Healthy dieting is a fine art. Deprive yourself of too many calories, or eat the wrong kinds of foods, and you won't have the energy to exercise. Since muscle burns more calories than fat, the more muscle you build, the more likely you are to lose weight. To build muscle, however, you must fuel your body with nutritious foods. A combination of healthy eating and a balanced exercise is the key to healthy weight loss.
Role of Carbohydrates
To understand the type of fuel your muscles need, you must understand the role of carbohydrates - both simple and complex - which are found naturally in foods such as fruit, vegetables, milk and grains. Carbohydrates with low nutritional value may also be added to foods during processing. To spot these simple carbohydrates, look on the packaging label for terms such as high-fructose corn syrup, sucrose, maltose, dextrose and other types of sugar. Carbohydrates are classified as either simple or complex depending on the how quickly the glucose is absorbed.
Your liver converts carbohydrates into glucose, or blood sugar, which fuels the functions of your body. Once converted, glucose may be used right away, or it may be stored for later use. Foods with added sugars, such as white bread and fruit drinks, have trace amounts of nutrition as compared with foods that have naturally occurring sugar. to fuel your muscles for maximum performance, stick with complex carbohydrates, such as whole grain bread, brown rice, apples, spinach, soybeans, and oatmeal. Pair your carbohydrate with a lean protein. Stay away from simple carbohydrates such as packaged cereals, fruit drinks and candy.
Food for Fuel
Complex carbohydrates and lean protein come in many palatable forms. To obtain maximum diet nutrition while fueling exercise, try these combinations:
• One serving of hot plain oatmeal flavored with one serving of fruit and ½ cup of skim milk
• Sandwich made with whole grain bread, non-deli turkey, lettuce and tomato
• Two tablespoons of granola with one serving of low-fat yogurt
• One or two egg whites in a spinach and garlic omelet
• Three ounces of grilled salmon served with steamed vegetables or ½ cup of brown rice
It's All About Timing
When to eat is just as important as what you eat. Fuel up before and after a workout. For example, if you prefer to exercise in the morning, eat a small breakfast of complex carbohydrates and protein a couple of hours before you exercise. Muesli and yogurt or milk maintain healthy blood sugar levels, while simple carbohydrates, such as white bread, tend to elevate blood sugar. If you don't have a lot of time before your workout, try drinking four ounces of your favorite fruit juice - but make sure it's 100 percent juice. Then you can follow routine with a healthy meal. Because your glucose stores are generally lower in the morning, it's essential to fuel up for fitness.
Immediately following an exercise routine, hydrate with water, 100 percent juice or sports drink to replace depleted stores of glycogen. One to two hours after exercise, eat carbohydrates paired with protein. A ratio of 4 carbohydrates to 1 protein is generally recommended. A blend of fruit, protein powder and yogurt is an excellent post-workout recovery meal.
Types of Exercise
To lose weight effectively, you must burn more calories than you consume, creating a calorie deficit. One pound equals 3,500 calories. To lose eight to 10 pounds per month, you must decrease your caloric intake by 500 to 1,000 calories per week.
Cardiovascular exercise benefits your heart and lungs because it makes them work hard, increasing your body's ability to use oxygen. It also burns calories. Choose an exercise, or a combination of exercises, that fits your lifestyle. If you don't like to run, take a walk. Even gardening can have cardiovascular benefits, depending on how much effort you put into it.
Strength training creates muscle. Muscle mass increases your metabolic rate. Two to three days a week, engage in strength training that includes the major muscle groups. Weight lifting, resistance band training, Pilates and yoga are examples on muscle-building exercise.
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