I BELIEVE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE BASIC FOOD GROUPS.I HAVE COME ACROSS SO MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY NOT KNOWING WHAT THEY ARE AND THAT CAN AND WILL HINDER ONE FROM ACHIEVING ONE'S OBJECTIVE.
I WILL TRY AND EXPLAIN THE BEST I CAN ABOUT THE BASICS OF THESE FOOD GROUPS!
PROTEIN :
- ESSENTIAL FOR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF MUSCLE TISSUES AND VITAL ORGANS IN THE BODY.
- CAN BE FOUND IN RED MEAT (BEEF),WHITE MEAT (CHICKEN,FISH,TURKEY) , EGGS , DAIRY PRODUCTS , TOFU.
- YIELDS 4 CALORIES PER GRAM.
- REQUIREMENTS ARE APPROXIMATELY 1 - 2 GRAMS PER POUND BODYWEIGHT.
CARBOHYDRATES:
- MAIN ENERGY SOURCE FOR THE BODY.
- CAN BE FOUND IN ABUNDANCE IN RICE , POTATOES , LEGUMES , BREAD , FLOUR , NOODLES ETC.
- YIELDS 4 CALORIES PER GRAM
- REQUIREMENTS VARIES DEPENDING ON OBJECTIVE.
FATS:
- ENERGY SOURCE TOO ALTHOUGH NOT A PREFERRED CHOICE.
- HELPS THE BODY PRODUCE HORMONES AND ACTS AS ANTI INFLAMMATORY TOO TO NAME A FEW.
- CONTAINS ESSENTIAL AND NON-ESSENTIAL FATS.
- ESSENTIAL FATS ARE POLYUNSATURATED FATS (VEGETABLE AND FISH SOURCE) WHILE NON-ESSENTIAL FATS ARE SATURATED FATS (ANIMAL SOURCE).
- YIELDS 9 CALORIES PER GRAM
- REQUIREMENTS DEPENDS ON OBJECTIVE.
FIBRE:
- ESSENTIAL FOR BOWEL MOVEMENT AND AIDS IN DIGESTION.
- CAN BE FOUND IN VEGETABLES , CEREALS ETC.
- CONTAINS MANY VITAMINS AND MINERALS AND PHYTOCHEMICALS TO HELP THE BODY IN MANY WAYS.
OFTEN , YOU WILL HEAR PEOPLE SAYING THAT THEY EAT SO MUCH YET CAN'T GAIN WEIGHT OR EAT SO LITTLE YET THEY GAIN WEIGHT OR EVEN THAT THEY EAT A LOT BUT HAVE NO ENERGY ETC.THESE ARE ALL DIRECT RESULTS OF POOR EATING HABITS.
IN ORDER TO GAIN OR LOSE OR SIMPLY TO KEEP THE ENERGY LEVEL UP, ONE NEEDS TO EAT ON A REGULAR BASIS , KEEPING YOUR MEALS SMALL YET COMPLETE AND BALANCED, USUALLY 4-6 SMALL MEALS THROUGHOUT THE DAY .THIS WILL ALLOW THE BODY TO ABSORB THE FOOD YOU EAT EFFICIENTLY THUS KEEPING YOUR METABOLISM UP.
SUPPLEMENTS:
- CAN BE ADDED TO YOUR DAILY DIET REGIME ONLY IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE NOT GETTING SUFFICIENT AMOUNTS OF PROTEIN,CARBS,FAT OR OTHER VITAMINS AND MINERALS ETC FROM YOUR DAILY FOOD.
- CAN BE USED FOR CONVENIENCE TO ADD TO BUT NEVER TO REPLACE A PROPER MEAL.
- CAN BE USED DEPENDING ON ONE'S OBJECTIVE TOO.
SUPPLEMENTS ARE USUALLY USED TO AID A PERSON WHO IS DEFICIENT IN SOMETHING OR TO HELP DECREASE OR INCREASE CALORIC INTAKE AND SHOULD NOT BE USED TO REPLACE WHOLESOME MEALS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
START OFF WITH BIG MEALS AT THE BEGINING OF THE DAY AND SLOWLY REDUCE YOUR PORTIONS TOWARDS NIGHTFALL.THIS IS SIMPLY BECAUSE WE ARE USUALLY MORE ACTIVE IN THE DAY TIME AND WOULD REQUIRE MORE ENERGY THAN NIGHTFALL.
ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND THE FUNDEMENTALS OF PROPER EATING HABITS AND ITS PROPERTIES , YOU WILL BE ABLE TO HIT YOUR TARGET EASIER.
Components of Energy Expenditure
The three major contributors to energy expenditure are:
- Resting energy expenditure
- Physical activity
- Energy for digesting foods
Resting Energy Expenditure (REE)
Is the amount of energy required to maintain life- breathing, beating of the heart, maintenance of body temperature, other life process.
Measurements are usually made in the morning after waking with the body at complete rest. REE can be estimated by a formula and used to predict your daily energy/ caloric requirements. The information needed is your body weight in pounds.
Determining Resting Energy Expenditure of Men from Body Weight (in pounds)
| Age (years) | Equation to Derive REE (kcal/day) |
| 18-30 | 6.95 X weight + 679 |
| 30-60 | 5.27 X weight +879 |
Total Energy Expenditure
Table 1-2. Estimating Total Daily Energy Needs of Men at Various Levels of Activity
| Level of General Activity | Activity Factor (X REE) |
| Very Light- Seated and standing activities, driving, playing cards | 1.3 |
| Light- walking, carpentry, sailing, playing ping-pong, or pool, golf | 1.6 |
| Moderate – carrying a load, jogging, light swimming, biking, calisthenics, scuba diving | 1.7 |
| Heavy – walking with a load uphill, rowing, digging, climbing, soccer, basketball, running, obstacle course | 2.1 |
| Exceptional – running/swimming races, cycling uphill, carrying very heave loads, hard rowing | 2.4 |
Example: You are 21, weigh 175 lbs and activity is moderate
REE = 6.96 X Weight + 679 = 6.95 X 175 + 679 = 1895 kcal/day
Total Energy Needs = 1895 X 1.7 = 3222 kcal/day
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