Nutrition for adult men
In adulthood, nutrition is required to perform various functions of the body such as to provide the body with energy for day-to-day activities, promote replacement and regeneration of worn-out tissues, maintain basic metabolism and so on. Adequate amount and adequate type of nutrition promotes a healthy weight, prevents diseases and contributes to the overall well-being of the individual.
Our contemporary lifestyle hardly gives us the time and energy to adhere to a healthy eating and exercise regime. In this fast paced world, work, competition, family responsibilities and pressure often take precedence and leave us space and time only for erratic eating behaviors and an inactive lifestyle. So, what’s the solution to the problem of the consort of imbalanced nutrition and lack of physical activity?
Increase healthy eating options
The answer is simple: gather information on all possible healthy eating options available (and viable for you) and create your own daily diet plan. If you are overweight, decrease the portions or serving sizes of the food items and increase your daily activity level.
Increase your activity level
Perform simple exercises whenever you have the time. For example, whenever there’s a need to fetch something like water, make it a habit to get it yourself. You can walk while talking on your mobile or listening to music. Take the stairs instead of the lift. In short, workout whenever feasible.
Understand your nutritional requirements
In order for you to understand your body’s nutritional needs, you can rely on the food pyramid guide we have provided in this article. Information in this article will also make you understand the concept of the different food groups and the amount in which they have to be taken.
Nutritional needs of adult men
For healthy adult men (without any medical condition and aged between 20 and 39 years), energy requirements are based on height, weight and activity levels.
Imagine that your daily energy requirements are 2200 calories, but you take in around 2500 calories, that’s about 300 calories extra per day; you will store this in the form of fat in your body. On the other hand, if you take in 2000 calories per day, that’s 200 calories less than that required by your body, the extra energy requirements are met by burning glycogen and later fat stored inside your body. The idea here is to balance the calorie intake with the amount of calories burnt in order to maintain a healthy weight. However, to shed weight, you will have to take in fewer calories than needed by your body consistently. Similarly, to gain weight, you will have to consistently take in more calories than you burn.
Calculating your daily calorie requirements
Energy requirements are the sum of the energy needed to carry out basic metabolic functions and energy requirements for daily physical activity. Both of these depend upon the weight of the person.
For example, let us calculate the energy requirements of a man weighing 60 kg. For each kg of weight, 1.3 calories per hour on an average are required to meet the basic metabolic rate (BMR). Therefore, the daily calorie requirements to meet the basic metabolic needs will be
Calorie requirements for meeting BMR=1.3 (calories) × 24 (hours) × 60 (kg) =1872 calories/day.
Now, let us calculate the energy requirements for performing daily physical activities. This depends upon the duration and intensity of activities carried out daily. For example, for performing medium-intensity exercise, a person normally burns 8.5 calories per hour per kg body weight. So, if you perform such exercises an hour a day, you burn
Calorie requirements for physical activity= 8.5 (calories) × 1 (hour) × 60 (kg) = 510 calories.
Therefore,
Your daily energy requirements = Calorie requirements for meeting BMR + Calorie requirements for physical activity = 1872 + 510 = 2382 calories.
Guidelines for healthy eating
Busy executives can have a tough time keeping their meal routines in sync with their daily requirements of nutrients. They frequently find themselves bingeing on fast food, unhealthy high fat snacks and aerated beverages. One of the chief reasons for this is not planning your daily diet or eating out of stress. The first step to follow is to make sure you don’t skip your meals and take them on time. If you find yourself hungry in between, grab a quick bite of whole fruit and drink a milk beverage without added sugar. Remember to start your day with a good wholesome breakfast. Skipping breakfast makes the metabolism sluggish; this causes you to end up eating more during the rest of the day.
The second step is to eat smart. Opt for high-fiber foods such as whole grains and unprocessed cereals such as sprouts and rotis made of whole-wheat flour instead of pasta made of refined flour. This provides bulk to your diet, without the calories and also promotes the health of your digestive system. Refrain eating meals outside or opting for take-away foods, as most of these options tend to be calorie-dense, packed with loads of fats and they don’t seem to light on your wallet too! Whenever you eat out, opt for the healthier varieties: grilled or steamed foods, salads minus their dressings, plain whole wheat rotis instead of butter naan, parathas and kulchas; stir-fried vegetable-based recipes instead of heavy gravies cooked in dry fruits; fruit chaat instead of ice-creams.
The third step is to restrict your sugar intake. Avoid aerated beverages that are high on sugar. Make it a habit to go for smarter options such as buttermilk or coconut water to quench your thirst. Use honey instead of sugar in your desserts, if possible.
The fourth is to reduce your calorie-intake from low-nutrient foods. Consume less coffee, tea, potato chips and fried stuff.
The fifth step is to drink plenty of water, around 10 to 12 glasses during the day, even while at work.
Posted by Admin
on 02:57. Filed under
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