Hi jammers! I hope you’ve had a very active fortnight. In the last article, I shared with you my top tips on getting ready for the start of your fitness journey. If you haven’t checked out those easy tips, click here!
This week, we are talking about what you should be eating and what foods to avoid on your fitness journey (which, mind you, is a lifelong endeavour). Good nutrition is crucial if you want to succeed with any fitness goal. At Fitness To A Tee we say it is 100% mindset + 80% nutrition + 20% exercise.

Here we go…

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Tip 1.– Balance
Ensure that you are balancing out your carbohydrates, healthy fats and protein. It is not advisable to cut out any of your nutrients because your body needs them to function. Put very simply, carbs give our bodies most of the energy it needs. Healthy fats give us energy, support cell growth and protect our organs. Proteins are the main building bricks of our bodies, being used to make muscles, tendons, organs and skin.

Tip 2.–  Sadza Police
‘To sadza or not to sadza,’ is the question that many of you ask! You can definitely sadza. Fitness To A Tee is your Sadza Portion Policewoman – it’s about portion control! Because everyone is a different weight, height and has different goals – portions need to be customised to suit you. However, as a general guideline – aim for one fistful per meal if your goal is to lose body fat. Then fill the rest of the plate with veggies such as muriwo (these should be the majority of the plate), then ¼ of the plate would be meat (if you eat meat). Aim to eat your sadza earlier on during the day as opposed to late at night, so that you have time to digest it before bed. Also experiment with different types of sadza. Less refined mealie meal, for instance is better for you in general. ‘Sadza rezviyo’ is a great wholemeal option, with lots of fibre and vitamins.

Tip 3.– Water
Water is essential for your fitness journey. Your body needs water to function; for proper digestion and elimination of any waste or toxins. Start your day with warm water (you can add a slice of lemon too). This will help to awaken the body’s systems including cleansing your liver. In general it is advised that if you have any digestive issues, such as bloating etc., to avoid drinking ice cold water with meals and aim for room temperature or slightly above room temperature water. How much of it? A general guide is to aim to drink at least two litres per day.

Tip 4. – Choosing your food
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are some foods you can do museve with during your fitness journey.

  • All fruits are fine (see tip 6).
  • Vegetables are essential, in particular your green, leafy variety (see tip 6).
  • If you’re a meat eater, aim for leaner cuts of meat including skinless or chicken breast; fish; beef.
  • For vegetarians and vegans, other lean sources of protein include beans, lentils, nuts and soy.
  • Healthy fats include avocado, eggs, nuts and feta cheese (see tip 6).

Tip 5.– What to avoid
Foods to limit and/or avoid include: white breads, pastas, pastries; alcohol; processed foods including tinned meats, tinned veggies and sweets. The rule is the fresher and more organic you eat – the better!

Tip 6. – Beating the bloat
You might also find that you feel bloated on some days. Have a look at what you’re eating. You can always find the culprit by writing down what you eat each day for a week and noting down when you felt bloated. For example, some people bloat from certain foods, including strawberries, oranges, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and wheat etc.

Tip 7.– Meal prep
Here’s a video on easy meal preparation tips! It starts with getting the right ingredients, looking after them well and simplifying the process so that preparing your food doesn’t become a drag.

That’s it for this week. Please remember to check with us every day on our Facebook page to get other health and fitness tips and to tap into our community of #fitnessjourney travellers.

 


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Fitness to a Tee is Zimbo Jam’s official health and fitness partner.
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 more tips, videos and useful information here:
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