Article on DIET and Fitness
"We are what we eat"
There is absolutely no substitute for good nutrition. Starting a well-balanced diet which includes 55 % of
calories from carbohydrates (grains, cereals, breads, fruits, vegetables), 30 % from fat (vegetable and
seed oils are healthy, but be very careful with saturated fat), and 15% from protein (alternatives to meat,
such as soy, legumes, nuts) will keep you healthy.
Avoid fad diets and diets that are too low in calories. Diets that are 1000 or less calories may help you lose
weight at first, but they slow down your metabolism because your body goes into "survival mode" to
conserve calories. The weight loss will consist of water with very little loss of fat and you will gained your
weight back quickly because more fluid than fat was lost.
Diets that make big promises with little effort DO NOT WORK and have the Yo-Yo Effect! Instead of
spending your money on diet programmes spend it on healthy food, because nothing can replace a good
diet.
The yo-yo effect dieting messes up your metabolism, and may even raise the levels of harmful cholesterol
in your blood, increasing your risk of arterial disease and heart problem. Your weight often goes back on
as fat, leaving you with more fat and less protein than you started off with. Unfortunatelly you may feel
even more out of shape than before.
Get your balance right
Eat regular meals based on carbohydrate. The wholemeal versions are the best as they contain more
vitamins and fibre, and release their energy more steadily.
Refined sugary food have 'empty calories' and contains only energy without much nutrients.
Protein is needed in moderate amounts. Go for beans, lower-fat cheeses, semi-skimmed milk, yoghurts or
soya products.
Fats are essential to health only in small amounts. Be careful with eating too much of saturated fat as this
can cause many illnesses.
Vitamins and minerals are best obtained from eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Try to eat at
least five portions of fruits and vegetables every day to stay in top condition.
Combine a balanced diet with regular moderate exercise to feel and look your best.
Boost your metabolism naturally:
Losing weight happens by burning more calories each day than you consume. If you can boost your
metabolism, you will be able to burn more calories per day and lose weight with a healthy diet.
Do not skip meals
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so do not skip it! It gives you energy to perform tasks
and it prevents you from snacking on junk food later in the morning. Do not let your metabolism burn low.
Eat nutritious snacks between meals.
Exercise for 30 minutes or more
The body starts to dip into its fat reserve after 30 minutes of continuous exercise.
Fuel
If you exercise, you are going to be using up more calories than usual. Your body can use fat, protein, or
carbohydrate to gain energy. It depends on the type of exercise you do, but starchy foods are a good way
to get slow-release energy. You can have a high-carbohydrate snack 30-60 minutes before exercise (jam
sandwich, banana or sports drink) to keep you going.
Protein
Protein are needed mostly to build and repair your muscles and enzymes. Thera are only needed when
you would be training very hard like long distance running or weight lift. Increasing your exercise levels
slightly will not increase your need for protein.
Vitamins & Minerals
Do not forget to include lots of fruit and vegetables in your diet as it is the best way to get your vitamins
and minerals.
Water!
Getting sweaty makes your lose water and salts, so remember to take a water bottle with you and sip
away at it. You need to drink about 1.2 litres of fluid for every kilogram of body weight lost during
exercise, so remember to weight yourself before and after you exercise. Drinks which contain caffeine or
lots of sugar can have a dehydrating effect on your body, so avoid them when you exercise. It is the best
to stick to water or diluted fruit juice.
Energy
Regular exercise boosts your day-to-day energy levels and it is a great way to give yourself an energy
boost before or after a long day.
Longer life
Staying in shape can reduce your risk of many diseases: diabetes, heart disease, stroke, blood vessel
disorders.
Exercise
Cardiovascular Exercise is necessary to help you lose fat, so choose exercises such as fast walking,
running, swimming, dancing, aerobic exercise and cycling, which burn calories.
Brisk walking
It is a low impact exercise where the risk of injury is minimal. You need only a comfortable pair of walking
shoes.
Jogging
Jogging and running are higher impact exercise, so you have to make sure you have a proper pair of
running shoes. If you are new to running start increasing the amount of running at a comfortable level.
Cycling
You will have to invest some money to buy a bike and the helmet. Cycling is a wonderful way of exercising
with the freedom of place and speed.
Dancing
is a great fun and you can burn lots of calories. You can go for dance classes or dance at home like creazy!
Be creative!
Aerobic exercise
Shape up with cardiovascular activities. sticking to it the key to success is to find something you enjoy,
otherwise there is no way you would stick to it. Try to exercise three to five times a week for 30 to 60
minutes.
Yoga
Increases your flexibility, stamina and strength, reduces stress and gives you more physical energy.
Pilates
It helps you to tone up and to relax. The exercises are done slowly with rests in between and the emphasis
is on building strong back and stomach muscles, balance, co-ordination, strength and flexibility.
Small changes lead to big results
Small, sustained reductions in caloric intake lead to successful weight loss. A good goal to set is to lose 1
pound/0.5 kg per week. The importance of taking the time to lose weight slowly is very important. Once
you have successfully lost your weight, keeping it off can be a challenge. The key is to eat a healthy diet
and exercise regularly.
What Causes Weight Gain
If you burn as many calories as you take in each day, there is nothing left over for storage in fat cells and
weight remains the same. Eat more than you burn and you end up adding fat and pounds. Many things
influence what and when you eat and how many calories you burn;
Genes: Some people are genetically predisposed to gain weight more easily than others or to store fat
around the abdomen and chest.
Diet: The quantity of food in your diet has a strong impact on your weight.
Physical activity: The more active you are, the more calories you burn, which means that less energy will
be available for storage as fat. Physical activity is a key element of your weight control and health.
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