THINGS YOU REALLY
NEED TO KNOW.

GENERAL FITNESS

Healthy Diet Guide:
Daily diet to consist of approximately 1500-2000 calories for women and 2000-2500 calories for men per day. Each meal should provide approx 250-300 calories for women and 400-500 calories for men.

• • 50% Carbohydrates
• • 30% Protein
• • 20% Fat
• • It is important to eat small and often and ensure each meal contains quality protein, complex carbohydrates, fibrous vegetables and healthy fats.
• • Space your meals every 3hours and have total 5-6 meals a day.
• • Eating small and often helps maintain an efficient metabolism and enables your body to utilize food much easier at meal times.
• • Ensure your diet has an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals which support overall health and well being.
• • Drink plenty of water on daily basis. Water is essential for muscle function, energy production, waste removal, performance and optimum health.

WHAT ARE CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates are the body's preferred source of energy. Carbohydrates are mostly found in plant-based foods pulses, grains, fruits and vegetables. The body converts carbohydrates into glucose ,which provides sufficient energy for your body's metabolic activity ,everyday tasks and physical activity. If the body produces to much glucose , it will store in the liver and muscles cells as glycogen, to be used for when body needs an extra burst of energy. Excess glycogen that cannot be stored in liver and muscles cells is turned into fat. There are 2 types of Carbohydrates simple(fast release) and Complex(slow release).

WHAT IS PROTEIN

Protein ,known as the building blocks of the body is essential for the maintenance, repair and growth of everything from skin, hair, nails, basically everything about the human body is comprised of protein and of course muscle. Good source of protein come from chicken, turkey, fish, pork, lean red meat, eggs.

All proteins are formed from amino acids which are then utilized by the body. There are 20 amino acids and 8 of these are reffered to as essential amino acids as they cannot be synthesized within the body so must be acquired in the diet to be available to the body. If a protein contains all 8 essential amino acids it's referred to as a complete protein. The remaining 12 amino acids are referred to as non essential amino acids as they can be manufactured by the body from the essential amino acids.

WHAT ARE FATS

Fats are very important for good health ,they insulate your body, cushion vital organs and are used for fuel. Most foods that contain of a balance of – GOOD FAT

• • MUFA'S - Monounsaturated Fatty Acids typically remain liquid at extremely low temperatures. These fats are also found in vegetable oils such as olive oil, peanut oil and canola oil. They help lower total blood cholesterol by lowering LDL(bad )cholesterol without lowering HDL(good) cholesterol.
• • PUFA'S - Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids are usually liquid at room temperature. They are found in vegetable oils such as corn oil , sunflower oil, soybean oil ,and safflower oil. Polyunsaturated fats are also present in fish and fish oils.
• • EFA'S - Essential Fatty Acids –Derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids and come in 3 forms, Omega 3's, 6's and 9's.They are healthy fats and are called essential because our body cannot manufacture them we have to eat them. They have many benefits, building cells, transportation of oxygen, hormone production, these functions are even more important if you are an athlete. They are also high in vitamin E, which is good antioxidant.

Bad fats are Saturated fats and Trans fats.