Years ago I began my fitness career as an instructor and personal trainer. I coached my clients to improve their health with physical activity. It was gratifying to witness their positive health changes.
However, after I studied nutrition and added nutrition coaching to their exercise programs, they improved even more. I particularly noticed their increase in energy. But more impressively, their dietary changes were positively affecting all aspects of their lives.
They were sleeping deeper and longer; their ability to concentrate improved; they were thinking more clearly; and they were calmer and less emotional. It became easier for some to lose weight, and several even said they felt “cleaner and lighter inside” (no more constipation!). Nutrition seemed a bigger factor for their good health than being physically active.
Recent research at UBC indicates exercise among older athletes is not reliable to lower cardiovascular risk factors. Some of the older athletes participating in this study still had high blood pressure or high cholesterol, increasing their risk for cardiovascular disease. This strongly suggests diet and lifestyle habits (and, yes, genetics too) are just as important – perhaps more so – than your exercise program.
This does not mean you should not exercise and focus on diet only. We need to move: many bodily processes that we can’t voluntarily control are facilitated by movement. And it doesn’t matter what activity you do – just do something regularly.
But first, we have to fuel those physical movements. Food is our “fuel,” giving us the energy and the desire to move. And food also provides the “tools” (nutrients) that make our bodies function properly.
Without those nutrients, you may risk more than just low energy. You risk developing problems with sleeping, thinking clearly, dealing with stress, maintaining a healthy body weight, illness and many other symptoms of poor nutrition.
Nutrient-rich foods provide the foundation that everything else is built upon – and not just your physical needs. It’s for your mental health as well: your brain can’t function without nutrition (food). Ergo, you will suffer from sleeping problems, difficulty focusing or concentrating, inability to handle stressful situations, you might even suffer depression (research confirms depression can be linked to poor nutrition).
Whole, unrefined foods contain far more nutrients than foods that are refined. More often, choose to eat these nutrient-rich foods that our bodies depend on: whole foods that aren’t as tampered with or changed by humans. Choose an apple as a snack instead of a cookie or sports bar. Try to eat more vegetables and fruit. Include a moderate amount of root vegetables, nuts and seeds, cooked whole grains, as well as natural meat and dairy choices.
A common health complaint is, “I am so tired.” Fuel and nourish your body sensibly and you will have the energy to get off the couch.
A former newspaper editor, Eve Lees is a Nutrition Coach and has been a Health Researcher, Writer & Speaker for over 30 years. www.artnews-healthnews.com
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Eve Lees has been active in the health & fitness industry since 1979. Currently, she is a Freelance Health Writer for several publication and speaks to business and private groups on various health topics.