Z. Johnson
It’s that time of the year in which we are approaching more social gatherings, festivities and events: the holidays. At this point, many people face many challenges. Most may become concerned about what to eat to stay fit while participating in the holidays without gaining weight. Others may even get more obsessed about dieting and exercising, fasting, going into restrictions in order to binge during the season and not feel the guilt.
The truth is, if we have a balanced eating regimen and active lifestyle, we should not be worried at all. It’s just a matter of knowing which are the best eating practices, as well as having a healthy relationship with food. Beyond the holiday season, we are also preparing to set our new year’s health resolutions. Therefore, it is important that you keep working on your health goals even though you will be indulging in celebration. Regardless of the season of the year, there is always the question, what to eat to stay fit? Let me warn you that there aren’t any specific foods that will work magic. You still have to learn to eat right, but I’ll break down this guide about healthy eating to stay fit.
What to eat to stay fit: basic guidelines
The most important part that we all must understand is that staying fit is a result of a consistent healthy eating lifestyle. By eating healthy, it doesn’t mean that you cannot enjoy from dining out or enjoying different meals. That’s not the idea. You should not restrict yourself to the point of feeling guilty, neither overdoing bingeing. It all comes down to balance and moderation.
Adding vitamin supplements to your healthy eating regimen will ensure you’re getting all the essential nutrients for your body and that your metabolism is in check. I am currently taking Whole Food Women’s Multivitamin, from the Vitamin Shoppe. This is one of my favorite natural metabolism and immune system boosters. You can get Whole Food Women’s Multivitamin at 10% discount here.
So what to eat to stay fit? Let’s go back to basics, and think about how should be our regular eating regimen every day of the week.
Eat foods from all the food groups
Eating foods from all the groups will ensure that you get all the nutrients that your body needs. It is important that you make smart choices from different foods so you can get the most nutrition. In order to keep a healthy weight and good metabolism, you need to receive all the nutrients: protein, healthy carbs, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.
What to eat to stay fit? It all depends on your health goals and lifestyle eating habits. But basically, you should not be eliminating any food group from your diet, you just need to know which types of foods to select more often. Staying hydrated is also a key to maintain a good health condition. Hydration is super important to keep the body’s functions right in general.
Focus on quality protein foods
This is crucial. In order to know what to eat to stay fit, your main goal is to maintain lean mass and to lower body fat percentage. In terms of aesthetics, you want to get toned. Protein is the building block of your muscles, your organs and other tissues. Plus, these are important part of hormones to keep your body working right and boosting your metabolism. The protein in foods will help you not only to stay lean and keep a nice built, but will also aid in burning more body fat.
Protein foods also help you to stay full for longer periods, since these foods take longer to digest. That way, this will lower any anxiety and cravings. You need to choose foods that are sources of quality protein in order to keep your results. There are many foods that you can choose from to get your protein. Animal foods such as eggs, poultry, dairy products are the highest quality sources. You can also find good protein in plant foods, like whole grains (beans, lentils, chickpeas, soy), quinoa, seeds like chia and flax seeds, spirulina and others.
Choose smart when eating carbs
Carbs are important when choosing what to eat to stay fit. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for our body. It’s important to focus on the complex carbs, since these foods will provide us with important vitamins ( B complex, A, C, K) minerals like iron, potassium, etc. Choose carb foods like fruits, leafy greens, vegetables, whole grains and cereals like oats. These foods are sources of fiber, which is important for digestion, keeping low levels of cholesterol, and controlling blood sugar levels.
Stay away from refined sugars, as these foods are stored as fat. Eat these types of foods like pastries, occasionally. Instead of adding table sugar to your drinks, you can use natural substitutes such as stevia.
Get tons of fiber
Fiber is the main component that promote a healthy digestion. Foods rich in fiber help you to stay full, improve your bowel movements and aid in lowering fat absorption. Fiber is also important to keep blood sugar levels normal. You can get fiber from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, and nuts. The richest sources of fiber are foods like beans, leafy greens like kale, spinach, carrots, oats, berries, and others. Chia seeds are one of the most trendy, nutritious, source of fiber superfoods.
You can also take advantage of superblends or superfood smoothies. These foods are packed with so much nutrition value and benefits, that you won’t want to miss including these in your healthy eating regimen. I tried Splendid Spoon superblends, and I love that they have superfoods, are fully plant-based and help boost your metabolism. You can easily have them for a quick meal replacement, post-workout smoothie, or simply as a complete snack. These smoothies are perfect for busy people, who are always on-the-go. Splendid spoon offers many flavors and bundles, plus deliver right to your door. Get 15% off here.
Don’t forget to eat probiotic foods
Probiotic foods have become essential for various health reasons. Besides helping to keep a healthy gut, the bacteria in these foods are crucial for improving our immune system. Probiotics have also been found important to promote weight loss and burning body fat. If you want to keep your body fat percentage in good levels, eat more foods like yogurt, pickles, kefir, sauerkraut and others.
Eat healthy fat food sources
Fats are needed for our body to work properly. In fact, consuming more healthy fat has gained more important to help us burn our own body fat reserves. Healthy fats are sources of essential nutrients like omega-3, which is needed for a good cardiovascular and brain function. Omega-3 also protects your body from inflammation. Healthy fats like vegetable oils, nuts, fruits like avocado and coconut such be a regular part of our diet. It has been proven that the MCT fats in coconut oil can help our body to burn more fat. Peanut butter is another delicious source of healthy fat, you can almost combine it with any type of snack or fruit and still stay fit.
Make sure you stay away from saturated fats, like heavy deep-fried foods, processed foods, heavy butters, shortening, and artificial oils.
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In short, what to eat to stay fit?
Just keep it simple. Focus on quality food choices and assess balance. Remember that moderation is key. Being mindful also is a good practice to help you stay in shape and avoid overeating on a regular basis. Practice exercise frequently to keep your body active and in “fat burn” mode. Let me know in the comments if you are struggling to stay fit. Share this content with your friends.
Stay fab, stay healthy!
Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Please note that I’ve linked to these products purely because I recommend them and they are from companies I trust. There is no additional cost to you.
