Whether you are exercising to lose weight or just get in shape, a proper diet is an important component of any fitness regimen. While monitoring your calories for weight-loss or maintenance, give your body enough nutrients to support your workouts, encourage muscle growth and keep you healthy. Talk to your doctor before you make any changes to your eating habits.
Daily Caloric Needs
Before altering your diet, determine how many calories you should be eating every day. Use your current weight if you want to maintain it or your goal-weight if you want to lose some excess pounds; multiply that number by 12 to 15 to get a rough estimate your daily caloric needs, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The higher number is for those who are younger, male and more physically active. For example, a 50-year-old woman who is mildly active would use 12, while a 30-year-old man who is very active would use 15.
Balanced Diet
The best diet is one that contains a balanced amount of foods from each of the major groups. This is especially important when you are exercising regularly, since you need to be sure you are giving your body the energy it needs to both work out and recover. Your diet should emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy. If you consume three meals a day, each one should contain a food from every group, and your portions should be the correct size to give you the right amount of daily calories. You can also have a treat or two a day, provided you stay within your caloric limit.
Importance of Snacks
In addition to three regular meals, consume one or two small snacks. These will not only keep from feeling ravenous, but they can also give you the energy you need to get through a workout. Ideally, you will want to consume a snack consisting of carbohydrates both before and after exercise, since this is the primary nutrient your body uses for energy. Choose complex carbs like whole-grain bread or dried fruit, and be sure to drink enough water to stay hydrated during and after your workout.
Dangers of Restrictive Diets
Many fad diets require you to cut out major food groups or consume a limited amount of calories. Not only will this endanger your health, but it can also stall your exercise progress. For example, low-carb diets may not give you the energy you need to work out, let alone get you through your day, and they often deprive you of healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and whole-grains. Unless you are under the supervision of a doctor, you should not consume fewer than 1,100 calories a day. Anything less may not give you essential vitamins and minerals. It can also leave you feeling hungry and make you more likely to binge.
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