How to Increase Physical Energy and Vitality

Eat and Exercise the Way to Health and Happiness

Oct 12, 2009
Sharon Kasanda

Eat more Fruits and Vegetables to Gain Energy - Beglib

Here's how to improve mental and physical well being in order to help keep the body energised on a daily basis in order to have a better quality of life.

The human body is a well oiled machine, but as with any other machine, it will break down if it is not provided with the correct care in order to allow it to reach optimum performance. With the amount of personal, career and family issues that many people have to deal with on a daily basis, it is of utmost importance that the body is well primed to deal with the challenges that it faces every day.

A Taste of Soul Food

As with any machine, the first step to making it run correctly will be providing it with the right fuel, which in today’s society is dependent on time schedules. This results in either too little time or resources to prepare a healthy energising meal, or a trip to a fast food restaurant, which, having an adverse affect on the human body, often results in mood swings as energy levels change during the day, irritability, stress and weight gain.

Not only are these negative emotions curbed by eating the right food, but the body's response to eating nutritious food is to increase its metabolism, making it easier to burn excess fat away from the body which can result in weight loss. More importantly, a healthy diet can decrease the risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

A Balanced Diet and the Five Food Groups

In order to maintain the right levels of energy and to increase vitality on a daily basis, the body needs a balanced diet of the following five food groups:

Foods rich in starch: Starchy foods contain carbohydrates, which are an important source of energy and can provide a steady stream of fuel for the human body. Some examples of starchy foods are; wholegrain cereals, potatoes, whole-wheat pasta, and beans. Carbohydrates should be one third of your meal daily as they contain fibre which enables speedy digestion

Fruits and Vegetables: In order to increase the body's immunity and reduce the risk of disease, fruits and vegetables are the most important source of minerals, fibre and vitamins to increase energy levels. It is advised to eat five portions of this food group a day.

Meat, fish and beans: It is important to maintain the levels of protein in the body in order to aid in the growth and repair of cells. Include lean meat, fish, eggs, beans and seeds in the diet in moderation in order to provide the body with a constant supply of energy

Dairy products: Although most dairy products are a source of protein, eating too much fat is death to the body’s immune system. Eat low fat dairy products in order to reduce the body’s fat intake.

Fats and sugars: It is important to differentiate between unsaturated and saturated fats. Fats and sugars are the biggest group that cause imbalances in our diet. Foods such as cake, biscuits and crisps are some examples of foods containing saturated fat, which will raise cholesterol levels. Unsaturated fats will decrease cholesterol and provide the body with vital amino acids; some examples of these types of facts are olive oils, nuts and oily fish.

Avoid foods that contain added refined sugar, as these foods contain no nutritional value and will give you a false energy boost. Try to include more foods that have natural sugar in them such as fruits.

Nutrition, Exercise and Increased Vitality

Despite our busy lifestyles, the effects of making an added effort in changing bad eating habits will always outweigh the effort. Some advantages include an increase in daily energy levels and mood, the prevention of illness, and maintaining body weight. Here are some added activities that can be done to maintain your well-being:

When stuck on what to eat, try by all means to avoid fast foods.
Cut down on fizzy drinks and alcohol. The refined sugar in them will increase your sugar levels without adding any nutrition to your body.
Get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day.
Drink a lot of water, at least eight glasses a day, to enable the effective flushing of toxins out of the body system.
Eat five to six small meals a day to maintain a healthy level of sugar and energy in your body in order to prevent bingeing on meals.

Eating right and getting exercise will take some effort but as human beings are only endowed with one body, it is well worth the extra effort. So above all, have fun eating and exercising the way to a healthier and more energised mindset!

Sources:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/healthy_living

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ01676

http://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/101/nutrition-basics/food-pyramid.aspx