Fitrstly, i`d like to tell you that at this moment i don`t have any strict diet: i can eat anything, in any quantities (often sweets :)), but i eat till 6 p.m...sometimes till 7-8. My preferable food is fruits, milk products, vegetables and some zefir/Haribo candys/black chocolate/nuts.
My day begins with some short running (~7 km), then mornings gym, shower... and i prepare musli with nuts, joghurt and fruits..+ green tea/coffe with milk (depends on my mood) ;)
But the day i can enable to myself all the food i like - sometimes fish with veg.and rice, meat with cereales and veg. or some milk products like cottage cheese with jam and fruits...mmm...garšīgi*.
*garšīgi - (latvian lang.) tasty.
As you can see i do not eat any fast food or McDon. - it`s not because they aren`t healty, but because i do not like them. My weekness is sweets and candys :))) But as i run a lot, i can eat them...sometimes (like some day ago) i ate one box of grillage ... i felt myself terrible...till 10 p.m. or more... even after 2,5h workout. So my advice - not to eat sweets by boxes, eat sweets by count pieces ;)))
I learn to count the calories of meal without using some special devices or internet. It`s like i see the food and i can imagine how many kcal there are, shure i count only approximately, but it helps me to choose meals ;)
Some useful pages:
- here you will find how to count kcal and how many kcal you burn during exercises.
- very positive calories counter
- and very useful fitjournal (honestly, now i`m starting to use it, cause i would like to take a diet during 3 weeks before St.Valentines day - please see it in my next post ;))
Yesterday, i`ve talked with my friend about BMR (basal metabolic rate or basic kcal amount) and vitamin/mineral extra intake for active people. We found that it`s very helpful to know your BMR and protein amount for intake to gain or loose your weight - especially muscles ;)
For me BMR is ~1400 kcal, plus sports exercises = 2000 kcal. Hmm...great it`s about 400gr of milk chocolate with hazelnuts or 2.2 L of ice-cream :)) but about protein for me is 90 gr - might be 500 gr of cottage cheese or 300 gr of chicken meat - then also i need some fatty acids (vegetable oil or other unsaturated fatty acids).
Also i find some positive comments about peanut butter. Need to try it ;) Sure, in next post.
About vitamins...doh...lots of information, but still nobody can directly tell amount of each vit. or minerals you need, except sport doctor (sport.physiologist). You need to pass same tests (active or passive) and after analyses (blood, physically activity, digestion etc.) you will know what will improve/energize your body without any energy drinks/other food supply.
Basically you need:
| Vitamin | What the vitamin does | Significant food sources |
|---|---|---|
| B1 (thiamin) | Supports energy metabolism and nerve function | spinach, green peas, tomato juice, watermelon, sunflower seeds, lean ham, lean pork chops, soy milk |
| B2 (riboflavin) | Supports energy metabolism, normal vision and skin health | spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, eggs, milk, liver, oysters, clams |
| B3 (niacin) | Supports energy metabolism, skin health, nervous system and digestive system | spinach, potatoes, tomato juice, lean ground beef, chicken breast, tuna (canned in water), liver, shrimp |
| Biotin | Energy metabolism, fat synthesis, amino acid metabolism, glycogen synthesis | widespread in foods |
| Pantothenic Acid | Supports energy metabolism | widespread in foods |
| B6 (pyridoxine) | Amino acid and fatty acid metabolism, red blood cell production | bananas, watermelon, tomato juice, broccoli, spinach, acorn squash, potatoes, white rice, chicken breast |
| Folate | Supports DNA synthesis and new cell formation | tomato juice, green beans, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, okra, black-eyed peas, lentils, navy, pinto and garbanzo beans |
| B12 | Used in new cell synthesis, helps break down fatty acids and amino acids, supports nerve cell maintenance | meats, poultry, fish, shellfish, milk, eggs |
| C (ascorbic acid) | Collagen synthesis, amino acid metabolism, helps iron absorption, immunity, antioxidant | spinach, broccoli, red bell peppers, snow peas, tomato juice, kiwi, mango, orange, grapefruit juice, strawberries |
| A (retinol) | Supports vision, skin, bone and tooth growth, immunity and reproduction | mango, broccoli, butternut squash, carrots, tomato juice, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, beef liver |
| D | Promotes bone mineralization | self-synthesis via sunlight, fortified milk, egg yolk, liver, fatty fish |
| E | Antioxidant, regulation of oxidation reactions, supports cell membrane stabilization | polyunsaturated plant oils (soybean, corn and canola oils), wheat germ, sunflower seeds, tofu, avocado, sweet potatoes, shrimp, cod |
| K | Synthesis of blood-clotting proteins, regulates blood calcium | Brussels sprouts, leafy green vegetables, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, liver |
| Mineral | What the mineral does | Significant food sources |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium | Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, supports muscle contraction and nerve impulse transmissions | salt, soy sauce, bread, milk, meats |
| Chloride | Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, aids in digestion | salt, soy sauce, milk, eggs, meats |
| Potassium | Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, cell integrity, muscle contractions and nerve impulse transmission | potatoes, acorn squash, artichoke, spinach, broccoli, carrots, green beans, tomato juice, avocado, grapefruit juice, watermelon, banana, strawberries, cod, milk |
| Calcium | Formation of bones and teeth, supports blood clotting | milk, yogurt, cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, tofu, sardines, green beans, spinach, broccoli |
| Phosphorus | Formation of cells, bones and teeth, maintains acid-base balance | all animal foods (meats, fish, poultry, eggs, milk) |
| Magnesium | Supports bone mineralization, protein building, muscular contraction, nerve impulse transmission, immunity | spinach, broccoli, artichokes, green beans, tomato juice, navy beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas, sunflower seeds, tofu, cashews, halibut |
| Iron | Part of the protein hemoglobin (carries oxygen throughout body’s cells) | artichoke, parsley, spinach, broccoli, green beans, tomato juice, tofu, clams, shrimp, beef liver |
| Zinc | A part of many enzymes, involved in production of genetic material and proteins, transports vitamin A, taste perception, wound healing, sperm production and the normal development of the fetus | spinach, broccoli, green peas, green beans, tomato juice,lentils, oysters, shrimp, crab, turkey (dark meat), lean ham, lean ground beef, lean sirloin steak, plain yogurt, Swiss cheese, tofu, ricotta cheese |
| Selenium | Antioxidant. Works with vitamin E to protect body from oxidation | seafood, meats and grains |
| Iodine | Component of thyroid hormones that help regulate growth, development and metabolic rate | salt, seafood, bread, milk, cheese |
| Copper | Necessary for the absorption and utilization of iron, supports formation of hemoglobin and several enzymes | meats, water |
| Manganese | Facilitates many cell processes | widespread in foods |
| Fluoride | Involved in the formation of bones and teeth, helps to make teeth resistant to decay | fluoridated drinking water, tea, seafood |
| Chromium | Associated with insulin and is required for the release of energy from glucose | vegetable oils, liver, brewer’s yeast, whole grains, cheese, nuts |
| Molybdenum | Facilitates many cell processes | legumes, organ meats |
to be continued...
