Health and wellness are things that should be considered with every decision that we make. You only have one body, and the best thing you can do for it is to keep it as healthy and fit as possible. We’ve previously discussed the benefits of such a lifestyle in our article ‘What Does it Mean to Be Physically Healthy and Fit?’ As we discussed in that post, getting fit is a journey rather than a destination. It requires constant work, but with the right kind of mindset and support, it’s easy enough to turn healthy living into a habit.
If getting fit and feeling better is on your list of goals for the new year, then diet plays an important role in that. A good diet for an active lifestyle means that you’re getting the nutrients you need when you need them. Ensuring that you’re well-fueled means that you can avoid injury, strain, and stress, which only improves your quality of life. Not sure where to start? Below, we’ve put together a few foods that are essential to any fitness journey.
Protein
Even the most basic introductions to a fitter lifestyle will talk about protein. Whether your goal is to lose weight healthily or build muscle, protein is an essential part of the process. Why is that? The British Nutrition Foundation says that protein performs a variety of functions in the body, with an especially important role inactive lifestyles.
Protein can reduce muscle soreness, promote muscle repair, and aid in building muscle. It’s essential for any amount of activity, but especially sustained and high-intensity activity like exercise. Common protein sources include lean meats, eggs, and even some vegetables like broccoli, spinach, potatoes, and Brussels sprouts.
Collagen
Collagen is another form of protein. In fact, it’s one of the most abundant types of protein in the human body, It makes up about 25-35% of the protein content in the body. Collagen is a major building block and can be found in your bones, skin, tendons, muscles, ligaments, and even your corneas and teeth.
Collagen can be found in meat, fish, chicken, egg whites, and even citrus fruits, berries, and vegetables. While collagen might commonly be associated with reducing the physical signs of aging, it has other benefits as well. For instance, the multi-collagen protein powder on Brightcore has collagen that can help improve your bone and joint health, as well as help keep your hair healthy and your skin looking more youthful.
Carbohydrates
Most people might think that carbs should be cut out of a healthy diet, but that’s far from the truth. Carbohydrates are essential because they provide the body’s fuel? reports Discover Good Nutrition, carbohydrates may provide better fuel for athletes than protein and fats.
The body can derive energy from carbs quickly, and even the brain and central nervous system are reliant on carbs for their power. This makes carbohydrates an indispensable part of any diet. You can get healthy carbs from grains like quinoa, oats, buckwheat, as well as fruits like bananas and oranges. Root crops like sweet potatoes and beetroots are also nutritionally dense food that is good for carbs sources.
Essential Foods For Fitness
Daniel Amankwah is a fitness expert for 4EvaFit Lifestyle, personal fitness coach, personal trainer, blogger, and a motivational speaker living in Acton, Massachusetts. His affection for a healthy lifestyle has penetrated through the noise in the health, fitness industry and empowers people to create sustainable prescriptions for lasting health, happiness, and confidence.
A background as a business researcher coupled with a personal passion for fitness help brings our readership a thoughtful curation fitness guide and fitness product review. His burning desire is to share his fitness experience and offer some encouragement to anyone that is working to better themselves physically through healthy eating habits and being active.
As a visionary, his vision is a world where daily acts of self-love and care are a regular part of life.
