You were a beginner once even in things you are good at today. It is not you who will have to decide whether to begin or not, rather it is the journey that will let you know whether you could excel. If you want to excel in maintaining great health, you should know that food intake plays a major role. Even experts say that weight loss or other fitness programs are generally composed of 100 per cent dedication to diet and 100 per cent on workouts. Even a 99 per cent commitment to your diet will tremendously undermine the results you can achieve.Also Read – Anupam Kher’s Incredible Physical Transformation at 67 Makes All Young Bodybuilders Look Pani Kam Chai – See Pics
Here are some food items which you should avoid or at least limit in your fitness journey. Get access to the secret diet tips recommended by a Functional Medicine Coach, Vijay Thakkar, who is also the founder of 48 fitness, which is a world-class fitness club and gym located in the heart of Mumbai city. Also Read – Research Reveals How Greater Body Fat is a Risk Factor For Reduced Thinking Memory Ability
By the word confectioneries, it doesn’t mean only cakes and pastries. It also includes Indian desi sweets, sweetened packed items, and even mouth-watering chocolates. All these confectioneries are loaded with highly processed sugar that your body can break down very easily. When these simple sugar compounds are broken down, your blood sugar levels/glucose levels increase, for which your body starts secreting insulin to bring down the sudden glucose spike. As there is a sudden increase and drop in blood sugar levels, it can lead to fatigue, headache, and even more cravings because they are empty calories. Also, regular consumption of more processed sugary foods like chocolates, cakes, pastries can make you insulin resistant, and lead to diabetes. Thus, Vijay Thakkar says that it is better to avoid confectioneries when you are on your fitness journey and suggests replacing your sugar cravings with whole fruits such as pineapple, papaya, apple, etc. that can provide the required amount of glucose and keep you satisfied for a long time. Also Read – Weight Loss Tips: Can Sabudana Help in Reducing Weight? Here’s What we Know
This is another liquid food item that is extremely loaded with refined sugar, artificial colour, and various other harmful chemicals. This again has the same effect of glucose spike in your blood making you feel more hungry every time you consume it. Apart from simply spiking the glucose levels, they are also filled with dissolved carbon dioxide, which is harmful to teeth and this carbonic acid turns into gas when it gets into contact with the body temperature in the stomach. When your digestive system is filled with too much gas, it can lead to a series of gut-related problems, digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, etc. It also causes heartburn and results in poor nutritional content in our bodies. Instead of going for carbonated soft drinks, one can go for basil water infused with honey and lemon, green tea, or simply water. Also, Vijay Thakkar states that it is a very bad idea to consume carbonated drinks before a workout as it causes abdominal pain.
The other biggest villain for weight loss and fitness is fast food. It contains a lot of calories, salt, and artificial fats that fool your brain and keep your hunger levels high. It tempts you to eat more and never makes you feel full. Also, as they are low in nutrients, they bring down the diversity of good bacteria in your gut leading to digestive problems, and other diseases such as obesity, overweight, constipation, diabetes, cardiac diseases, and even some cancers.
Thus, consume anything that is naturally available and that has less shelf-life. Completely throw away the above-mentioned food items and stay away from refined flours, cereals, and oils. Try to replace them with cold-pressed oil, ghee, whole grains, and good quality protein in your diet by consuming nuts, seeds, dairy, fish, eggs, and poultry. When you add the shelf-life, you just transfer your lifespan to those food items.
