Introduction
Nutrition is basically the most fundamental part of human living. A human being’s health is basically the result of what he or she eats. What we consume in our bodies determines how our health is going to be. The greatest challenge for most human beings is identifying a good and healthy eating regime and following it without diverting.
Striking the balance of a healthy diet is also a challenge to a vast major majority of human beings. Individual preferences often dictate what we choose to eat. Food does not only meet our physiological needs but also goes a long way in fulfilling our social and emotional needs and helps satisfy our sensory pleasure. It is however important to understand the nutritional benefits of every type of food we consume and to come up with a healthy eating habit and procedure. This paper discusses some of these healthy eating habits and helps us develop a personalised nutrition and exercise plan. It also discusses a plan of action that will help us in achieving this goal. It discusses the challenges likely to be encountered and the risks of not following the plan.
Choosing a realistic nutrition plan
Having a healthy nutrition plan is about taking a balanced healthy diet that contains the right amount of calories that will maintain a desirable range in body size and weight. This is attainable by getting a balance of the entire required nutrient i.e. Proteins, carbohydrates, and fat. It is also essential to drink a lot of water and take sufficient vitamins and minerals in the right amounts. This kind of a healthy eating plan is rich in fruits, vegetables, moderate sugar, sodium, high fibre and contains low unhealthy fat (Mary & Lori, 2006).
However, in coming up with an eating plan for such a person who is also doing some exercise we need to come up with a good nutritional and eating procedure. Every athlete’s nutrition is very important and requires constant check and balance (Marie & Andrew, 2012). While working towards achieving a nice exercising plan, good health should never be forgotten. There are some training goals that every person involved in exercise must have in mind. This include
- Working on in improving fitness
- Improving performance
- Maintaining good health
A 3 day eating and exercising plan
A daily consumption of balanced nutritional foods on a 3 day plan can help optimize on the goals of good health and fitness. An appropriate amount of calories is present in this regime. Each day’s servings comprise of the moderate amounts of grains, milk, fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, unsaturated fats and carbohydrates.
Day 1
In the morning, take a cup of cooked oatmeal, low fat milk, and 1 cup of berries. For lunch, take 3 oz. Of baked salmon containing lemon pepper together with 1 cup of brown rice with 1 cup of asparagus and some low fat yogurt. For supper, have a big spinach salad, some lean chicken portions of breast 3 oz, some orange slices, some pieces of cucumber and sunflower seeds and some crispy whole-grain
Day 2
Take a toasted whole-wheat muffin topped with 1 tablespoonful of peanut and a banana. Have a glass of skimmed milk, 8 oz. During lunch, you can get a sandwich of two slices of whole-wheat bread with lettuce, and a tomato, some low sodium ham. Take some baby carrots and some fruit pieces e.g. apple. For supper, have some vegetable stir fry with 4 oz. Some sliced mushrooms, peas, carrot pieces and some sliced red onion sautéed and half a cup brown rice.
Day 3
For breakfast have 2 cups of low-fat cottage cheese mixed with 1 cup diced pineapple and 3 slices of whole-wheat toast. During lunch, Take a cup of whole wheat pasta, grilled chicken, red pepper strips and sliced red onion. olive oil. Have a cup of grapes for dessert. For supper, have some lean streaks with a moderately sirloin steak with a medium baked sweet potato and 1 cup steamed zucchini, and two sheets of graham crackers for dessert.
Setbacks and difficulties likely to be encountered
One of the major setbacks in implementing this regime is the reaction of the body towards the new eating habits and the improved or increased exercise. However, in our context he has been involved in rigorous activity in the construction sites. The body will be able to adapt to the exercise. The nutrition bit can be handled by introducing new food products gradually and allowing the body to adapt. There may also be the setback of getting an injury during training which may hinder exercise. However that could be dealt with by my visiting a medical doctor and getting advice on how to heal and get on with the exercise.
Risks of failing to implement
Most of what we eat determines how our bodies function and react to external attacks of diseases and the environment. Physical activity and energy used and gained from the food we eat have a direct relationship. The more we eat the more the energy we accumulate and thus if this energy is not used, it is stored as fat in the body. This results in one becoming overweight and one becomes more prone to diseases and health complications. There is also the risk of coronary heart disease, low life expectancy.
Outcomes to be measured to determine if your plan is successful
One of the ways to identify this is by measuring the amount of calories gained in the body as compared to those that are used by the body. The other is by measuring the physical fitness. Physical fitness will be measured by the amount of exercise on is able to undertake without straining the body too much. Another way is by being able to prevent recurring illnesses that are as a result of poor nutrition and bad eating habits.
Someone who takes a balance diet is able to prevent diseases and combat them as soon they attack. The body is able to fight these illnesses faster than it did before due to the presence of body chemicals from the food that help fight and combat harmful bacteria that may attack the body. Loss of excess body weight would also mean that one has been successfully eating healthy foods and exercising properly. This is one of the most crucial aspects of a good plan in both nutrition and exercise.
Adjusting the plan to fit changing nutritional needs
It is important to identify what to do about the plan in the event of changing nutritional needs such as age, pregnancy and change in physical abilities. However, the best way to deal with these outcomes is by regulating both exercise and nutrition needs in order to suit the changing demands.
References
Mary, B. G., & Lori, A. S. (2006). Nutrition: Everyday choices. United States of America: John Wiley&Sons Publishers.
Marie, D., & Andrew, J. D. (2012). Nutrition for sport and exercise. Belmont, USA: Yolanda Cossio.