Modern Diet

Change How You Eat

Poor nutrition affects how well your body performs and your overall fitness benefits. Changing how you eat is always a great step towards healthy eating and it will affect how your body performs. The healthier you eat, you better you'll feel.

No matter how old you may be, healthy eating is something you should strive for. Once you give it a chance, you'll see in no time at all just how much it can change your life - for the better.

1. Working out on an empty stomach is not a great idea.

Many fitness experts do not believe that “running on empty” is a good idea and, contrary to popular belief, working out on an empty stomach does not jumpstart your metabolism.

After a 1/2 hour of exercising without eating first, the body starts to use muscle as an energy source. This can result in overexertion, dizziness, and dehydration.

A study conducted by Maffucci and McCurry showed that performance in moderate- to high-intensity workouts was improved by eating a high-carbohydrate, low-fat, low-protein meal three hours prior to exercising.

2. Relying on energy bars and drinks.

There has been a supplement created that can take the place of a nutritious meal. Meal alternatives that are just as convenient include fruit, low-fat cheese sticks, crackers, bagels, yogurt, peanut butter, nuts, dry cereal, or granola bars.Experts agree sit-down meals are the best approach to healthy weight loss.

It is always better to grab a quick and healthy meal such as soup, salad or sandwich. Use the well-chosen meal replacement only when you have to truly "eat on the run."

3. Skipping breakfast.

Skipping breakfast is very bad for your health. Eating breakfast is good for weight loss. In fact, people who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.

A healthy breakfast should contain some protein and some fiber. Protein can come from low fat meats such as turkey bacon, eggs, beans, or soy. Fiber can be found in whole grains, vegetables and fruits. A good example of a healthy breakfast might be something simple like a hard boiled egg, an orange, and a bowl of whole grain cereal with low fat milk. Protein and fiber satisfy your hunger and will keep you feeling full through out the morning.

4. Eating what you want.

Eating healthy and exercising doesn't give you an all access pass to eat anything you want. Everyone needs the same nutrients whether they exercise or not, as well as fruits and vegetables.

5. Not enough calories.

Although losing weight involves calories, losing it too quickly is never safe. What you should do, is aim for 1 - 2 pounds a week. Always make sure that you are getting enough calories to keep your body operating smoothly. If you start dropping weight too fast, eat a bit more food.

Tags: diet, exercise, Healthful Eating, healthy_breakfast, healthy_eating, Weight Loss, weight_loss, workouts