Racing requires a symbiotic relationship between the runner’s diet and their training. A healthy lifestyle must be approached with a holistic mindset which turns the habits of your daily routine into a natural and active alternative to the unhealthy habits of a sedentary human being. People who concentrate the entirety of their dieting and training on nutrition alone fail to hone that nutrition with the natural edges of physical activity, while people who focus on their exercise regimen without a nutritional balance risk countering that regimen without the necessary fuel to help the human body function to its fullest.
The healthy lifestyle of a fit runner can only be achieved through proper nutrition and proper training. Each aspect feeds off the other and necessitates the other’s presence in order to provide the needed fuel, motivation, or discipline. The more the human body runs, the more that same body will crave the necessary nutrients in order to achieve its running routine. Unhealthy snacks are tasty and affordable, but they can’t give the body the nutrients it needs to maintain a healthy lifestyle. A healthy diet sustains an energized body, and only an energized body can overcome a racing competition.
Drink Up! We can’t stress more.
Hydration is another important component, and without it, this symbiosis of the healthy lifestyle falls apart. Runners and dieters are advised to keep lightweight but readily-available bottles of water available at all times in order to keep their body hydrated and functioning as a lean, mean, fit machine. The manufacturers of sportswear have even installed handy water systems into backpacks to allow runners to stay hydrated without stopping for a bottle break, complete with internal coolant systems designed to keep the water pouch cool and refreshing on a summer day.
People who fail to transition into healthy and competitive shape more often than not fail because they don’t maintain the balance of a healthy and active lifestyle. They often neglect the exercise that helps the body crave the right foods by meditating the body’s energy until it requires the nutrients of a healthy lifestyle. By that same token, a body in motion requires a constant supply of water in order to prevent fatigue and dehydration.
Fast food does not mean fried food.
Another one of the biggest pitfalls in improving a person’s diet comes down to time management. Cheap and unhealthy foods have billed themselves as the only instant foods on the market, but the truth of the matter is that the health industry has provided a wide assortment of fast and easy meals that still provide the right nutritional content.
A healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to slow down your busy lifestyle, and the notion that fast food must be unhealthy food is a misunderstanding propagated by a confused culture. Corporations might advertise the ease of their meals, but ‘fast food’ doesn’t have to mean ‘fried food’.
Nutritious energy bars, nut bars, and soy bars have filled the market as convenient food options for the health-conscious consumer. Additionally, affordable high-powered blenders have improved the preparation of nutritious shakes – a balanced breakfast by way of the blender has now been condensed into mere minutes of time that can compete with the toaster any day of the week. Fruit shakes, ‘kale’ shakes and a variety of fun and easy to blend concoctions mix tasty fruits and juices with the necessary vegetables and nuts for the perfect early morning shake to start your day.
Neglecting a proper meal due to a lack of time management leads to a host of problems which get in the way of a healthy transformation. Athletes may neglect a proper meal before training, resulting in slowed down response time and an insufficient amount of energy in order to truly push their body to the limits. Maintaining a healthy diet no matter how busy you are is the key to efficient athleticism, affecting your training, recovery time, and the foundational energy you need in order to exercise without feeling overworked.
Buy the right foods.
There are so many foods to choose from, and from so many suppliers, that shopping healthy can be a daunting challenge. There is a controversy brewing between processed foods and organic foods, focusing on the choice between foods that have been exposed to various chemicals and preservatives and foods that are offered without that processing. Chemicals are often sprayed on fruits and vegetables that may be harmful to their health, but even with this knowledge, many shy away from organic alternatives due to their usually higher price tags.
People looking to improve their lifestyles should begin first and foremost by checking nutritional labels for these undersold and overlooked contents. In addition to paying mind to potential food allergies, consumers should also consider how many calories, protein, and vitamins their grocery list contains, and how well those nutrients will aid in their athletic activities. Meat and dairy products are especially beneficial for encouraging the growth of new muscle, while vitamins and minerals are essential ingredients for dedicated runners. A healthy variety of foods and nutrients is the best approach for achieving the balanced health of the optimal human body.
Healthy Expectations
Proper training means taking care of your body, and too many athletes neglect the importance of nutrition and rest following their workouts. Sports that recover electrolytes are especially useful for replenishing energy, while athletes who burn a lot of calories during their workouts will delight in foods with high caloric counts such as pastas and breads. Improper attendance to rest and relaxation can result in sore muscles, pulled joints, and other preventable injuries.
It is important to remember that eating well and exercising regularly does not mean that you will automatically transform your body into a chiseled ‘cover model’. The toned bodies that have become so desirable in popular culture are typically the result of specific and temporary diets and exercises designed to create an unnatural and exaggerated human figure that does not come naturally to the truly healthy body.
People who want to transform their lives should be less concerned about their appearance and more concerned with the health of the body inside. Dieters who succumb to being too self-conscious and neurotic with their diets based on their outside appearance confuse living naturally with living neurotically, and this decidedly unhealthy behavior can trigger eating disorders and ultimately damage the body.
Winning at Health
The health of the human body comes from all fronts: nutrition, activity, rest and relaxation. Proper hydration, nutrition, and ‘R&R’ time will promote the body’s natural energy and recovery abilities as well as help it function at its optimal level. The Pareto principle, or the ’80-20′ rule, states that roughly eighty percent of all effects are the result of twenty percent of the causes. Eliminating those troublesome aspects of your daily routine where unhealthy causes can creep their way in is the key to meeting and even exceeding your weight and exercise goals.
