Fitness Nutrition Guidelines | Leisure Fitness Equipment

Article by about.com, Recommended by Michael Brohawn, Wellness Outreach Team

What we need to know now for good fitness nutrition is what we need to obtain from our food. Our food is made up of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats (as well as vitamins, minerals, and the like). Much debate has been heard on what the right amount of each of these components we need, but most of those diets are making the assumption that you are sedentary. For runners, a good healthy diet is made of approximately 50-55 percent carbs, 15-20 protein, and 30 fat. Unfortunately as with calories, you can?t just eat the right amount, but you also have to eat the right kind.

Let?s look at each individual component.

Carbohydrates convert in our body to glucose. Glucose is used by the body for energy or stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen, which is used later for energy. So carbs provide energy. However, our ability to store carbs as glycogen is limited, so we need to replenish often instead of gorge ourselves once or twice a day. When glycogen stores are depleted, you will feel fatigue and have difficulty keeping up with the original pace of your run. Carb-heavy foods also provide nutrients that are essential for our good health. Fruits and vegetables contain over 500 kinds of phytochemicals, which protect against cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and wrinkles. Variety is the key to getting the nutrients you need most.

Carbs should make up about 50 of your diet. This should primarily be from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Simple carbs, like sugar, honey, and GU should make up no more than 10 of your daily diet. A good way to know you are getting the right amount is to eat about 10 servings of grains, 7 servings of fruit, 4 of vegetables per day. (Remember, a serving of grains is 1 piece of bread, a serving of fruit is 6 oz of orange juice, etc. The amount of mashed potatoes you?d get at many restaurants would be enough for your 4 vegetables a day.)

Protein builds muscles and tendons, repairs broken down muscles, and regulates hormones. Every part of our bodies are made of protein. The muscles, bones, blood, immune cells, tendons, ligaments, skin, and hair all are made of protein. Runners need more protein than sedentary people because we have more need for muscle repair and recovery, which is protein?s biggest job. Because of this, a deficiency of protein causes fatigue and slow recovery. To get an adequate amount of protein each day, we should consume approximately 5-6 ounces of lean meat (notice: ounces not servings, and lean meat, not greasy hamburgers) or 2-3 servings of soy per day. Having 3 servings of lowfat dairy products should help with your protein as well; if you don?t consume dairy, you should replace it with a calcium-dense fruit or vegetable or more soy servings.

Eating a very lowfat diet is just as bad as eating a very high fat diet. Lowfat diets contribute to moodiness and depression. As runners, our bodies need fat. Fat helps us feel full. A deficiency of omega-3 fats (found in fatty fish and flaxseed oil) leads to higher risk of heart disease and arthritis. While a diet rich in monounsaturated fats cuts cholesterol and heart disease risks.

Trans fat, the worst of the fats, raises LDL, bad cholesterol, and lowers HDL, good cholesterol. Saturated fat, still a net bad fat, raises both HDL and LDL. But our bodies do need saturated fat in small amounts. You don?t have to try to get saturated fat though, it will find you. Saturated fat is found in whole milk, butter, cheese, ice cream, red meat, chocolate, and coconut products. Trans fat is found in most margarines, fast foods, and vegetable shortening. It is also found in many many prepackaged, processed foods. You should try to avoid processed foods such as chips and crackers, fried foods especially those that have been deep-fried, and baked goods listing ?partially hydrogenated vegetable oil?. Saturated fat should not be more than 10 of your diet. Trans fat should be kept to the smallest amount possible.

Polyunsaturated fat lowers LDL, which is bad cholesterol, and raises HDL, which is good cholesterol. Polyunsaturated fat is found in corn, soybean, safflower, and cottonseed oil, as well as in fish. Omega-3 fats are polyunsaturated fats.
Monounsaturated Fat

Monounsaturated fat also lowers LDL levels and raises HDL levels. Monounsaturated fats may also reduce risk for several kinds of cancer. It is found in olives, olive and canola oil, avocados, and nuts.

Source: http://blog.leisurefitness.com/2012/12/fitness-nutrition-guidelines/

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