and many other tissue rebuilding processes within the body.
- Stay hydrated! Hydration is essential to help optimise your health and vitality. Our cells depend on ideal permeability which is dependent on adequate water, protein and lipid (end product of fat) content. Should you consume enough but obviously not too many quality fats and proteins with a chug of water, you’re going to be doing just fine. Should this be in check, substances that need to enter various cells of the body, like glucose (end product of carbohydrates) will permeate through the cell membrane with more ease.
- Have a colourful diet! This phrase is pretty much to drive home the point of eating lots of veg and fruit as these tend to be the most colourful foods. They contain fibre, phytonutrients and a vast array of vitamins and minerals to maintain optimal health. Red meats are not the devil. Just don’t buy the cheaper varieties. Purchase from a trusted local butcher ideally. A colour of foods that I would recommend not going to crazy with but not totally exclude would be; Beige. These tend to be carbohydrates that deliver a lot of glucose quickly and in large quantities to our bloodstreams. When not exercising with sufficient frequency to support those levels of glucose in the bloodstream, the excess glucose can be sent to fat storage. This is true of an excess of any macronutrient, however it seems to be easier to get an excess of beige coloured foods. Proteins and fats are harder to convert to adipose tissue (fat) as they have more roles to serve throughout the body before they reach that point, especially if a person resistance trains regularly and engages in cardiovascular exercise.
If you’re looking for expert nutritional advice, give me a call! I have an extensive knowledge of fitness and foods that really work! Make sure you’re receiving helpful nutritional advice to support your fitness goals.