Eating All Chewed Up

Welcome to 5.14 Fitness,


This is another post on diet and healthy eating, I was inspired for this post by the people that have asked me about dieting and the actual mechanics of it and this is something that I have kinda forgotten to mention and have just taken for common knowledge when it clearly isn't so apologies for that. This is something that I learnt quite a while back now so forgive me for getting confused.


Macronutrients


Nutrients are things that nourish our bodies. Macro (the opposite to micro) means large so macronutrients are things that we should eat a lot of and should make up a large part of our diet. We need macronutrients for three reasons: energy, growth and repair. We all need this form of nutrition, but those who are involved in physical activities require larger amounts than those that are not. There are three types of macronutrients we need to know about:

1. Carbohydrates. We can find these in bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and even things like cake and alcohol (however I would not recommend large consumption of these). These should be the largest portions of macronutrients as they provide us with the energy used for aerobic and anaerobic activities.
2. Fats. Contained in butter, oil, as well as fatty foods and fried dishes. Should make up the smallest amount of macronutrients. These too provide us with energy but as fat is thicker and harder to break down it stays in our bodies longer and is therefore more likely to become stored energy e.g body fat. They should be kept in moderation.
3. Proteins. Are in cheese, milk, eggs, meats and fish. They are used for growth and repair of muscles, they can also produce energy but this is not their main function. Are often consumed in mass for sportsman trying to increase muscle growth.

Micronutrients


Micronutrients are things that we need in our diet to aid out bodies but in smaller quantities. Minerals and vitamins are the main forms of micronutrients. We require them to remain in good condition and to keep our bodies healthy. Vitamins are commonly found in fruits, ideal ones are oranges, apples, mangos, peaches and kiwis. Minerals are found in vegetables examples being carrots, peas, broccoli and cauliflowers. Our bodies cannot store these very well so they need to be replenished daily. Each vitamin and mineral has it own role and purpose to the body. They help get rid of illnesses and colds.Vitamin D in particular is vital to the body we find this in milk, eggs and cheese (which we also know are proteins so contain extra goodness). Vitamin D helps with the absorbing of calcium. We use calcium to increase bone density and keep them strong.


Water and Fibre


Water and fibre are not nutrients but are still necessary for a healthy and balanced diet. Water prevents dehydration as can be found in most liquids and lots of foods (but also from taps and shops). Fibre helps with the digestive system and with the removal of waste, it can be found in fruits and cereals.


Well I hope this helped with some of the basics of food. remember to plus one everything, follow me on Google plus and follow the blog by going to blogger and adding the blogs url to your reading list, please comment or get in touch if you want anything. Thanks for reading, please come again and check out older posts as well; work hard and peace!


Jason