How Nutrition, Fitness & Weight Loss Work Together

Nutrition, fitness and weight loss all fit together to bring you the healthiest body, mind and soul possible. Without the proper blend of nutrition and fitness, weight loss cannot be achieved. All three of these are also important for a happy and healthy life. There are illnesses that can come along if you do not have the proper nutrition, your body can can excess issues without the right amount of fitness and if you are overweight you can suffer from even more problems than you need.

Nutrition and fitness benefit the body with all the right nutrients, vitamins and minerals that it needs, along with keeping muscles lean and the metabolism running the way it is supposed to. What some people don't know is that proper nutrition and fitness can keep you from having certain medical conditions. Poor nutrition can lead to malnutrition, hair loss and ulcers. Poor fitness can lead to broken bones, bad tears in muscles and even poor posture. Obesity can cause a higher risk for strokes, diabetes and heart attacks. Even cancer can be prevented by staying fit and eating healthy.

To prevent weight gain and any of the previously listed medical conditions, it is wise to follow the U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid. The MyPyramid is a food pyramid that tells what every person should be eating on a daily basis, and how much of it you should eat, for the best chance at proper nutrition. MyPyramid states that people should take in 6 oz. of grains, 2.5 cups vegetables, 2 cups fruit, 3 cups milk and 5.5 oz. meat and beans every day. One should also be sure to drink 8.5 glasses of water a day to prevent dehydration, while exercising at least a half-hour a day three to five days a week. When you eat right and get the right amount of exercise, you will look better, feel better and have less of a risk for things like heart disease and diabetes.

It is also important to never skip meals, as this is very unhealthy. Eat breakfast every day because it gives the body the energy it needs to get through the day. Skipping meals can lead to overeating at the next meal. You can become malnourished if you try to use starvation as weight loss, and you will be losing muscle mass as well as fat. Also, be sure to stretch before exercise to prevent pulled muscles and other pains. It is easy to make getting fit fun. Play sports like basketball, take a swim or even try jumping on a trampoline. They all get the heart rate going and work the muscles, which is key to great health!

Reference

Fit To Be Well; Alton Thygerson & Karl Larson; 2006