Exercise and nutrition go hand in hand in creating better athletes and healthier bodies. As a fitness trainer, your domain is the exercise side of the equation — but while it's not necessary to become a sports nutritionist, it is helpful to be conversant with your clients on the latest thinking when it comes to nutrition and health. There's no doubt that dietary assessments and counseling should be left to trained dietitians that are experts in those fields. But being familiar with the latest thinking about nutrition and sharing that information with your clients is just plain good business.
The best athletes certainly pay attention to sports nutrition, but they lock in on healthy eating, as well. If you have clients that want to know more about energy gels, sports drinks, and recovery, leverage that interest in nutrition by encouraging them to take a larger view of exactly what their bodies need to be in the best of shape possible for both athletic performance and long-term health. Healthful eating is critical to both of those goals.
In this article, we’ll cover what it really means to eat healthily.
Energy balance for weight control
Weight control is a key goal of healthy eating, and the fact is that many of your clients have weight to lose. Having tried and failed with diets, often repeatedly, they may be knocking on your door, hell-bent on burning away their unwanted fat through exercise alone. But exercise on its own usually doesn't cut it, either. That's because burning calories represents just half of the energy balance equation. Attention to the full energy balance equation, meaning calories going out and coming in, is what will allow your clients to gain control over their weight.
Reinforce with clients that if they burn as many calories as they take in each day, there's nothing left over for storage in fat cells, and body weight will be stable. Even better for those battling the bulge, if they consistently burn about 500 more calories than they take in each day, those extra fat reserves they’re hauling around will be tapped as an energy source, and the weight will come off.
Most adults put on a pound or two every year. So goal number one is to stop any more weight gain. After that, getting their weight down to a healthy level should be the next step.
Is it worth the effort? Absolutely. The health benefits can be significant. In addition to lowering the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, keeping body weight in check lowers the risk of various cancers, including cancers of the breast, colon, kidney, pancreas, and esophagus.
Fill the plate with whole grains, vegetables, and fruit
Athletes need carbs for energy, particularly as muscle fuel when training and exercising. If your clients are exercising hard on a daily basis, but going low-carb, their muscle glycogen fuel reserves will dwindle to the point where workouts suffer and the resolve to work out, let alone engage a fitness trainer, will wane. Chronically fatigued carbohydrate-depleted clients make for bad business.
Help your clients avoid the tired trap by encouraging them to eat their fair share of carbs, and emphasize the right types of carbs. Sports drinks, gels, and bars have their place before, during, or just after tough workouts and events, but underscore with clients that when they're not in the throes of exercise, the healthiest carbohydrate sources are whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables.
Whole grains, such as oatmeal, whole wheat bread, and brown rice are important because the body doesn’t digest them as quickly as it does more refined carbs. Thus, whole grains tend to keep blood sugar and insulin levels more stable. That helps to keep hunger at bay, which in turn may help prevent weight gain and the development of high blood pressure and diabetes. Whole grains can also help to keep blood cholesterol under control, which aids in the fight against heart disease.
You can add faster transit time to the list of whole grain attributes as well. Indigestible fiber in whole grains helps to speed the passage of digestive wastes through the intestinal tract. In addition, though we don't metabolize fiber as an energy source, friendly microbes that reside in our colons love the stuff. These beneficial microbes grow and prosper by feeding on fiber, and in doing so, they inhibit the growth of potentially pathogenic microorganisms. They also produce compounds that help to protect the cells of the digestive tract. These benefits of fiber are believed to explain, at least in part, why diets with plenty of fiber may be linked to lower risks of cancers of the digestive tract.
Vegetables and fruit are other healthful carbohydrate sources that deserve your unwavering support. In addition to carbs, they are loaded with essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, and other important dietary factors naturally present in plants. The health benefits of eating plenty of fruits and vegetables each day include lower blood pressure, better eye health, fewer digestive problems, and the possibility of reduced risks of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. What may come as a surprise to your clients is not that fruits and vegetables are good for them, but that the experts recommend we eat 5–13 servings a day depending on caloric needs. For many Americans, nine servings would be a week's worth, so it's likely many of your clients will have ample room for improvement on this front.
Don't forgo fats: Eat healthful ones instead
For decades, health experts have been telling us that low-fat diets are the way to go. They promised us stronger hearts and leaner bellies. We listened and our fat intakes dropped considerably. Yet today, nearly two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese and heart disease is still the number one killer. It turns out the single-minded focus on cutting out fat was misdirected. The reality is that fats are an indispensable part of the diet. They are a major source of the calories we consume every day, and they play an important role in making us feel satisfied and full after eating. So, instead of pushing the old-school notion of forgoing fats, which then can lead to overeating calories in a desperate attempt to feel satisfied, encourage your clients to consume their rightful share of fat. And in doing so, underscore that the fat they eat should be from healthful sources.
Fat sources rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats get a thumbs up. Conversely, push for limiting intake of saturated fats and cholesterol, and minimizing trans fats as much as possible.
Good sources of mono- and polyunsaturated fats include olive, canola, soy, corn, sunflower, peanut, and other vegetable oils, soft margarine (make sure they are free of trans fats), nuts, seeds, avocados, and fatty fish, such as salmon and herring. These good fats improve cholesterol levels when eaten in place of saturated fats, trans fats, or highly processed carbohydrates. The omega-3 fats from fish offer an extra benefit. Research suggests that these special polyunsaturated fats can help to protect the heart from serious rhythm problems.
The best ways to reduce saturated fat intake are to cut back on the consumption of red meat and/or choose leaner cuts of meat, use nonfat or low-fat dairy sources in place of full-fat versions, and use olive oil or canola oil in place of butter whenever possible. Suggest limiting cholesterol intake by not overdoing it on eggs. One egg per day is usually fine for healthy individuals, while those with heart disease or diabetes should limit their egg yolk consumption to no more than 3 per week. To sidestep trans fats, show your clients how to read product labels and advise them to avoid restaurant-prepared fried foods if trans fats are used for frying.
Pick protein and dairy foods wisely
Protein is critical to the repair and building of muscle tissue in response to working out, and for overall good health. Ask your clients to consider what else they're getting when they choose a protein source. For example, a juicy steak is loaded with protein, but it's also brimming with fat, much of it the unhealthful saturated variety. Let your clients know that nuts, seeds, beans, and tofu are excellent sources of protein which also provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Nuts and seeds also typically contain healthful monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Fish is a great source of protein and rich in those heart-healthy omega-3 fats. Chicken and turkey are good sources of protein and low in unhealthful saturated fats. Egg whites are high in protein and cholesterol free; they can be substituted for whole eggs in omelets and baking. If a client can't live without red meat, suggest choosing lean cuts, consuming moderate portions, and making it more of an occasion rather than a regular pattern.
Dairy products are also good sources of protein, as well as calcium. The full-fat versions are higher in calories and unsaturated fats. Select nonfat or low-fat varieties instead. If you can't or don't eat dairy, take a daily supplement to ensure that you meet your needs for vitamin D and calcium.
Consume these sparingly
Point out that choosing fish, chicken, or beans instead of red meat several times a week, as well as switching from butter to olive oil, can improve cholesterol levels and provide other benefits for the heart.
Remind clients that whole grains produce slower, steadier increases in blood sugar than products made with refined grain ingredients like white flour or rice. But also make sure they understand that easy-to-absorb simple carbs do make sense during exercise when rapid refueling is needed. Bran flakes are great, but not during exercise!
Sodium and salt may also get the
use sparingly tag. Your clients do need to replace the sodium they lose in sweat during exercise, especially in hot and humid weather. But if they have a history of high blood pressure, suggest that they avoid overdoing it on salt. High-salt diets are linked to high blood pressure and higher risks of heart attack and stroke. Point out that there are tasty alternatives to salt, such as fresh herbs, savory spices, and slices of lemon. If your client has normal blood pressure, sodium intake will not necessarily need to be decreased.
References:
For more information on fitness nutrition and health, visit the USDA Food Pyramid website at www.mypyramid.gov.
Topics:
General, Carbs, Energy, Fat, Fiber
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