Before starting anything it is wise to plan and organise how the end result will be achieved. In order for the plan to be a success, the pros and cons must be thought of and possible solutions to the cons or barriers must be thought of ahead of time to ensure success.
Designing a eating plan
Important actions to consider and include in any nutrition plan include:
- Drinking enough water
- Eating breakfast
- Eating frequently
- Making appropriate food choices
Why is it important to drink enough water?
Firstly, the human body can survive without food for many days but not without water. Water is necessary for our body to function and for us to survive.
Water is needed by every living cell. Almost every process that takes place within the body is dependent on water. It is required for practically every bodily function. Below are just some of the processes carried out within the body that depend on water:
- You need water to break down and digest food, transport nutrients in the bloodstream to where they are needed and to eliminate any waste. Food cannot be digested without water.
- Water helped digested food pass through the body quicker so preventing constipation and any toxins and waste material from sitting inside the body for too long and accumulating to dangerous levels.
- Drink water replenishes bodily fluids lost through sweating, especially when playing sports and through passing urine.
- Water also aids circulation.
- Drinking water helps to regulate the temperature of the body and body heat.
Why should we include eating breakfast in our eating plan?
Breakfast means ‘breaking the fast’ after sleeping for eight hours. Being without food nursing the night, our brains and muscles need energy and fuel to function. The glucose in food (as well as the vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and protein) is how we get this energy. This rush of nutrients and glucose to our nervous systems enables us to better concentrate, focus, be productive and be in better spirits!
Without a doubt, breakfast is the meal that you can’t afford to miss. This is because it:
- Strengthens the brain
- Helps establish healthy eating habits
- Offers an opportunity to try new foods
- Improves mood and behaviour
- Gives you energy
- Keeps you healthy.
Why should we encourage eating frequency when working out our nutrition plan?
Easting more meals, in smaller portions, stabilises our blood sugar. Blood sugar helps to give you the energy and stamina you need to make it through the day. When you eat, your body breaks down the good and the sugar that is released from good enters your bloodstream and becomes blood sugar. Several small meals over the course of the day give you a steady supply of blood sugar. If you only eat only two or three large meals daily, a large dose of blood sugar will be injected into your blood stream. You may not get any more for another five or six hours. These large blood sugar spikes and crashes are not only the cause of feelings of fatigue but can also wreak havoc with many of your body’s natural processes.
Why do we encourage appropriate food choices?
When working out a nutritional health plan, always encourage the person you are working out the plan for to make the appropriate food choices. Bad food choices can lead to coronary heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cancer and many other illnesses.
It is important to be conscious of the impact of our food choices as it helps us to maintain a healthy weight. Our choices must be appropriate and suitable for the type of activity we are participating in as food is our main source of energy.
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
Want to know more about how to design a healthy food choice plan for your nutrition clients? Trifocus Fitness Academy’s Specialised Nutrition Course is just the way that you can do this! For more information, follow this link.
