A Balanced Diet.
There is nothing more frustrating for a Nutritionist than hearing the words “I’m cutting out carbs” or “I’ve given up sugar” or “I’m no longer eating fats”. (Unless of course it is for medical reasons as such- perhaps you are gluten, dairy or otherwise intolerant- that’s completely different!) But I can never understand the science or reasoning behind cutting out whole food groups from a diet.Your body needs all six of the main nutrients in order to function properly, never mind at it’s best! The six main nutrients that you body NEEDS are: protein, carbs, fats, vitamins, minerals and water! Although cutting out one or in some cases many any of the above nutrients may increase weight loss or encourage speedy weight loss- it will have drastic effects to your overall health. Here’s why…PROTEIN:
- part of every living cell in the human body
- skin, hair, muscle and tendons, core of bones and teeth and predominantly made of protein
- essential for growth and repair of our muscles
- breaks down into amino acids for use in tissue growth and repair
- make up hormones which are chemical messengers that pass info from one part of the body to another
- Antibodies which fight disease are made up of protein
- Enzymes which assist in many chemical reactions in the body are made of protein
- produces the hormone glucagon which helps the body to release stored energy
CARBS:
- Carbs main role is to produce energy, although most cells need carbs and fats, the brain can only use carbs.
- provides energy in the form of glucose
FATS:
- Role of Fats:protection of organs, temperature control, insulation of nerve cells, energy production, growth development and repair of body tissues vital for insulation and cell integrity
- essential fats have benefits such as absorption and transportation of essential vitamins and minerals
- Fats produce twice the amount of energy per gram of weight (9cals) than Carbs and Protein (4cals)
VITAMINS:
- vital for our health
- assist enzymes to work efficiently
MINERALS:
- needed to form blood and bones, correct composition of fluids, healthy nerve function and operation of cardio system
WATER:
- 60% of our body weight is water
- without water our blood pressure rises, our heart malfunctions and kidneys shut down
- transportation of nutrients around the body
- temperature regulation
- maintains normal sodium levels in our blood
So what is the best way to be fit, healthy, lose or maintain or even gain? A BALANCED DIET!A balanced diet provides sufficient energy, essential fatty acids, essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals to support optimal growth and to maintain and repair body tissues. Of course age, gender, growth rate, amount of physical activity, stress levels and genetic and environmental factors affect how much of each food group/ nutrients your body needs to reach your goals.
If you need help with a custom meal plan, nutritional advice, a custom macro planner or just have some questions, please feel free to contact me. I am more than happy to help.Please note that a fairly comprehensive questionnaire is required to be completed by each new client to ensure that I offer you the most accurate information. Custom meal and nutrition plans can take up to 48hrs to complete.