Have you set an important sports goal for yourself that you are unable to achieve? This could be due to various factors. During this blog I will explain to you the importance of meeting your calorie needs and macro nutrients.
If you have an important goal and you would like to achieve this through exercise, it probably means that you will also have to work on your nutrition. Nutrition plays an important role in, for example, losing or gaining weight, dry training or bulking, and so on. And for most people this is also a pitfall. Keeping track of and working on nutrition requires some discipline and motivation. But what makes nutrition so important in this entire process?
Let's start with calories. The number of calories is a measure of the amount of energy contained in a product. This is stated on the products with the nutritional value, often on the back of the product. Your body uses calories mainly for two processes: the basic physical processes that we cannot control very well ourselves, for example the respiratory system, your digestion, regulating conduction in your heart and blood vessels, etc. This is where your body burns energy (calories). for. But your body also uses energy with physical activities. Getting up from bed, an active attitude at work, but also walking, cycling and so on.
In order to perform these activities optimally, but also to achieve your sports goal, you need a certain number of calories. Consult with your own coach to determine which calorie requirement best suits your goal.
All calories consist of nutrients. We call these the macro nutrients. This concerns carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
Carbohydrates: this is an important source of energy for the human body. You can get carbohydrates from food such as bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, fruit, vegetables, etc. There are different types of carbohydrates, namely simple and dual (milk products, banana, white bread with sweet toppings, currant buns, gingerbread, soft drinks, etc.). You also have complex carbohydrates, which make your blood sugar level rise and fall less quickly, and this keeps you satiated for longer (rice, oatmeal, potatoes). This requires a healthy balance in your diet and this depends on your goal.
Fats: fats are an important source of energy. Fats can be found in products, such as full-fat dairy products, but also nuts, meat, fish, etc. There are different fats, namely: saturated, unsaturated and trans fats. Let's start with cholesterol first. Cholesterol is a substance that the body produces itself. The body uses this to produce cells and hormones. You need this, but your body already makes enough of it. The building block for cholesterol is saturated fat/trans fat. When you consume a lot of saturated fat, it increases your cholesterol levels in your blood. Saturated fat can be found in products such as cheese, whole milk products, butter, etc. Unsaturated fat ensures that the 'bad' cholesterol level in your blood is reduced. Unsaturated fat can be found in olive oil, sunflower oil, nuts, oily fish, avocado, etc.
Trans fat is a type of fat that is more difficult for the body to process due to the structure of the fat. In addition, just like saturated fats, it increases the cholesterol level in your blood. It is found in pastries, cakes, cookies, low-fat margarine and margarine, etc. So you want to limit this variety of fats as much as possible. There must also be a healthy balance in the amount and type of fats within your diet.
Protein: protein is a nutrient just like carbohydrate and fat, and also provides energy. Think of this more as a spare tank of fuel. But protein also has several important functions, one of which is: it is a building material. Proteins can be found in chicken, meat, fish, nuts, dairy, and so on. The chemical structure of protein consists of smaller particles. We call these particles amino acids. You may have heard of that before. Here are some that your body can produce on its own, and some that you may need from food. Protein is very important because our body consists of cells. Think of your muscles, bones, but also your skin, nails, hair, teeth, etc. And all these cells contain protein.
During strength training you actually cause small damage to the muscle cells. And in order to ensure that your muscle cells can be built stronger again, those muscle cells need proteins. That is why it is important that you meet your protein requirements per day in your nutrition plan.
These nutrients are therefore very important in achieving your goal. So discuss with your coach what amount you need and what balance you should look for!
Yusuf Akbas
Enforce Master Trainer
yusuf@enforce.nl
Schedule a free coaching session or take the online membership test
Does this sound good and are you also ready for a fitter & healthier life? Then schedule a free coaching conversation now Join me or one of the other master trainers! 100% risk-free, the first step has never been easier!
Are you still in doubt? Then take the no-obligation online membership test: 6 short questions (only 1 minute to complete) to discover whether Enforce suits you!
