Eating Healthy
A healthy diet requires the proper balance between your macro nutrients and micro nutrients. What to focus on:
- Multiple different types of vegetables, dark green, red, orange, legumes and starch.
- Fruits
- Dairy
- Variety of Protein can include lean meant, seafood, legumes, nuts soy and soy produts
- healthy oils
What to limit
- Saturated fats
- added sugars
- sodium
Exercise and eating well is vital in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. We will go over the major components of nutrition
Calorie Needs
Total energy expenditure is the total amount of calories your body needs on a daily basis and is found by
- Thermic effect of physical activity – amount of energy required for physical activity
- Thermic effect of food – energy needed to digest and absorb food
- Basal metabolic rate – the energy needed to maintain your body at rest.
Macronutrients
Macronutrients are essential nutrients which provide energy for daily activities. We have 3 macronutrients
- Carbohydrates provide around 4 calories per gram
- Protein provide about 4 calories per gram
- Fats around 9 calories per gram
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are an important source of energy during physical activity. Additionally, your brain and central nervous system rely on carbs/glucose for energy. Try to consume healthier carbs from fruits vegetables, and whole grain produts. About 45- 65 percent of your calorie intake should come from carbs.
If you were on 2500 calorie per day diet – 2500 x.45(45%) = 1125 calories from carbs
Upper limit 2500x .65 (65%) = 1625 calories from carbs
To find out how many grams of calories you need take the number of needed carbs and divide by 4.
1125 calories / 4 calories per gram = 281 grams from carbs
1625 calories / 4 calories per gram = 406 grams from carbs
Proteins
Proteins are made up of amino acids which are the building blocks of the body. They are needed for muscle growth and are needed for many functions like hormone management. Protein is not typically used for energy unless you are lacking carbs. Protein can provide 4 calories per gram. Proteins should make up about 10-15 percent of total calories.
Determining protein intake is usually based on body weight. For kilograms multiply that number by .8. For pounds multiply your bodywieght by .36 to find about how much grams of protein you need.
150 pounds x.36 = 54 grams of protein x 4 calories/gram = 216 calories from protein
68 kg x 0.8 = 54 grams of protein x 4 calories/gram = 216 calories from protein
Fats
Fats (lipids) are essential for normal functioning in the body. Lipids make up each cell in your body. Furthermore, fat is major source for energy. There are many types of fats including saturated fats, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats. Health concerns come when people consume an excess amount of saturated and and trans fats. They increase the bad cholesterol in blood (LDL) and can can lead to illness like diabetes.
Try and get your fats from monounsaturated fats instead of saturated fats. Look for safflower oil, corn oil, and fish oils. Stay away from an excess of saturated fats in products like butter, cheese, palm oil.
Fat should be 20 -35 percent of calories intake and should come from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. We are going to use 28% a middle range target
2500 x .28 =700 calories
Only 10 percent of fat should come from saturated fats 2500 x .10 = 250 calories
To find the number of grams you can divide by 9. Each gram of fat provides 9 calories.
