Here are some top tips on how to improve your wellbeing.
Lowering your calories to lose weight can often lead to tiredness and fatigue.
Food provides energy to fuel the body throughout the day. If you want to lower your calorie intake but not have these side effects, you need to read on.
Our first top tip. A burger worth 300 kcals isn’t going to provide you with the same nutrients and energy as a salad worth 350 kcals. Just because the burger has fewer calories doesn’t mean it is better for you. Eating the burger will increase your salt and cholesterol levels, whereas the salad with chicken, avocado and cashew nuts would provide you with protein (energy), unsaturated fat (good fats) and nutritious food to improve your mood.
Second top tip. Read the labels on your food. If saturated fat is in the product that you’re buying, put the product back. Saturated fats increase the risk of heart disease. This also goes for trans-fat which is mainly found in fast/fried food.
Our third top tip to eat healthier is to increase your protein intake, especially as you increase your exercise. Protein is a high source of energy, reducing fatigue during a calorie deficiency diet. It will also speed up your metabolism, increasing blood flow and improving the digestive system. As well as repair muscle growth, allowing for more exercise with less muscle pain.
The next top tip is to keep some healthy snacks by your side. It is natural to get hungry between meals, if you have a healthy snack near you, you are less like to ‘grab and go’ with something not so healthy such as a chocolate bar from the vending machine. We’ve all done it! Put some dried fruit, fresh fruit or a bag of nuts in your bag every day. These healthier snacks options will stop the ‘grab and go’.
Lastly, water! Drink lots of it, keep yourself hydrated, don’t mistake dehydration for hunger! It improves your mood, allowing you to make better food choices.
A burger may taste nice for the five minutes you’re eating it, but it won’t fill you up till your next meal nor will it keep you awake and active. Think about what is in the food and what you need to fuel your body to perform better internally so your external performance doesn’t fail.