Why Nutrition Matters: Food and Fitness
By KayLee Chie Kuehl
Nutrition makes up 80 percent of overall body transformation. Although keeping up with our fitness routine is important, exercise only contributes to about 20 percent of the process. The foods we consume are the defining factor in whether or not we will achieve our fitness goals. Nutrition plays a vital role in how we look, how we feel, and how we change. Here are some reasons why the foods we eat are key in achieving and maintaining our fitness goals.
Foods Increase Athletic Performance
Different foods can elevate our physical capabilities. For example, quercetin is an antioxidant occurring in plant foods. It is a powerful nutrient and has many beneficial impacts on the body. For example, athletes use quercetin in supplemental form to reduce muscle aches, increase their performance, and metabolic rate. Consuming quercetin can offer foundational effects on the body when working out, making exercises more intense and fitness goals easier to achieve. It also speeds up recovery time. Foods that include quercetin are apples, broccoli, and berries.
Food Is Our Medicinal Fuel
What we consume is created into energy. The amount of healthy nutrition in our bodies determines how we will function throughout the day. Carbs, fats, vitamins, etc., are essential to bodily processes. Our moods, our stamina, our efficiency, and more are dependent on what we put in our guts. Without a balanced diet, regular activities can be extra strenuous. We risk operating in a cloudy, unfocused head space if we don't eat or choose the wrong foods. Carving out the time to eat right leaves us happier and healthier. Consuming high protein foods, for example, makes it easier to build lean muscles. Other foods, such as oats, can aid in digestion. In addition, studies have shown greens are important for protecting our cells against potential damage.
Foods Increase You Metabolism
Certain foods can help increase your metabolism, burning fat at a quicker rate. This process is done naturally, so additional supplements are not necessary. These particular foods have compound components such as caffeine, fiber, and iron that are helpful for enhancing fitness gains. Apples, fish, green tea, hot peppers, water, and black coffee are some options for foods that increase metabolic rates.
Nutrition and exercise go hand in hand. Working out keeps our bodies from breaking down. If we don't remain active, we lose gains in muscle and flexibility. Our range of motion decreases, as does our strength. Eventually, this lack of movement can result in sickness. Our heart, lungs, and muscles lose their health if we don't create the time to exercise. But in order to have the energy to workout, it's important to consume the proper food. From nutrition, we gain fuel to remain fit. If we have one without the other, we lose balance in our health.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Greenville, S.C.