Food Tip #1

"Anyone can workout for an hour but to control what goes on your plate the other 23 hours… thats hard work" - Anonymous 

Hey guys,

An important part of your fitness routine is your meal prep. Make sure to organise appropriate macronutrients (macros) to suit your needs whether you are cutting fat, gaining muscle or maintaining body mass. The recommended daily intake of your macros is 8700kj of energy, 50g of protein, 70g of fat, 310g carbs, 90g sugar and 30g fibre and 2300mg sodium. To make it clear, I will explain the purpose of each of these macros.

Energy: This is the fuel to keep your body's engine going. A lack of energy may cause dizziness and fatigue which may not benefit your diet. If you are wishing to cut fat, it is recommended to cut your energy intake by about 10-15%, any rapid change may cause your body to starve and store body fat contradicting your weight loss goals.

Protein: Protein build muscle, period.If you wish to gain muscle, increase your protein up until you are consuming 2.5g of protein per kg of your total body mass. However too much protein without keeping a consistent fitness routine may cause the protein to store as fat, also pushing you further from your weight loss goals.

Fats: Fats is essential in our everyday diet to maintain a healthy body. However there are good fats and bad fats. Unsaturated, natural fats commonly found in nuts are healthy for your body and are necessary for a healthy body. Too little of these fats will cause acne and skin problems. However saturated, mono-saturated and trans (man-made) fats cause weight gain if eaten without moderation. Examples of these bad fats include fried foods, sugary sweet foods and carbonated drinks, oily foods and chips.

Carbohydrates: These are the building blocks of your diet. There are two types of carbs; complex and non complex carbs. Complex carbs are generally foods that would have been available in Palio times. These include raw nuts, traditional breads, raw fruits and vegetables and seeds. Complex carbs have been around for a long time and your body recognises them. They will keep you noticeably fuller for longer. Non complex carbs such as corn chips, biscuits, muffins and cakes will be unrecognised by the body and be digested quickly making you feel unsatisfied and wanting more. Sugar is a part of carbohydrates and can easily be over-consumed. Sugars are definitely tasty and tempting, they can help by giving us motivation through moderated cheat meals however they can be easily be taken advantage of and ultimately lead to weight gain.

Fibre: Fibre is necessary to keep the digestive system healthy. It is found in fruits, vegetables and cereals. Most Australians do not consume enough fibre in the daily diets. The Heart Foundation recommends 25-30g of fibre per day. There are two types of fibre; soluble and insoluble. Examples of soluble fibre include fruits, vegetables, oat bran, flaxseed and lentil. Examples of insoluble fibre are rice, wholegrain foods, nuts and seeds.

Sodium: Unfortunately I will have to NA this. Chemistry jokes aside, sodium allows your nerves and muscles to function properly. Sodium sources include table salt, celery, beets and even water. However too much sodium commonly found in fast foods can cause high blood pressure.

A healthy diet should include a balanced amount of all these macronutrients and should be tailored to your body needs and weight goals.

My next post will be about a suitable meal plan tailored for people looking to lose fat and increase muscle mass so if that sounds great, keep following us more.

-Salma