We all want to enjoy good health don’t we? But some of the food we allow to enter our bodies is definitely not in our best interest.

Too much stodgy or fatty foods, that fill us up, make us feel full but within a very short time we are hungry again.

So What Should We Be Eating?

A Balanced Diet:

Doctors and Nutritionists talk about eating a Balanced Diet, but what is a Balanced Diet?

The Nutritional Value in our food is made up of:

· Proteins

· Fats

· Carbohydrates

Proteins

Are essential for bodybuilding. This does not mean making us fat, but rather building bulk and muscle. We need good strong muscles for practically everything. The heart is a muscle and that has to work really hard for the whole of our lives. When the heart stops working properly, we get Heart Failure, Heart Attacks etc.

We need good muscles to be able to digest the food we eat. Then we have muscles that keep us upright so that we can walk and run.

We have muscles in the eyes that help us to see by focussing.

Now this Protein is made up of blocks that interlock to form amino acids.

There are about 20 Amino Acids. 9 of which are called First Class or Essential Amino Acids. Without these First Class or Essential Amino Acids the body would be a mess, with very little working, as it should.

What Foods Contain Protein?

Most dairy products, for example Meat, Milk, Cheese, Fish and Eggs are called Complete Proteins.

Milk is a complete protein in that it has all 9 essential amino acids.

Egg whites are a complete protein as well.

Protein is also found in other Food Sources, eg Whole Grains, Rice, Corn, Beans, Legumes, Oatmeal, Peas and Peanut Butter.

Vegetarians, Vegans and others who do not eat Meat, Dairy Products or Fish, must make sure to eat the above foods in order to keep healthy.

Carbohydrates

Are major sources of energy and an active adult should be burning 50 – 60% of Calories each day.

Carbohydrates are converted into sugars and starches within the body.

· Sugars are found in Fruits, Milk and Soft Drinks and Sweets

· Complex Carbohydrates are found in Whole Grain Cereals, Flour, Bread, Rice, Corn, Oats, Potatoes and Legumes.

We are inclined to eat more Carbohydrates than we should. This is because of the sweetness and the feeling of fullness we get when we tuck into a Cream Cake.

Too much Carbohydrate will, if we are not active enough, turn into fat, which is what happens when we put on weight.

Yet not enough Carbohydrates would mean the body would not function at its best. Therefore a certain amount of Carbohydrates each day is essential.

So the lesser evil would be to fill up on the Complex Carbohydrates like Whole Grain and Cereals. In other words plants and nuts. These have the added advantage of also providing us with Proteins, so we get two for the price of one.

Fats

Three Types of Fat

· Saturated Fat

· Polyunsaturated Fat

· Monounsaturated Fats

Saturated Fat is found mostly in meat and dairy products and some vegetable oils.

Saturated Fats tend to increase Blood Cholesterol levels.

Why Is Too Much Cholesterol Bad For Us?

Cholesterol is the Fatty Deposits found in the Blood Vessels. This fat coats the inside of the Blood Vessels (especially the Arteries) so making it difficult for the Blood to pass through, resulting quite often in various Heart Problems eg High Blood Pressure, Heart Attacks and Strokes.

Polyunsaturated Fats are found mostly in Plant Sources, Safflower, Sunflower, Soybean, Corn and Cottonseed.

Polyunsaturated Fats are able to lower the Blood Cholesterol levels

Monounsaturated Fats are able to lower the Bad Cholesterol Levels, known as LDL Cholesterol.

Monounsaturated Fats can be found in both plant and animal products such as Olive Oil and in Avocado Pears.

Fat should only be consumed at less than 30% of the daily calories, but no more than 10% should be Saturated Fats.

Fats are a concentrated form of energy that helps maintain body temperature and protect Body Tissues and Organs.

If you are thinking of going on a Weight Loss Programme, try to cut Saturated Fat out of your food. Eat less of the other fats and become more active. So that you are eating at least 100 Calories less than you are using as energy when exercising.

An Example of Calories Used When Being Active

These activities are done over an hour for someone weighing an average of 155 pounds.

· Aerobics 422

· Cycling 10 miles an hour 281

· Running 563

· Walking 2 miles per hour 176

· Swimming Leisurely 422

· Dancing 317

· Cooking 176

· Childcare 246

With a Calorie Controlled Balanced Diet, you will have more energy and feel good about yourself as the pounds and inches disappear.

Watch for my next article where I will talk about the importance of Vitamins and Minerals.