Diet and Nutrition

Diet and Nutrition is key to your fitness success.

Maintaining right diet and nutrition can help improve your overall health. It can also increase you energy levels and prevent diseases. In some cases, a good diet plan may be instrumental in keeping psychological disorders such as depression at bay.

Benefits of Good Nutrition

Good diet and nutrition is more than just weight loss. It’s about paying attention to what you eat and which foods are better for you. Below are some of the known benefits of maintaining a healthy diet and nutrition.

Helps control body weight – Maintaining your ideal body weight is necessary for good health. Too much or too less can lead to and aggravate all sorts of health problems.
Increases Your Energy Levels – A healthy diet entails a decrease in the intake of food items that are high in sugar. Doing this saves your body from experiencing sugar highs and lows. As a result, you energy levels out throughout the day and you will feel like you have more energy than ever before.
Improves Mood – Some studies have shown that maintaining a healthy diet can help stabilize and improve your mood. Staying away from alcoholic beverages and drinks that are high in caffeine can keep you away from the highs and lows that you may suffer from.

In addition, a healthy diet can also help you avoid these diet related diseases

Adult Onset Diabetes
High Blood Pressure
Osteoporosis
Strokes
Heart Problems
High Cholesterol

Adult onset diabetes may be triggered by diets with excess sugar. High Blood Pressure or hypertension may be set off by a diet high in salt. Cholesterol problems may be a result of eating too much of foods that are high in fats.

Heart problems and strokes are complications of uncontrolled hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, and a host of other factors. Osteoporosis may be prevented by eating foods that are high in calcium such as low fat milk and low sodium and low fat sardines.

Don’t Skip the Facts

One of the biggest mistakes that people make is that they do not bother to look at the nutrition facts of what they are purchasing. Do not get swayed by flashy labels. Take some time to inspect the ingredient list and as much as possible, try to keep your diet plan free of processed and

Increase Your Intake of These:

Fresh Vegetables
Vegetable Sources of Protein (beans, legumes, and nuts)
Whole Grains
Fresh Fruits
Soy-based products
Homemade Soups that are low in fat and salt

Cut Down on the Following:

When you are out grocery shopping, look at the labels of the food items you are putting in you basket and cut down on the following food products.

Alcohol
Caffeinated coffees, teas, and sodas
Carbonated sugary drinks
Foods labeled ‘Enriched’
Dairy and Dairy Products
Red Meat
Cigarettes
Foods High in Sugar
Foods High in Salt
Hydrogenated Oils
preservative rich foods

Simpler Than You Think

One of the main reasons why people tend to shy away from adhering to healthy diet habits is the fear of it being a time consuming, expensive and complicated process. The truth is, maintain good nutrition is often simpler than you think. It is all a matter of simple substitutions and paying attention to what and how much you are eating.

Lastly, keep in mind that being healthy does not mean that you have to be waif thin nor does it require that you adhere to a specific diet that makes you uncomfortable. Do what you feel is right and you’ll soon be on your way to a better health and a better you.