From the Editor/El Diario
martes, 09 may 2023 | 06:28
When leading a healthy life, it’s not enough to exercise your muscles, you also need to “train your mouth”.
The experts assure that from 60 to 70 per cent of the goal of a person who exercises depends on their diet, whether they lose weight, increase muscle mass or maintain themselves in good condition.
A clear example is the people who work out daily but are overweight.
If you don’t adjust your diet, even if you exercise, it will be very difficult for you to eliminate the extra kilos.
It is a very popular belief among those who practice daily to allow themselves to eat any type of food, especially high-calorie foods –such as pizza, fried foods, soft drinks and sweets–, just because they are exercising.
However, there are also those who cannot make this type of food easily because they are very used to consuming it.
The perfect diet to maintain your figure and health
This is where the other part of training a healthy person comes in: incorporating foods that help you stay in shape.
Here it is important to clarify that an adequate diet must be varied; es decir, include carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
Each group has a function in the body, which is more important when it comes to someone who exercises regularly, because an adequate diet optimizes sports performance.
The carbohydrates provide, mainly, the energy that is needed to train, the proteins help to build and regenerate the tissues of the body affected by the physical effort and the fats integrate the membrane of the cells and allow the assimilation of vitamins.
So you shouldn’t do without anyone from these food groups, but you have to adjust the portions you eat from each one.
Good part of those who decide to change their food takes radical decisions; This is it, eliminate from one day to another the intake of soft drinks, sweets, fried foods and fast food.
This can work, but it requires an iron strength of will and will be very difficult to comply with for those who are used to eating in an unhealthy way.
Studies point out that the brain is programmed to eat in a certain way, even some specialists treat it as an addiction to the consumption of foods like sugar.
Foods that help you stay in shape
COMPLETE CARBOHYDRATES
Prefer this type of carbohydrates, such as oats, quinoa, rice, pasta, porridge or wholemeal bread. Both the complex and the simple ones become glucose, a substance that provides energy to the body and is the main food for the brain.
However, the complex carbohydrates take longer to transform into glucose and provide energy for longer, in addition to having vitamins and minerals that allow their transformation into fuel.
DAIRY
Just as muscles and connective tissues, –cartilage and tendons– are strengthened with exercise, huesos also increase their density while being subjected to physical exertion.
For this process to be carried out, it is necessary to contain different nutrients, among which calcium stands out, which is found in a good quantity in dairy products.
It is advisable to consume low-fat dairy products, such as unscreamed milk, natural yogurt, requesón and fresh quesos –such as oaxaca or pan–.
LEAN MEAT
This type of meat has a high content of muscle fibers, which is why its contribution of fat is minimal, which is why it provides protein of high quantity and quality with a low consumption of calories. Among this type of meat is pulpa de res, pavo, pollo, pescados blancos or pork loin.
SIMPLE WATER
Staying hydrated is key to the body’s functions, which must have enough liquid for a proper metabolism, the elimination of waste and to replace what is lost due to sweat and breathing. It is advisable to take at least 8 bowls of plain water throughout the day and add from half a liter to one liter for each hour of exercise.
FRUITS
Physical activity increases the need for vitamins and minerals, and fruits are a great source of this type of nutrients that allow different functions of the organism, such as tissue regeneration in the wake of exercise. If you need at least two rations of fruit per day, preferably in the morning or midday. Cómelas en piezas –a manzana, naranja, pear or durazno– instead of taking them en jugo.
GRASS
Carbohydrates and fats are the main fuels of the body, which is why both are necessary in the soil for exercise, rather for the functioning of the organism. In addition, the greases protect and give consistency to some organs, form part of the cell membrane and transport vitamins A, D, E and K and help in its processing. Its consumption should be moderate, less than 30 percent of what is eaten daily, and healthy sources, such as olive oil to add to salads, avocado, salmon and dried fruits such as almonds and nuts.
VEGETABLES
Another great source of vitamins and minerals are vegetables, which also have a high fiber content. Vegetables such as zanahorias, spinacas, grasses, jitomate, kale, lechuga and asparagus contain vitamins A, C and E, which are antioxidants that minimize the formation of free radicals that can produce intense exercise.
