Understanding which foods are healthy to eat can be daunting...
There’s so many options out there… how do you know what is actually good for you and what is not? How do you eat healthy?
Have no fear, Alpine Fitness is here to help! Eating healthy can be simple!
First off, we need to understand the differences between your basic macronutrients: proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Each of these offers a different purpose in your diet and are important for a healthy lifestyle.
Eating Healthy: Proteins
Recommended percentage of calories that should consist of protein: 10-35%.
Proteins are the building blocks of life. They are crucial when your body is trying to repair cells…which happens CONSTANTLY. Your body is repairing and making new cells during every second of every day. When you add exercise to the equation, an increase in protein intake is necessary to keep up with the repair of muscles.
Eating Healthy: Carbohydrates
Recommended percentage of calories that should consist of carbohydrates: 45-65%.
As you can imagine, these cells need the energy to fuel this repair. That is where carbohydrates come in.
Carbohydrates provide the cells with their basic energy source known as ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Fuel your body with complex carbohydrate (whole grains, vegetables, and fruits) over simple carbohydrates (sugars, processed/refined grains). Complex sources provide lasting energy and contain fiber, which is important for digestion and colon health.
Eating Healthy: Fats
Recommended percentage of calories that should consist of fats: 20-35%.
Fat can be a scary word, but in reality, we need fat!
Fats are critical to hormonal functions, vitamin absorption, and brain function. There seems to be a war on fat – everyone is seeking out that “fat-free” food. But fat is an essential component of having a healthy diet.
An important note to make is that certain fats are better than others. When looking at nutrition labels, avoid trans fats at all costs (these come from hydrogenated oils), stay away from saturated fats (found in red meats, ice cream, and other dairy products) and strive for unsaturated fats (easily found in nuts, fish, vegetable oils and beans). Trans and saturated fats can lead to disease while unsaturated fats can help lower disease risk.
By building your diet off of these three macronutrients – carbohydrates, fats, and proteins – in the right form and quantity, you will build and maintain a healthy body.
Now use this information to fuel your body with the best sources – which promise a healthy and happy life!
To know more about Alpine Fitness, visit our home page here!
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