Last week we discussed the importance of knowing the size of your “gas tank” and how critical consuming the proper amount of calories is for optimal health and performance. This week however, we are going to focus on the quality of food we consume and how micronutrients are important.
Although everyone has different energy (calorie) requirements, everyone should seek to get their calories via quality food. When I say quality, what does that mean? It means food that is nutrient-dense. It means food that offers more than just calories. Foods that are high in micronutrients such as vitamins A, B, C, D, iron, calcium, etc. Why are micronutrients important? Because micronutrients are vital to proper cellular functions in your body and help in your growth and recovery overall. For example, everyone knows that calcium helps with bone growth, but so does Magnesium and Vitamin D. Vitamin B is important for energy and everyone knows that Vitamin C is great for your immune system. Many people already know the importance of some of these micronutrients but why are many people deficient in them? Because many people choose foods (especially in the “American” diet) that are high in calories but low in micronutrients. I also believe that many quality foods are ignored because of convenience. What do I mean by that? We live in a society in which everyone is in a rush. People never MAKE the time to prepare their meals, and so they resort to fast food joints. These establishments offer quick food at a cheap price but the cost is your digestive system, your metabolism, and weight gain. But even worse, the processed foods with basically no nutritional value leave you deficient in some of the critical micronutrients your body needs to function properly.
So what should we do in order to get the proper micronutrients in our diet? In short, replace unhealthy food with healthier options. For example, for lunch tomorrow you can either go through the fast food drive-thru and get a burger and fries for about 1,000 calories, or you can plan ahead and pack a lunch consisting of 6 oz of chicken, a cup of rice and an avocado and top it off with 1/2 cup of blueberries for “dessert.” Not only will the latter be healthier for you since it is packed with great micronutrients, but it will make you feel fuller too!
I know making this switch is sometimes difficult to do with our fast-paced society and so many “conveniences” that are available to us. However, if you are serious about your health or performance, consider what options you have available to you before resorting to fast food. In my very biased opinion, you should NEVER have to resort to it. Plan ahead! Pack your meals! Not only will you be happier that you made a healthier choice, you will save money in the long run as well!
I pray this helps someone reading this today. I hope you have a great week! Stay tuned for my next blog and thanks again for reading!
Richard Fitzgerald 