When it comes to being physically fit, the foods we eat and the fluids we drink are important. As a Registered Dietitian, I am well aware of the wide variety of information in the media that says, “if you want peak fitness, eat this specially formulated food and drink this uniquely curated beverage.”
In truth, though, most of us don’t need special foods and fluids to improve our physical fitness. A super special workout diet is not necessary. Following basic healthy eating guidelines is enough. What are those guidelines, though? Stick around, and we’ll go over them in a minute.
First, let me share a personal story of when I initially realized the impact food had on my ability to exercise. I was in college, and Monday through Friday, I ate fruits, veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains. Then, on weekends, I’d visit my parents and enjoy munching on snacks like corn chips, cookies, ice cream, and other goodies. Back in school on Monday, I’d start jogging on the treadmill only to experience bouts of wheezing and stomach upset. The symptoms always reduced on Tuesday and were gone by Wednesday-Friday. It wasn’t long before I started suspecting that my dietary choices during the weekends were making Monday-Tuesday cardio miserable. To test my theory, I cut back on weekend snacking to see what would happen. Guess what? Cardio on Monday became almost as easy as cardio on Friday. After that, I had a decision to make…was the pleasure of eating the weekend snacks worth the pain on Monday and Tuesday? Most of the time, I decided it wasn’t. Even today, twenty years later, I prefer my body to feel good and move easily, so I choose to eat foods that keep me aligned with that goal.
The basic thing to know about nutrition and physical fitness is that they are interrelated. Nutrition impacts our ability to be physically fit and feel mentally/emotionally fit. Being physically, mentally, and emotionally fit requires nutrients that foods and beverages supply.
While most of us do not need a specific “workout diet” that is any different than the general healthy diet recommendations from the USDA, having a healthy eating plan that we conceptualize as our “workout diet” can help us to stay on track.
Here are five tips for healthy eating for your physical fitness workout diet.
Tip 1: Have an Eating Plan in Place
Without an eating plan in place, we can easily succumb to spur-of-the-moment cravings, unhealthy grab-and-go’s, and poor habit-based choices. To make it easy on ourselves, we can google “healthy meal plan” and select from a nearly infinite supply of options. Alternatively, we can download a meal planning app that allows us to input our health goals, food preferences, and food allergies before it creates a customized plan to fit our parameters. For individualized support, dietitians can be hired to make meal plans, too. A good meal plan fits the lifestyle of the person for which it was designed and includes snacks and beverages as well as meals. If a person doesn’t cook, the plan will be designed around ready-made foods, just as if a person does cook, a plan will be designed around recipes and shopping lists.
Tip 2: Eat Fruit for Snacks
Because of its rich content of highly absorbable sugar and essential vitamins and minerals, fruit provides easily accessible energy that can be used to fuel our brain and muscles within minutes after eating. Fruit also contains fiber to help keep intestines and bowels healthy and comfortable. The silica in fruit supports the bounce in our skin and joints.
Try to eat at least two fruits each day. For example, include a banana or clementine with breakfast and then a fresh apple or some dried mango in the mid-afternoon when a little pick-up is needed. Compared to protein, fat, and snack foods, fruit is low in calories while high in hydration and healthy energy-supporting sugar.
Tip 3: Hydrate with Quality Fluids
All fluids are not created equally. When we have fitness in mind, it’s important to choose fluids that keep us hydrated without unnecessary additives. Water is always a good choice. If additional flavor is desired, add in a few drops of fresh lemon, orange, or lime juice.
If you’re concerned about electrolytes, a pinch of salt, a slice of cucumber, or a piece of fresh fruit added to the water can provide a little glucose, sodium, and potassium to keep us balanced during strenuous fitness routines.
Avoid hydration that contains artificial sweeteners, colors, and stimulants such as caffeine.
Tip 4: Eat at Consistent Times
Eating at consistent times helps keep blood sugar balanced. It also allows the body to be prepared to receive and process the food.
Human bodies digest best when they are relaxed. If the body is stressed, it funnels resources away from the digestive organs. When the body is relaxed, it funnels resources toward the digestive system.
To get the most from the food we’re consuming, it’s best to do what we can to help the body be relaxed and prepared for digestion. Eating at consistent times during the day supports this kind of rhythm.
Establishing a routine by setting a timer on our phone or by linking eating to other consistent occurrences (like going to the bathroom) throughout the day can help us remember to eat and hydrate at regular intervals.
Tip 5: Choose Healthy Proteins
So much focus is placed on protein. While the amino acids in protein foods are important to help build muscle, the truth is that only .36 g of protein per pound of body weight is necessary in our daily diet. This means that a 150-pound person requires only about 54 grams of protein each day. A 4 oz serving of salmon (23 grams protein), 2 eggs (12 grams protein), 1 cup of garbanzo beans (14 g protein), ¼ cup serving of almonds (7 grams protein) provides more than enough quality protein to fuel a 150lb person through the day.
Limit red meat and cheese. Avoid cold cuts and other processed meats. These items tend to contain a high amount of fat, salt, and preservatives. None of these components are supportive of a lifestyle where fitness and nutrition are the focus.
Based on these tips, where will you start your fitness and nutrition journey?
