The study of nutrition is a broad concept. Understanding nutrition involves studying both macronutrients and micronutrients.
Nutrition is the food that we consume and how it affects our bodies. Nutrition is not restricted to humans. It is a process, a biochemical process, in which any organism uses food as a fuel to support its life. The study of nutrition is called nutritional science.
Nutrition is an umbrella term for all the fats, vitamins, minerals, proteins, and other essential nutrients present in our food. Nutrition and health are directly related. Only if a person has a diet rich in nutrients, he would lead a healthy life with reduced risks of falling ill often.
As important as nutrition is for a person to lead a healthy life, exercising is equally important. Exercising means doing any sort of physical activity so that the individual stays healthy and fit.
Exercising is done in many forms. Popular exercises are walking, running, swimming, gymming and many more.
Doing regular exercise has shown to have numerous health benefits, both physically and mentally. Exercise can help us to lose weight and even help us to live longer.
How we can lose weight?
There are plenty of articles, magazines, videos, and podcasts on how to lose weight. There are plenty of ways to shed a few pounds around the waist. Fad diets are a popular method people follow to lose weight.
The major problem with people who follow a fad diet is that they gain back their weight as quickly as they lose it.
Now arises a question in everyone’s mind. Is losing weight slowly the best way to keep it off permanently?
Many experts claim that a person can do so by making simple small changes in their lifestyle.
How can we lose weight through diet?
By restricting around 500 calories a day with proper diet and exercise a person can lose around one pound of fat per week. There is no hidden secret behind the basic science that the number of calories people eat has a direct impact on their weight.
Diets are fabricated for individuals based on their needs. As science evolves, much research has been done to find out which diet is the most healthy. But for many reasons and improper distribution of food, it is difficult to undermine which diet suits best for people. Cultural differences can also influence the diet.
But it is important to understand that a balanced meal is essential to maintain a healthy and fit body.
It should comprise all the essential nutrients like carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
What are the food that are beneficial for weight loss after a workout?
Doing moderate or high-intensity exercise uses a lot of energy. It is necessary to replenish our bodies with the right food to recover quickly. Eating something after a workout is useful for recovery and losing weight.
After a workout session, we need to ensure that we eat a balanced snack with proper macronutrients.
The main objective of the post-workout meal is to supply our body with the right nutrients and to maximize the workout effect for weight loss.
Proteins take a longer time to digest. It keeps us full and will suppress hunger.
Some of the best post-workout meals are :
- Carbohydrates rich food like
Quinoa, sweet potato, bananas, and other fruits and oatmeal
- Protein-rich food like
Protein shakes, eggs, cottage cheese, chicken breast, lean beef, wild salmon, and tuna fish
- Some of the foods that contain good fat are
Various seeds and nuts, omega 3 rich fish, avocados, ghee, and cheese.
A combination of all the three major macronutrients are essential for fat loss.
After working out, we need to ensure that we consume enough proteins and carbs because it would help to repair the damaged muscle tissues and replenish the energy lost during a workout.
Consuming a protein shake after a workout will help us to build muscle and gain energy. Eating food like eggs, chicken, cottage cheese would be a great option as they are high in protein content.
Consuming fresh fruit juices would be a great choice for hydration. Hydration is very important as a lot of water is lost from the body in the form of sweat. Hydrating ourselves after a workout is essential to replenish the salt and the water content lost.
Consuming carbohydrate-rich food is essential as the glycogen levels are restored. How quickly we can recover from a workout session is equally important for weight loss.
Consuming fat is very important. Many people believe that consuming fat is bad for weight loss, but it is the other way around. Good fats are very important for regulating hormones. Fats are essential for having a healthy body. It would reduce body inflation, support the immune system, enables easier fat loss, and improve skin health.
What is the bottom line of this article?
Eating adequate carbs, protein, and fats after exercising is essential. It will stimulate protein synthesis thus improving the speed of recovery. This balanced post-workout snack will also improve workout performance.
It is important to be hydrated and replenish our body with the lost electrolytes.
Only a post-workout meal doesn't guarantee weight loss. It is the choices people make throughout the day that would enable them to lead a healthy lifestyle. Healthy eating and maintaining an active lifestyle will help us to lose a few pounds and remain fit.
