A healthy diet is one of the most import factors to consider in any fitness plan. Food mainly supplies your body with nutrients for cells and tissues, and calories for the energy needs of the body. Different types of food differ in the type of nutrients they contain and in the amount of calories they can supply to the body so for weight watchers, you need to eat food that contains a lot more muscle-developing nutrients and much less calories. For people trying to gain weight, a diet which is both high in muscle-building nutrients and calories is key.
For this reason, you have to be selective in what you eat but don’t panic yet; a lot of foods commonly found almost everywhere in the world contain the right amounts of calories and nutrients that human beings need to have a healthy, balanced, fitness supporting diet. We’ve compiled and listed the top 8 healthy foods that we think can be found nearly everywhere on the planet. Read on for details.
FRUITS & VEGETABLES
Bananas
Bananas, technically a berry, could be called one of nature’s gifts for fitness and good health and here’s why; usually a healthy fitness diet whether you’re trying to lose or gain weight, will require that you eat a balance of nutrients that includes just the right amount of healthy carbs, protein, some fruits and fats too. Bananas may be a fruit but their carbohydrate content is remarkably high and they also have some protein; so you can kill three birds with one stone when you eat bananas. Bananas are also very high in energy content so you can eat them during performance without any discomfort (unless you eat too many). The best thing about bananas is that they can be found in practically everywhere in the world and are almost always very cheap. To top it off, bananas are delicious! Bananas are very high in vitamin B6, manganese, potassium, copper, fiber, biotin and vitamin C.
Avocados
Avocados are a rather unique fruit because, unlike most other fruits, they are primarily composed of fat. Now if you don’t know much about how good healthy fats can be for you, you’re probably cringing and getting ready to move on to the next item on the list but hold on; avocados are what most health and fitness experts would call healthy fat and you need healthy fats in the right proportions for a balanced diet. Avocados are low in cholesterol and saturated fat and conversely are high in monosaturated fats which are good for your heart. The trouble is, most people write off all fats as being bad but the truth is your body needs fats to function properly.
The fact that avocados are such a healthy source of fats and oils for the body means that it would be a good idea to work them into your diet in place of any unhealthy fats you might be eating such as chocolate. So when next you feel like snacking on a chocolate bar, think of having a slice of avocado instead.
Oranges
Oranges are kind of the opposite of avocados in some ways but both fruits are very healthy. With oranges, you get a very low fat, highly vitamin rich fruit that will help provide necessary nutrients for your fitness plans. If you’re specifically trying to lose weight, you should know that a fiber rich diet will contribute to your weight loss and oranges are a particularly good source of fiber. There’s also not very many fruits and foods out there that are more delicious that a nice fresh orange so it’s a win-win solution.
Fruits, such as oranges, which are generally very low in calories are a good choice for something to eat when you get hungry because they fill you up but do not provide a lot of calories.
Cabbage
So cabbage might not exactly be the tastiest vegetable in the world for most people and you probably hated it when you were a kid, but it has some great health benefits that make up for its lack of sensory value, and you can even work it into a number of meals such as salads, to significantly improve its taste. Cabbage is high in potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber and calcium, but one of the best things about it is that it is extremely low in fat content.
Honorable mentions: Tomatoes, pineapples, grapefruit
PROTEIN
Grilled Chicken
Chicken is probably one of the most popular foods around the world and is also one of the most protein rich foods you could find as well. This is important because although eating a lot of protein will not exactly make all the excess fat in your body up and run away, protein is an important dietary component of a fitness plan so regular consumption of such a high protein meal is advisable.
Chicken is a very high-quality lean meat which provides essential amino acids and other nutrient support for muscle repair and growth. It is recommended that you either boil or grill chicken and when prepared this way, chicken contains a very low amount of calories.
To think that you could enjoy such very direct fitness and weight loss benefits from a food that is usually so delicious? That’s a win-win solution right there.
Yoghurt
Yoghurt is a good protein source that also has a high content of healthy fats and some healthy bacteria called probiotics. Studies have actually shown that despite being high in fat, yoghurt actually has proven effective for burning abdominal fat and helping to develop muscle mass in people who eat a lot of it.
Yoghurt is also a very good source of calcium which is good for bone and joint strength and development. and a host of vitamins including potassium, riboflavin and vitamin B12.
Kidney Beans
Kidney beans are part protein and part carbohydrate and are grown in almost all parts of the world which means this is one healthy and delicious meal that can usually be found in most places.
Egg whites
Egg yolks might be the really tasty part but, unfortunately, they have a significantly high cholesterol content so there’s no place for them in your weight loss diet. Egg whites, on the other hand, are the really nutritious part and have a very high protein content, so it is advisable to have an egg (white part only) or two for breakfast each day. To improve the bland taste that egg whites have on their own, you could consider a scrambling your egg whites with salt and pepper, and some vegetables.
CARBOHYDRATES
Unless you’re really overweight and highly carbohydrate intolerant, you don’t need to cut carbohydrates completely out of your diet as they are an important source of the calories your body needs to support its regular functions. Some people’s bodies naturally do not encourage carbohydrate assimilation so eating a lot of carbs leads to stacking a lot of weight. If this is you then you should be very careful the type of carbs you eat regularly, but don’t make the mistake of completely excluding carbohydrates from your meals. For carb intolerant people, we suggest that you take smaller servings of carbs with higher servings of proteins.
Sweet Potatoes
Irish potatoes or white potatoes are favorites for a lot of people but the high calorie content of this type of potato makes it a less favorable choice than its cousin, the healthier and sweeter to boot, sweet potato. Sweet potatoes can be boiled, fried or baked just like regular potatoes but exceptionally, they are very low, comparatively, in calories and high in fiber and lots of other nutrients including vitamins A, C and E, Iron and more.
Spaghetti
The good thing about spaghetti is that even though it is relatively high in calories, eating smaller portions could still help you fill fuller than a lot of other foods so eating spaghetti in moderation is not a bad idea. If you’re really carb intolerant, though, then other low calorie carbs like sweet potatoes or whole grain bread or even bananas might be a safer option for you.
Whole Grain Foods
Eat more whole grain foods such as whole grain bread or whole grain cereals. Whole grains are probably the best carb food for fighting weight gain and helping you to lose fat.Studies have shown that people who ate high whole grain diets lost more body fat and specifically more belly fat than others who ate other types of carbs. Perhaps part of the reason why this is so is that, for carbs, whole grain foods have a high protein content.
Other nutrients found in whole grains include zinc and other trace minerals, vitamin B, fiber and anti-oxidants.
Conclusion
A balanced diet is one of the keys to maintaining a healthy and fit body. The foods we have talked about are all highly nutritious and easy to find, and if you combine them well, you will find that your fitness and weight loss results will be much more impressive.
A very basic example of how this diet might work is:
Breakfast: whole wheat bread, egg whites & avocados
Snack 1: oranges
Lunch: Spaghetti
Snack 2: coleslaw (made with cabbage and carrots)
Dinner: sweet potatoes
Snack 3: bananas
NB: specific portions will depend on the individual but be not careful not to overeat. On tip to avoid overeating is, eat slowly and chew your food properly.
Contact Trainer.ae: get in touch with a personal trainer who can help create a plan just for you.
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