Tuesday, April 14, 2009

The best food to eat for fitness

You know you are supposed to eat a healthy diet; these foods should be nutrient-dense, disease-fighting muscle-growing foods to get maximum results.



Do you eat these foods?



There are a lot of foods that you can consume in a healthy diet, but if you want to be at the top of your game when it comes to overall fitness there are some that should be included in your diet each week.

They simply give you the most reward for your time and money; you simply are what you eat.

Here is the best food I have found for overall fitness and why you should include them in your weekly diet.

Please be advised that all meat and vegetables should be 100% organic to avoid pesticides, herbicides, and hormones.

Proteins:

Salmon a 3 ounce cooked serving contains 20 grams of protein, more importantly it is very high in omega 3s. Omegas 3s are a healthy fat known to keep your heart healthy, and your arteries and veins free of blockages. Plus it has an added benefit of reducing inflammation of the joints from constant use during exercise.

Beef is high in amino acids, and so nutrient dense that a 3 ounce serving contains more than 10% of the recommended daily intake of riboflavin, selenium, niacin, B6, B12. Not to mention it contains iron and zinc, which aid circulatory health, in order to keep your fat consumption low purchase lean meats only.

Eggs are simply the cheapest and best protein you can buy for your money, each egg offers 4 grams of muscle building amino acids. People are finally learning that the yolk is also beneficial containing healthy fats and are a great source of vitamin A, E, D. Egg yolks are one of the few foods containing naturally containing vitamin D

Turkey breast- it is high in protein, B vitamins, and zinc. It’s loaded with amino acids and contains very little or no saturated fat. It’s a known booster of sperm production and contains the cancer fighting selenium.

Carbohydrates:

Oatmeal is a complex carbohydrate simply meaning that it takes much longer for your body to break it down for fuel. Eating oatmeal will provide you with hours of constant energy and help regulate your glucose levels. It can also promote weight loss and lower your risk of heart disease, contains a high level of zinc to help boost your immune system. Plus contains a high level of soluble fiber that help lower your cholesterol levels, but don’t by instant oatmeal since they most often contain sugar and chemicals for self life.

Whole wheat bread is high in complex carbohydrates it will leave you felling fuller longer. But beware of the ingredients not all bread is created equal, just because it says whole wheat or 100% whole wheat doesn’t mean that its healthy. Most bread contains high fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated soybean oil both is very bad for your future health, so read the labels carefully.

Sweet potato is another complex carbohydrate that has protein, vitamins A, C, E, iron and calcium, beta-carotene, these works together to protect your body against cellular damage. Plus if you eat the skin provides more fiber than oatmeal.


Black beans can help you feel energized and fuller longer than almost anything else you can eat. They’re high in fiber, carbohydrates, protein, and have no saturated fat making them the perfect food to eat.

Good fats:

Olive oil is rich in mono-unsaturated fat, making it ideal for a healthy heart. It also has potent anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce pain just like ibuprofen. Instead of using butter for cooking use olive oil

Flax seed oil is full of lignans and omega 3s fatty acids; the lignans benefit the heart and have anti cancer properties. Omega 3s promotes heart health by reducing cholesterol, blood pressure, and plaque formation. It also shortens recovery time from fatigued muscles after intense exercise.

Almonds are loaded with un-saturated fats, making them great for your heart, digestive system and skin. They are also high in protein, fiber and vitamin E

Fruit and vegetables:

Broccoli has to be one of the best vegetables you can eat. Its rich with a healthy supply of fiber, iron, calcium, vitamin C making it great for your bones, circulatory system, and fighting colds.

Blueberries has to be one of the best fruits you can eat, they pack more fiber, vitamins and minerals than any other fruit. They contain free radical fighting antioxidants that help protect your body against disease and premature aging. Plus they are also a great brain food by helping keep the connections between your brain and nervous system healthy ensuring quicker thinking, and memory.

Spinach is loaded with fiber, calcium, and beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is the only carotene that can be converted into vitamin A by the body. Vitamin A is crucial for bone growth, reproduction, and cell division. It also helps regulate the immune system and defend against bacteria and viruses.

Yogurt contains active cultures that boost the number of germ fighting bacteria along your intestinal walls. The beneficial bacteria in yougurt is know as probiotics because they enhance the growth of healthy bacteria and keep the bad bacteria in check to keep your immune system strong. It’s packed with protein and calcium something that most people lack in their diet, people who are lactose intolerant can usually eat yogurt to fill their calcium needs.

Tomatoes contain a nutrient called lycopene, this powerful antioxidant is best known to help fight against cancer risk, cardiovascular disease, and macular degeneration (vision loss). Studies have shown that men who consume the most tomato based products in their diet are less likely to develop prostate cancer.

Beverage:

Green tea:

Green tea has also been linked to reduce heart disease risk, lower high blood pressure, and decrease risk of numerous cancers as well as weight loss. Drinking tea speeds up your metabolism and with regular consumption you can expect to loose 8 ponds per year. You can drink it hot or cold making it the best overall beverage to consume.

Water flushes toxins from your system, regulates body temperature, acts as an insulator for joints, prevents kidney stones, and supplies the body with crucial minerals for your good health. Water is a crucial part to a healthy diet, you need water to digest your food and get rid of waste. Every cell in your body depends on water to function properly; even though every fluid contains water nothing beats the real deal since it has zero calories.


What do you eat for fitness?

Want to know more? Read- Cortisol can destroy your fitness goals

4 comments:

jh said...

Great, easy to follow, and informative list. I really love getting lists like this. I take them shopping with me so that I know what to buy instead of aimlessly throwing things in the cart. Thanks!

jen
boda weight loss blog

Kiefers Corner said...

Thanks for the reply; It does make things a little easier.

Anonymous said...

What about tofu? I eat that on a regular basis. Then there is Kimchi, Korean salad. My wife loves it a lot. Lastly, there is soy milk. Any feedback or comments about these 3 items?

Roman
http://www.enjoyyourhealth.net/

Kiefers Corner said...

Tofu and soymilk are both made with unfermented soy and contain phytic acid, this chemical binds with certain nutrients inhibiting their absorption.

This is why they tell you not to feed your baby any soy products since it creates a deficiency in vitamins for proper growth.

Soy also contains a natural chemical that mimics estrogen and has been linked with reduced testosterone in men and certain cancers.

In the old days before modern farming soy was very healthy, but today with the seed being genetically modified many questions are being raised about it.

Kimchi is a vegetable dish and can be made in many different ways so ingredients can vary. For the most part it is usually high in vitamins and minerals making it a healthy choice.

But I have seen a recipe using table sugar.