In modern-day diet culture, people are told to mercilessly monitor their calorie intake and how much fat is in their foods. This idea of counting calories and never eating fats is inadvisable for anyone, but it’s especially harmful for anyone involved with sports or regular exercise. Like a car needs gasoline, the human body runs off what it is fed, and when it is not given the nutrients it needs, it cannot function properly. Everyone has heard about the “ultimate diet” and the foods that will “make you lose twenty pounds overnight,” but the reality is that there is no single best diet or magic foods; the best way to achieve the physically fit and athletic shape most people desire is to eat three meals a day and keep active. The only catch is that those three meals must include four essential things: protein, carbohydrates, fats, and minerals.
Everyone calls protein the “best nutrient,” but that’s false. Of course, protein is essential to keeping your body running and your muscles strong, but you cannot only eat protein or miss out on vital fibers and sugars. Eating foods like fish, lean meats, eggs, dairy, nuts, and soy provides exciting ways to get in your daily protein, and with such a variety of options, it’s easy to incorporate them into all three of your meals.
Carbohydrates serve many purposes, like filling you up or acting as a good appetizer, but they are best used for energy. Carbs are burned quickly and allow you to endure exercise and still have energy instead of your body over-exerting itself and eating at your muscles. Contrary to popular belief, carbs are not just in bread and pasta; you can get carbs from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains if you need more than gluten. Whole grains are one of the better carbs to ingest since they will also provide fiber. What’s important to remember is that carbs are only so helpful when taken from natural foods and not candy bars or cookies because the sugar in those foods will cause you to crash before you can even utilize their carbs.
When people hear the term “fats,” the first thing that comes to their mind is saturated fats or trans fats, and when people think of those fats, they think of gaining weight or unhealthy food. However, fundamental fats in foods are essential to fueling your body. Natural fats serve about the same purpose as carbs in providing energy to burn, but fats are much longer lasting and support cell functions; to put it in layperson’s terms, they help your whole body run for a long time. Some natural fats to incorporate into your everyday diet are vegetable oils, fish, nuts, and seeds. Fats to avoid would include fatty meats or cheeses, but those foods hold other nutritional values, so don’t cut them out completely!
Last but not least, minerals have a critical role in a healthy diet. Minerals like calcium and iron are vital because they support bone and muscle function. Calcium, found in foods like dairy products and beans, strengthens the bones, reducing the chances of broken bones or fractures. Iron, found in foods like spinach and nuts, aids oxygen flow to muscles, allowing quicker and more precise movements. If you can’t find a way to throw those foods into your everyday diet or aren’t getting enough of them, you can always resort to supplement pills or vitamin drinks, and taking them daily will have similar benefits. Of course, eating foods with those minerals is always better, as you can also benefit from the other nutrients in the food. However, having this accessible makes getting your core minerals perfectly accessible.
Of course, other things help athletes and keep them strong, but these four staples create an easy, sturdy base. Athletes need these staples to stay awake or focused like the average person and keep their body going while partaking in long-term physical activity. Don’t cave into an unhealthy diet culture because, for athletes, cutting carbs or lacking calcium from dairy is just not an option for coming out on top physically and mentally. Remember to eat well, stay hydrated, and keep going intense and challenging; I promise you will notice a difference.
