What are the best fruits, vegetables and healthy foods for regular athletes? The answer to that question is not as simple as you might think. With so many different diet fads out there, it can be hard to know what’s good for us. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the most popular diets in order to help you make better decisions about your nutrition and find a balance that works well with your lifestyle.
How many types of diet we have?
– The Paleo diet is based on the food ancient man would eat, which was essentially meat and vegetables. It excludes all grains (including corn), legumes, dairy products, salt, refined sugar and alcohol to be healthy. This diet plan also recommends exercise for regular physical activity
– Another popular diet is called Weight Watchers – it’s a weight loss program that breaks down foods into “points” where each point has an assigned value of calories. For example: if you have four points per day then you can have about 600 calories worth of meals or snacks throughout the day
– Plant Based Diet is basically eating vegetarian while consuming more fruits and vegetables rather than animal proteins like beef or chicken
– Veganism takes inspiration from the alimentation based on the respect of animal and earth and is a dietary plan that does not include any animal products, including meat or eggs
– The Mediterranean Diet has been around for centuries and it’s still popular today – this diet includes leaner protein sources like fish, healthy fats from nuts and olive oil, fruits and vegetables with few sugars
– South Beach Diet focuses on the glycemic index of foods (how they affect blood sugar levels) to help people lose weight. To do this you need to reduce your intake of carbs by eating whole grains like brown rice instead of white breads so there are less sugar spikes in your bloodstream when you eat
Usually when you practice a lot of sport you should follow some rules also about a correct alimentation, especially if you are playing sport at some strong levels, and this is because sport demands a lot of energy, so you need to eat food that could provide the necessary energy for your sport.
– If you are not on any restricted diet or have special dietary needs, it can be helpful to include meat in some form (a few times per week) as an important source of protein – especially if participating at high levels
– Plant based diets go great with exercise but many vegetarians still consume eggs – these often have more nutrients than non-vegetarian options like cereal which usually comes from grains fed by animal products
Why are eggs so important for sport active people?
– Eggs provide protein, vitamin A and B12
– Omega-three fats are important for sport activities because they can decrease the risk of muscle damage
– Iron is necessary for red blood cells to carry oxygen and support muscles during exercise. EGGS ARE also a great source of iron! (Consume daily at least 12 grams per day).
*Fruits: *include bananas, apples, oranges and grapes among others – these give you some carbohydrates which help your body produce energy from food that will be used in sport activities; this kind of fruit usually has more water content than vegetables so it’s good when you get thirsty or have trouble breathing
*Vegetables: *are rich sources of vitamins like potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A and beta-carotene. They can also provide fibre which is important for sport activities because it helps clean the body’s digestive system
*Healthy foods for regular sport: *include eggs as they are rich in protein; nuts like cashews that have manganese, magnesium, folate and copper – this kind of food is good to take with you when you don’t feel hungry during sport activities or if your stomach hurts
– There are many more healthy foods that contribute to a balanced diet without neglecting physical activity
– We’ll talk about them soon!
A great meal for you day of sport!
Some suggestions for a meal if you are going to practice a lot of sport during the day:
– Breakfast: egg, fruit and toast, some seed or dried fruit.
– Lunch: cheese sandwich with whole wheat bread, carrot sticks (and sport drink or sport gel)
– Dinner: a grilled fish filet *salad* (with olive oil), vegetables of your choice. You can also have pasta or rice if you have enough energy left for the day!
If you feel hungry during sport activities or after finishing them then eat something such as an apple, banana…or any other healthy food rich in carbohydrates to give yourself more energy. If it is not too hot outside take some water with you so that when the body needs it most you are able to hydrate yourself quickly. Don’t forget about good drinks before sport activity begins like sport drinks, sport gels or sport bars.
In the end just remember how is important to drink a lot of water during sport activities to avoid dehydration!