For many years, people have believed that being fit is simply the result of exercising. However, the truth is that fitness involves both nutrition and exercise. One cannot be truly fit without proper nutrition.
As a man the fitness goal is to build your body and increase stamina. The question we are going to ask is how do you achieve these goals as a person? The solution to these problems is in nutrition. Nutrition is the intake of food, considered in relation to the body’s dietary needs. Good nutrition- an adequate, well balanced diet combined with regular physical activity- is a cornerstone of good health. Poor nutrition can lead to reduced immunity, increased susceptibility to disease, impaired physical and mental development, and reduced productivity.
If you want to live a healthy life you need good nutrition. You should have all the required nutrients in proper proportions, so that they can work together and give you energy. Having the right balance of nutrients keeps every part of your body working properly.
In this article we will talk about roles of nutrition in achieving your fitness goals as a man.
Provides more energy for workouts
One role of nutrition in achieving your fitness goals is to provide more energy for workouts. Men require more calories than women. This is because men’s bodies are generally larger and they have more muscle mass than women. In addition, they also have a higher metabolic rate. Therefore, men need to eat more calories to provide the energy needed for exercise and other physical activities.
Men should make sure that their meals comprise of complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, legumes and vegetables because these foods provide sustained energy for workouts. Other sources of carbohydrates include fruits, bread, pasta and rice.
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For repairing tissue damage caused by exercising
It is obvious that during exercise, your muscles and other parts of the body are damaged. However, this is a good thing because this will lead to growth of your muscles. In order for these tissues to repair and grow, you need to provide your body with right foods and supplements so that it can carry out its functions effectively. Protein is an example of the nutrients that help in muscle repair.
Protein is essential in building and repair of body tissues. If you don’t get enough protein, your body won’t be able to repair itself effectively and this will mean that it has to work harder in order to complete its tasks. If you want to build muscle and lose fat, you need to make sure that you are getting adequate amounts of protein each day; otherwise all your hard work at the gym will go down the drain.
Research has shown that people who take proteins have more gains than those who don’t take proteins. In addition, it has been found that there are certain types of proteins which are very effective. Among them include whey protein, casein protein and soy protein. As such you should include foods rich in these proteins and even include supplements in your diet depending on what you want to achieve. Examples of foods rich in these proteins include fish, eggs, and poultry among others.
For losing weight
Proper nutrition is necessary if you want to lose weight but also remember not all calories are created equal and empty calories should be avoided as much as possible because they won’t provide any nutritional value to your body but will increase the amount of fat in your body which you don’t want.
For muscle growth
Muscle growth occurs when there is positive nitrogen balance in the body. A positive nitrogen balance occurs when there are more amino acids entering the muscle cell than leaving it and this can only occur when there is excess protein intake from food or from supplements. One gram of protein provides 4 calories so you can see that eating sufficient protein to achieve positive nitrogen balance without gaining too much fat requires careful planning of your diet and attention to protein quality, sources of dietary fats and carbohydrate intake.
For optimizing metabolic rate
You need to consume foods that can help optimize your metabolic rate so that it can function at its optimum levels throughout the day. By eating some meals every few hours you will keep your body satisfied and optimize metabolism as well. The best way to do this is by consuming carbohydrates, proteins and fats at regular intervals during the day – every 2-3 hours.
To make your bones stronger
For healthy and strong bones, you require calcium and vitamin D along with protein and other nutrients through food or supplements. Calcium rich foods include dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt, fish with edible bones such as sardines and salmon, green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach as well as tofu made from calcium-set soybeans. Vitamin D is essential for absorbing calcium from food and regulating calcium metabolism in the body so that it remains available for bone health. Getting adequate amounts of vitamin D through sun exposure or supplement can help improve bone health.
For increasing testosterone levels
Testosterone is the most important hormone when it comes to building lean muscle mass, but it also helps with fat loss when combined with a proper diet and training regimen. And one of the best ways to increase testosterone levels naturally is by eating healthy fats such as nuts, avocados, olive oil and omega-3 fatty acids.
For the production of hormones and neurotransmitters
There are a number of proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals that the body requires to produce hormones and neurotransmitters. If any one of these is lacking in the diet, then you will have a hard time achieving your fitness goals as a man.
For example, tyrosine is an amino acid which is needed to produce dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in regulating your moods. If you do not get enough tyrosine from your diet, then it will be difficult to maintain a good mood throughout the day.
Conclusion
Nutrition should be a key factor when you are trying to achieve your fitness goal. Some people may opt for weight loss or muscle gain. Whatever the case may be, it is important to take note of these tips to ensure that you get the most out of your exercise routines.
