The fast paced lives that we live today demands a lot from us in a short period of time, we have to manage work, household work/ commitments towards our family that eating right always is neglected by most of us. Due to all this we tend to pick up things on the go which might not be the right thing to choose and it takes a toll on our health to a great extent. Eventually you will notice a lot of fatigue, tiredness, bloating, hair fall & skin issues which burdens our mental & physical stability. To shine out we need to fuel ourselves well & be equipped so that we are able to handle the various task throughout the day.
The main concept of eating right is to perform well in our daily life rather than just survive broadly termed as ”Survival to the fittest”. Food is fuel for your body, if you give the right nutrition it has the capacity to work of more than you think! But if you ill treat it, that cannot work well in the long run.
Some of my recommendations to eat right:
- Eating right after you wake up:
When you wake up in the morning your muscles are depleted & body’s energy reserves have been spent on the recovery process during the night & at this time your body is hungry after a 10 hour fast. When the body is starving is it always a good idea to start with some liquids to break the fast and allowing your body to start its digestive mechanism by giving it a signal that you would start eating in a while. After taking some liquids you can take a fruit as it will help replenish the glycogen stores & provide instant energy till the time breakfast is prepared. If you have breakfast within 15 minutes of wake up you could avoid the fruit.
b) Eating right pre-workout meals:
Having a pre-workout meal is mandatory to fuel yourself to sustain through the workout & get the maximum gains out of it. The meal option you need to choose according to the intensity & timing of the workout. Having a proper meal is recommended only 2 hours before, if you tend to miss it half an hour before you could choose options like some fruits, dry fruits, nuts, etc. Also remember to hydrate yourself well before the workout.
c) Eating right post-workout meals:
After the workout the body has been drained off energy & needs to be provided with good fuel. Feeding the hungry muscles within 30-45 minutes becomes mandatory or it will lead to muscle wasting & impair recovery which is essential before the next training session. It should be a well balanced meal of good quality protein, carbohydrates & fats if you taking a main meal after the workout or you can choose for a good quality protein & complex carbohydrate containing small meal.
d) Eating right during mid- meals:
To maintain this meal well is very important, eating right during other meals are still manageable however when it comes to mid meals resisting cravings for snacks, chips, biscuits, chivdas can be difficult. This is the main meal to fuel well as it helps survive the energy till the next meal so choose options like fruits, granola bar, a handful of nuts, chana, makhana, bhel. These foods are so crunchy in nature that you won’t miss your junk food snacks!
e) Eating right at night:
Dinner are suppose to light & wholesome but many a times it becomes a feast as many people tend to skip other main meals during the day and end up eating too much at night. Also there are people who tend to eat no carbohydrate at night assuming it will help lose weight, the carbohydrate source is not the problem it is the amount you are consuming. Another interesting fact is carbohydrate in some amounts helps you sleep better. So choose a wholesome, fulfilling & nourishing meals at night with some warm soups & avoid any sluggishness caused the next day due to overeating at night.
Lastly hydrate yourself well throughout the day, keep sipping on water instead of having it all at once.
Give away message:
Our fast paced lives demand us a lot in terms of commitments towards work & family, however managing or pre prepping yourself with healthier food options at the right time and it will help you in the long run and help suffice you the energy levels throughout the day to perform daily routine well!
Eat Right, Stay Fit!!