Last Updated on June 22, 2022 by Lori Geurin
Good nutrition and exercise go together like bread and butter. And, if you want to be as healthy as possible, it’s important that you pay equal attention to both. Here we will consider how the interplay works and why it’s essential to look after your nutrition if you want to be fit and healthy.
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Simple Ways To Stay Fit With Good Nutrition and Exercise
You’ve heard that you are what you eat, but very few people know just how true this is. The reality is that all the materials our body uses to fuel itself, build and replace tissue, and regulate the delicate chemical balances inside our brains and blood come from our nutrition.
Protein To Build Muscle
The most obvious example of this is protein. Protein is made up of amino acids which are carbon compounds. Protein helps your body build skin, muscle, brain matter, and bones by recombining the amino acids in meat from animals and plants (to a lesser extent).
If you don’t eat adequate protein then you won’t be able to repair and maintain tissue. In other words, if you aren’t eating the right amount of high-quality protein, then you may find that your wounds don’t heal and your skin and hair seem less healthy. You may also suffer from a range of other problems.
If you are trying to build muscle, it is particularly important to eat more protein. Doing so will give you the matter needed to build those big muscles you’re working so hard for.
Eat The Right Amount Of Nutritious Carbohydrates
Likewise, what you eat obviously impacts your energy levels and feelings of vitality and alertness. For example, if you aren’t eating carbohydrates, your body will start looking elsewhere for things to burn. The body will turn to your fat stores initially, then to your muscles, and eventually your organs. This means that if you work out and aren’t eating the right foods you could experience muscle wasting and feelings of exhaustion. And this is certainly not what you want.
Healthy carbs are unprocessed and rich in fiber. They include:
- fruits
- vegetables
- legumes
- sweet potatoes
On the other hand, eating an excess of carbs can be extremely unhealthy. This means that when we have more carbohydrates than our body needs it will begin storing leftover energy as fat.
This, in turn, causes your heart to pump harder to move the blood around your body. This can cause circulation problems, lack of breath, and other issues. An excess of carbs also increases your likelihood of obesity and diabetes. Likewise, sugar can cause serious damage to the nerves and organs.
Related: 20 Reasons Why Refined Sugar Is Bad For Your Health
In a like manner, diabetes or insulin resistance can cause coronary artery disease at which point the arteries can become impaired or diseased. This, in turn, creates the buildup of arterial plaque which means your blood can’t get around your body as easily. In fact, the plaque increases your chance of heart attack or stroke and often causes angina.
For more on improving your heart health, check out these heart disease and fitness statistics.
Summary – Nutrition and Exercise
As you can see, there are many ways to stay fit with a healthy diet. Good nutrition promotes healthy skin and hair. It gives you more energy and helps you stay alert and focused. And it can also protect you from serious health conditions including diabetes and heart disease.
Eating adequate amounts of protein is essential for the maintenance and repair of body tissues. Protein also provides the proper fuel for impressive muscle gains. Likewise, unprocessed, fiber-rich carbohydrates can provide fuel for your workouts.
What foods do you eat when you are following a fitness plan?
Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
If you liked this, you’ll want to check out:
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- Easy Low Carb Keto One Pot Meal: Healthy And Delicious
- Intermittent Fasting Nutrition: What To Eat For Maximum Results
I learned a lot from your article especially about carbohydrates. I honesty do not know what is considered a good diet.
I’m so happy to hear the article was informative to you! I think it’s confusing to a lot of people because there are so many different “diets” and eating plans out there… and so many opinions. I hope this helped a bit. 🙂
I admit, I fear I sometimes go a little overboard on avoiding too much protein when trying to watch what I eat – Americans are always so prone to overindulging on protein anyway, and my husband makes such rich heavy meat dishes (think thick sauces and gravy built into the dish). So I try to remember to compensate for this with Greek yogurt, beans/lentils, and quinoa 🙂
Good point! I enjoy meatless meals as long as they have protein. Greek yogurt, beans and quinoa are such healthy choices. Great job, Flossie!
These are such great tips to stay healthy this holiday season! I definitely need to eat less carbs!
Thanks, Brianne!
LOVE that you included a good balance of carbohydrates! Many of my clients think they’re the new food villain of the day, but the reality is that nutrient dense foods with carbs also deliver valuable nutrition! It’s often about quality over quantity.
Hi there, Thanks, Cara! I realize there are many perspectives when it comes to carbs, but it’s so great to hear from a professional nutritionist. By the way, I love your site!
I always feel better when I exercise regularly! It gives me more energy and puts me in a better mood overall.
Hey, Lisa! Me too – I couldn’t have said it better!
I’m going to have to show this post to my son. He is only 7 but school has put a lot of focus on healthy eating and he doesn’t quite grasp the entire concept ie) the importance of protein and healthy Carbs. Hopefully reading it first hand will help him understand a little better. Sometimes mom can’t quite get the message across 😉
I completely understand this, Laura! Even thought they’re great kids, sometimes mine listen more closely to someone else’s advice. I certainly do enjoy it when they listen to me. 🙂 Hope this helps!
I feel best when I stay away from heavy, nutrient sparse carbs. Light proteins, good fats and light carbs are my jam. 🙂
Me too, Terri! I agree completely! 🙂