GET FIT AND FEEL GOOD – WITH A BALANCED NUTRITION

Being fit has nothing to do with looks, and the number on the scale says nothing about health and fitness. It is important that you feel comfortable in your own body and learn to accept yourself as you are.

Regular exercise, in the form of endurance and strength training, and a balanced diet are important for a healthy body image including your mental health, by the way and help you get fit. In this article we want to go into more detail about the topic of nutrition.

CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates should be your main source of energy (about 55% of your calorie intake per day). Especially if you exercise regularly because they give you energy. These foods are high in carbohydrates:

•  Bread
• Cereal 
• Flakes
• Rice  
• Pasta 
• Potatoes 
• Couscous
• Quinoa 
• Legumes
• Fruit  
• Vegetables

If possible, go for the whole grain variety - it keeps you fuller longer, provides more vitamins and minerals and ensures a constant blood sugar level. Carbohydrate selection and regular, balanced meals are important, as this will prevent blood sugar from constantly rising and falling. High blood sugar levels lead to the release of the hormone insulin. Insulin stores sugar and fat in the body cells and at the same time inhibits fat breakdown. After an intense workout, however, it makes sense to eat a snack of carbohydrates and protein.

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

The German Society for Nutrition recommends “5 a day”: two servings of fruit and at least three servings of vegetables every day. A portion is a handful, the more colorful and varied the better. Incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your daily diet can be easy. Make your meals as colorful as possible: cut an apple into your muesli, dip carrot sticks in hummus when you're hungry, eat a colorful salad for lunch, mix up a smoothie in the afternoon or cut tomatoes and onions into your scrambled eggs. There are no limits to your imagination here. Always think about what you could add to your meal instead of omitting something.

PROTEIN

 A source of protein should be present with every main meal, because the macronutrient protein is essential for building and maintaining muscles. Whether you rely on a mix of animal and vegetable protein or prefer vegan protein sources is entirely up to you.

A sufficient, but please not excessive, protein intake of 1 to 1.5 g per kg of body weight per day is optimal if you want to get fit and do sports regularly.

FAT

Fat is the last of the three macronutrients in our diet. 1g of fat contains more than twice as many calories as 1g of carbohydrates or protein and should therefore be eaten in smaller amounts. However, sufficient fat intake is important so that the body can build cells, form hormones and absorb fat-soluble vitamins. Fat is also an important flavor carrier. Get the healthy unsaturated fatty acids from high-quality vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, fatty fish and avocados. If you want to get and stay fit, make sure you consume around 1 g of fat per kg of body weight.

LIQUID

Sufficient fluid intake is particularly important, and not just for athletes. Still water, mineral water and unsweetened fruit or herbal tea are ideal for quenching thirst. For a little more flavor you can spice up your water with fresh mint, lemon and orange slices. The daily recommended amount of liquid is 35-40 ml per kg of body weight, of course more at high temperatures. In addition, the sweat lost during training must be replenished with 1.5 times the amount of liquid.

CONCLUSION

To get fit, you need one thing above all: patience! Long-term success doesn't happen overnight. A balanced, intuitive diet and regular exercise that you enjoy will make you feel good. And that helps you stay tuned!