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What’s Fit
To Eat To Remain Fit!!!
When and what
you eat makes a difference. Early morning starts off with the alarm
going off. It’s time to hop out of bed. PT training starts in less
than an hour and yet you find yourself drifting back to sleep.
Take a look at
the following nutrition commandments to ensure an energetic mind and
body that will allow your energy levels stay up throughout the day.
Start eating at breakfast:
As the name suggests, the first meal of the day breaks the fasting
period that lasted overnight. It powers fuel stores and gets us
ready for action. Eat as early as possible in the day.
Compose breakfast to suit your needs:
To boost energy levels fast, breakfast should be made up of the most
efficient fuel for our muscles – carbohydrates.
Carbohydrate-rich foods like breads, breakfast cereal or fruit
should be part of a healthy, energy-boosting breakfast.
These foods
are digested rapidly into sugar molecules – that’s instant energy
for the muscles to help combat those sprinting sessions during PT.
Regular meals achieve regular blood-sugar levels – and regular
blood-sugar levels are essential to avoid troughs:
For some, this virtually translates into vagueness, drowsiness,
lethargy and headaches – all of which can be avoided by eating three
regular meals daily and adding a healthy snack like fruit between
main meals.
Avoid the python’s gorge:
Eating meals that are in excess of our usual meal size – overeating
has a disastrous effect on energy levels. It taxes the digestive
system – blood flow is redirected from major muscles to the stomach
in readiness for absorption of the nutrients very quickly. When this
happens, we are reduced to couch potatoes. Movement is limited and
not desired.
A good
indication of eating just the right amount of food is a feeling of
comfortable fullness that does not produce discomfort after the meal
is over.
Avoid a big fat account balance at the end of the meal:
Digesting fats takes a long time in comparison to digesting
carbohydrates. Choosing meals low to moderate in fat ensures a more
efficient digestion and which means better energy levels faster.
Watch your weight:
Carrying excess weight is carrying extra load wherever you go or
run. It means extra work on the body, which will tire sooner because
it has to do extra weight bearing.
Losing weight is the answer:
Every kilogram makes a difference and shedding a few kilograms will
also make a difference to your health, lowering blood pressure,
cholesterol level and the risk of impaired glucose (sugar)
metabolism.
Be sure to eat enough B’s:
B vitamins that is. These nutrients are essential to harness the
energy from the food we eat.
Fats, sugars,
and protein in foods are sources of potential energy for the body
but it is not until the energy is harnessed that it is readily
available for muscles as a source of fuel.
The B vitamins
are involved in the chemical reactions that make this possible.
Foods rich in B vitamins are green leafy vegetables, wholegrain
breads and cereals, nuts, legumes and lean meats.
Stay well hydrated:
Drinking mostly coffee and tea throughout the day is not the best
way to stay hydrated.
This is
because both types of drinks contain caffeine, which is a diuretic.
For every glass of coffee we drink we will eventually lose up to a
glass of fluid from our body.
To stay well
hydrating do remember to drink lots of water, weak cordials, and
fruit juice in moderation. Soups and especially clear soups are also
helpful. |