How to Keep Fit part (2/3)

2 / Maintaining a Balanced Diet:

Get rid of any junk food. 

 

  It is one of the most important components of a fit lifestyle. Many people ignore it, but if you exercise and eat a lot of junk food you will not get any fitter. This is because the junk food turns to fat almost immediately. Junk foods contain little to no nutrition and are high in sodium and sugar. Because of this, your body sugar levels drop after consumption and you end up feeling fatigued with a major lack of energy.
Foods to avoid are:

- High in sugar: Donuts, cakes, cookies, pudding, cereals, canned and dried fruits, and sodas.

- High in fat: Processed meats, butter, hydrogenated oil (coconut and palm kernel), shortening, cheese and animal fats. (Please note: although cheese is high in fat, it is also high in protein which is a great nutrient for the body. Aged and less processed cheeses are the best solution).

- High in cholesterol: Egg yolk, fried foods and mayonnaise.

- Avoid anything containing: High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and Monosodium glutamate (MSG).

Eat healthy.

 

  Maintaining a balanced diet can be difficult to do if you do not have the time to cook for yourself every day. But, it is easy to find healthy solutions in restaurants and take-outs as well. You will find that maintaining a healthy and balanced diet can increase energy and productivity, boost your metabolism and make you a happier person because you will be consuming the nutrients and vitamins your body needs.
Foods to eat are:

- Fresh fruits and vegetables: Melons, bananas, apples, oranges, carrots, onions, broccoli and corn, etc. (Please note: These fruits and veggies should be fresh, not canned. You can sauté vegetables in extra virgin olive oil for better taste). If you make a salad, the more colorful the better!

- Organic meats: Fish, poultry and beef for protein. Instead of frying the meats, try to bake them with extra virgin olive oil or lemon juice with herbs.

- Grains: Whole wheat toast, oatmeal and pastas.

- Foods high in protein: Tofu, soy beans, egg whites, nuts, cottage cheese and quinoa.

- Foods high in fiber: Cooked lentils, black beans, green peas, pears, raspberries and oat bran.

Understand the difference between complex and simple carbohydrates. 

 

  Simple carbohydrates are carbohydrates made of one or two molecules of sugar that have very little nutritional value. Complex carbohydrates are made from a string of sugars but are very rich in fibers and contain healthy vitamins and minerals.


 

- Examples of simple carbohydrates: Sugars, syrups, jams and candy.

- Examples of complex carbohydrates: Whole grain foods and vegetables.

Know when to eat. 

 

  It is really important to avoid skipping meals. A lot of people might think that you will lose weight by skipping a meal but that is very inaccurate. In fact, skipping meals decreases the speed of your metabolism and can result in losing nutrition your body needs.
Here are some examples of healthy meals and snacks and when to eat them:

- Light breakfast: Egg whites (you can mix egg whites with some veggies like onions or mushrooms, etc.) with a grapefruit and a piece of toast.

- Mid morning snack: Yogurt with some berries.

- Lunch: A salad (be careful of the dressing!) with a protein (i.e. grilled chicken or turkey).

- Afternoon snack: Apple, orange or a banana with some almonds and a spoonful of peanut butter.

- Dinner: Lemon baked salmon with brown rice and asparagus.

Drink a lot of water.

 

The human body is made of about 50-65% of water, and you need to keep replenishing it. Your body sweats a lot of that water so you need to put it back in.








- The amount of water you should drink relies on how much you weigh. To calculate how much water you should be drinking, take your weight and multiply it by 67% (2/3). So, for instance, if you weight 130 lbs. you should be drinking about 87 ounces of water per day.

- If you are exercising you will need to increase your amount of water intake to replenish what you are sweating out.