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It’s Wellness Wednesdays! We’ll talk about how to eat like an athlete for better health. Athletes require a large amount of calories each day, but you can learn a great deal from their diets. Their tips for staying active and full at the same time can lead to better health.
1. Diet tips from top runners.
Runners need energy to get to the finish lines, and their diets are filled with healthy carbohydrates and proteins.
- Runners can eat 5000 calories or more while training, but your diet doesn’t have to reach these levels. Base your diet on how many calories you can easily burn in a day.
- A typical meal from a top runner includes meat, vegetables, and carbs for dinner. They admit pancakes can provide an energy boost, and whole grain ones are better for you.
2. Diet tips from Olympic hopefuls.
Athletes who have Olympic dreams stick to strict diets.
- A morning meal can include oatmeal, fruit, eggs, and toast. A healthy muffin made with whole grains and honey is another diet secret.
- Variety in your meals is important because food boredom can lead to sneaking in treats and breaking the diet.
- Instead of unhealthy snacks, dried and fresh fruits can give an energy boost and satisfy a sweet craving.
3. Diet tips from swimmers.
Swimmers rely on their diets to keep them going in the water.
- Before they begin their training for the day, their breakfast often consists of toast and fruit. After training, swimmers refuel with oatmeal, cereal, and fruit.
- Lunch can include pasta, vegetables, and seafood.
- Their dinner includes steak, vegetables, and baked potatoes. These meals are designed to have a balance of both carbohydrates and protein for better health.
4. Diet tips from skiers.
The slopes require energy and skills, so the diet matters.
- Skiers enjoy oatmeal or porridge for breakfast to get an energy boost. They add fruits such as bananas, strawberries, and other foods to get more vitamins.
- The cold conditions around them make it difficult to get a warm lunch. Skiers are often forced to eat cold sandwiches with vegetables during lunch. Training requires them to stay focused, so going to an inn or restaurant for a hot meal isn’t always an option.
- Dinner can become a celebration because its warmth is a welcome change.
5. Diet tips from triathletes.
They must excel in three sports at once, and their diets are strong.
- Triathletes need a lot of calories to survive competing in three sports all in one day, so their diets are filled with carbohydrates and proteins.
- A typical breakfast can include toast, fruit, smoothies, and protein powder.
- A typical lunch can include sandwiches or wraps and salads.
- Dinner can include fish, salad, and rice.
6. Diet tips from athletes after winning.
A gold medal or ribbon comes with a price.
- Athletes admit it’s easy to forget the strict diets after you get the medal around your neck. The balanced meals are hard to follow, and sweet treats are hard to ignore. They admit to indulging, but they recommend keeping it to a few meals.
Your diet has a direct impact on your activities and energy levels. Athletes have discovered the secrets to staying active and pushing their bodies to the limit while on strict diets.
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I really wanted to talk about this topic today because your natural health and wellness is important. You can adopt healthy lifestyle practices that improve your health, your environment, and enrich your life, which can in turn improve the lives of those close to you. You have the power to break the cycle of poor health, including chronic disease, so that you can leave a legacy of health to your loved ones.
I use functional medicine and lifestyle medicine as the first line of treatment, before medications, to treat lifestyle-related chronic diseases. Lifestyle-related chronic diseases include diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and some cancers, just to name a few. Lifestyle practices, such as eating a whole-food plant-based diet and regular physical activity, can help you lose weight, reverse some chronic diseases (if you suffer from them), and can even help you with detoxification. In certain cases, these approaches may even outperform pharmaceutical therapy.
But I always tell my patients that conventional medications may be appropriate at this time to prevent catastrophic illness, but over time, you can work to make the necessary lifestyle changes to possibly reduce and/or eliminate medications. Please remember to always consult your physician for your particular needs and circumstances prior to making any decisions whatsoever.
Is Dietary Supplementation Right For You?
For some people, vitamin and mineral supplements offer important health benefits. Supplements are designed to fight deficiencies found in our diet and complement the food we eat regularly. Supplements are basically “helping hands” to our daily food.
If you suspect that you aren’t getting the nutrients you need, consider shifting your focus from supplements to eating better.
But it is very important to note that we are not eating the same foods we ate years ago because the soils have been depleted of critical nutrients through current industrial farming practices. And because the soil is not as good as it used to be, the food supply (grown from the depleted soil) is not as good as it used to be. For example, you are not getting the same levels of magnesium as you would have gotten 30 or even 50 years ago.
Second, much of the food has been genetically altered, which can impact the inherent and unique nutritional composition that each food possess. For example, ancient einkorn wheat has less gluten, more protein, more Vitamin A, and more beta carotene, than modern genetically modified wheat.
Third, the toxic load in the environment today is much higher than 100 years ago. We can see this with global warming, toxic landfills, polluted oceans and waterways, etc. Toxicity levels interfere with nutrient assimilation and absorption not just into the foods, but into our bodies as well.
So… if you are unable to eat better, the supplements in my MaxHealth Essentials Bundle may provide the extra boost you need.
These are my favorite Wellness and Immune-Boosting Supplements to use! This MaxHealth Essentials Bundle will ensure you have the intake of the important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to decrease inflammation and boost your innate wellness day and night. Taken together, it’s a solid plan for increasing your body’s natural resiliency.
For best results make sure you use the supplements with dietary changes including a whole food plant-based diet, regular exercise (at least 2-3x per week), regular sleep (8 hours per night), and intermittent fasting (at least 1-3x per week).
Weight Monitoring
Since weight management is very important in combatting chronic diseases, I recommend that you be mindful of your weight and its fluctuations, and that you monitor your weight AT LEAST on a weekly basis. I recommend a scale that includes a body composition monitor (*this scale cannot be used with a pacemaker or other implanted devices).
Physical Activity
Physical activity (or exercise) can improve your health and reduce the risk of developing several chronic diseases like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, just to name a few. Physical activity can improve your mood, boost your immune system, help you maintain a healthy weight, and is a great way to detox your body!
I often recommend yoga and resistance training for physical activity, but as you are aware, there are plenty of forms of “movement” that you can do! But for the basics, especially if you’re just getting started, yoga and resistance training are where I would start.
Yoga
Yoga can be a great way to improve your strength and flexibility, manage your stress, improve your heart health, and lose weight! I recommend using a grounded yoga mat to connect yourself with the earth and reduce inflammation.
Resistance Training
Resistance training is the mainstay for overall health. It not only has beneficial effects on reducing body fat, it also increases muscle size and strength. Check out some basic dumbbells/free weights that I recommend to everyone.
Another alternative for dumbbells/free weights are resistance bands. They are great for physical therapy, yoga, strength training, and excellent for traveling.
Remember, living a healthy lifestyle including eating a whole foods plant-based diet, regular physical activity, and reducing stress are the best ways to maintain a healthy weight. Let me know what you think in the comment section below.
Dr. Nicolle Martin
Dr. Nicolle is double board-certified in Family Medicine and Preventive Medicine. As one of the nation’s most acclaimed primary care and public health physicians, she is a nationally recognized author, speaker, researcher, consultant and media personality. She is the Founder and Chief Medical Advisor of DrNicolleMD.com, where she discusses actionable ideas and real-world strategies to help people take control of their health using integrative therapies and lifestyle change.
Dr. Nicolle also shares her knowledge via her popular social media accounts “Maximize Health” to help people pursue a healthier life. Her motto is simple: Minimize Medications, Maximize Health. With her credentials and warm “bedside manner,” it’s no wonder that the doctor is renowned as “America’s Favorite Family Physician.”
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Last updated on August 18th, 2023 at 09:49 am
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