NutriNotes by Zahra

Guide to Nutrition for Muscle Gain Building muscle involves a combination of resistance training and proper nutrition. 1. Caloric Surplus Energy Needs: To build muscle, you need to consume more calories than you burn. Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and aim for a surplus of 250-500 calories per day. Quality over Quantity: Focus on nutrient-dense foods rather than just increasing calorie intake with junk food. 2. Macronutrient Balance Protein: Essential for muscle repair and growth. Aim for 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Include sources like lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes, and plant-based proteins. Carbohydrates: Provide the energy needed for intense workouts. Include complex carbs like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Aim for 4-7 grams per kilogram of body weight. Fats: Support hormone production and overall health. Include healthy fats from avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fatty fish. Aim for 20-35% of your tota...

WEIGHTLOSS TIPS:  1. Balanced Diet Macronutrients: Ensure your diet includes a balanced mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Aim for whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Micronutrients: Incorporate a variety of fruits and vegetables to get essential vitamins and minerals. 2. Portion Control Serving Sizes: Be mindful of serving sizes to avoid overeating. Using smaller plates can help control portions. Eating Slowly: Eating slowly and savoring your food can help you recognize when you're full, preventing overeating. 3. Hydration Water Intake: Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Sometimes thirst can be mistaken for hunger. Limit Sugary Drinks: Avoid sugary beverages like soda and fruit juices which can add a lot of empty calories. 4. Regular Meals Don’t Skip Breakfast: A healthy breakfast can kickstart your metabolism. - **Frequent Small Meals:** Eating small, balanced meals or snacks every 3-4 hours can keep your metabolism active and prevent overeating late...

Introduction Maintaining a healthy diet can be challenging due to various obstacles such as time constraints, budget limitations, cravings, and social pressures. However, with the right strategies, these challenges can be managed effectively. Here are some detailed tips for overcoming common dietary challenges  1. Time Constraints Meal Prepping:   Dedicate a few hours each week to prepare meals and snacks in advance. This can save time during busy days and ensure you have healthy options readily available. Quick and Healthy Recipes:   Keep a collection of quick and healthy recipes that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. Stir-fries, salads, and sheet pan dinners are great options. Batch Cooking:  Cook large batches of meals like soups, stews, and casseroles that can be portioned out and frozen for later use. Use Convenience Items:   Utilize pre-washed, pre-cut vegetables, and pre-cooked proteins to save time on meal prep. 2. Budget Limitations Plan and Budget...

Introduction Meal prepping is a fantastic way to save time, eat healthily, and reduce stress during busy weeks. By preparing meals in advance, you can ensure you have nutritious options readily available, making it easier to stick to your dietary goals and avoid the temptation of fast food or unhealthy snacks. Here are some detailed meal prep ideas for busy schedules: 1. Batch Cooking Large Batches:  Cook large quantities of versatile ingredients like grains, proteins, and vegetables. Examples include quinoa, rice, chicken breasts, and roasted vegetables. Multiple Meals: Use these ingredients to create various meals throughout the week. For instance, cooked chicken can be used in salads, wraps, stir-fries, or pasta dishes. Freezing Portions: Freeze portions of cooked food in individual containers for quick and easy reheating. 2. One-Pot Meals Soups and Stews: Prepare big pots of soup, stew, or chili. These dishes are easy to make in large quantities and can be stored in the fridg...

Eating Tips 1. Eat Slowly and Chew Thoroughly Take Your Time:  Eating slowly helps your brain register fullness. Aim to chew each bite 20-30 times.  Savor Each Bite:  Pay attention to the flavors, textures, and aromas of your food. This enhances the eating experience and helps you appreciate your meal more. Set a Timer:  Use a timer to ensure you spend at least 20 minutes on each meal. This can prevent rushing and encourage thorough chewing. 2. Eliminate Distractions Turn Off Screens:  Avoid eating in front of the TV, computer, or smartphone. Screens can distract you from recognizing your hunger and fullness cues. Create a Calm Eating Environment:  Eat in a quiet and peaceful setting to focus on your meal. This can help reduce stress and make eating more enjoyable. Focus on Your Food:  Pay attention to your food and the act of eating. This mindfulness can help prevent overeating and improve digestion. 3. Listen to Your Body Recognize Hunger and Fullnes...

Understand the Basics of Nutrition 1. A balanced meal typically includes:  Protein:  Essential for building and repairing tissues. Sources include lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, and tofu. Carbohydrates:  Provide energy. Opt for whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and whole-wheat products, as well as fruits and vegetables. Fats:   Necessary for absorbing vitamins and supporting cell function. Focus on healthy fats from avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. Vitamins and Minerals:  Crucial for various body functions. Ensure your diet includes a variety of fruits and vegetables to cover different vitamins and minerals. 2. Determine Your Nutritional Needs Calculate Your Caloric Needs: This depends on factors like age, gender, weight, height, and activity level. Tools like the Harris-Benedict equation or online calculators can help estimate your daily caloric needs. Set Your Macronutrient Ratios: A general guideline is to get 45-65% of your cal...

Importance of fiber in your diet Digestive Health: Prevents Constipation: Fiber adds bulk to the stool, making it easier to pass and helping to prevent constipation. Promotes Regularity: Consuming enough fiber ensures regular bowel movements, reducing the risk of gastrointestinal issues like diverticulitis and hemorrhoids. Weight Management: Increases Satiety: High-fiber foods are more filling, which can help you feel satisfied longer and reduce overall calorie intake. This can be beneficial for managing weight. Low Energy Density: Many fiber-rich foods are low in calories but high in volume, meaning you can eat more without consuming excess calories. Blood Sugar Control: Slows Sugar Absorption: Soluble fiber, found in foods like oats and beans, slows down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, which helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and can be particularly beneficial for people with diabetes. Heart Health: Lowers Cholesterol: Soluble fiber can help lower LDL (bad) chol...

Learn these to understand the concepts of macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients Macronutrients are nutrients that our bodies need in large amounts to function properly. They include: 1. Carbohydrates Function: Provide energy. Carbs are broken down into glucose, which is used as a primary energy source for the body’s cells. Sources: Fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and dairy products. Types: Simple Carbohydrates: Sugars like glucose and fructose. Complex Carbohydrates: Starches and fiber found in whole grains, legumes, and vegetables. 2. Proteins Function:  Build and repair tissues, make enzymes and hormones, and support immune function. Sources: Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Amino Acids:   Proteins are made up of amino acids, which are essential for various bodily functions. Some amino acids are essential (must be obtained from the diet) and others are non-essential (produced by the body). 3. Fats Function: Provide energ...

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ARE; Benefits of FRUITS : 1. Blueberries Antioxidants : Rich in anthocyanins, which protect the body from oxidative stress and may reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Brain Health: May improve memory and cognitive function due to their high antioxidant content. Heart Health: Can help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Anti-Inflammatory : Their anti-inflammatory properties can help reduce inflammation in the body. 2. Apples Fiber: High in soluble fiber, which aids in digestion and promotes gut health. Heart Health: Can help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. Weight Management: Low in calories and high in fiber, which can help with weight loss. Diabetes: May reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes due to their fiber content and low glycemic index. 3. Bananas Potassium: High in potassium, which supports heart health and maintains healthy blood pressure levels. Energy: Provides quick energy due to their natural sugars and carbo...

What are the importance of balanced diet and how important it is to stay healthy? Balanced Diet helps us to stay healthy and be active. Unhealthy Food Habits like not knowing what to eat, over –eating, eating over Junk Foods and not Drinking enough water and Drinking enough water and Drinking Sugary and carbonated Drinks Regularly. Irregular Food timings and late Night Dinners will Increase the risk of various Health Problems Like Diabetes, Hypertension, heart diseases and Obesity. In Current Scenario, There are different Fat Diets followed by many People with the proper Guidance especially to lose weight and these Fats Diets are popular as Well like Keto Diet, Detox diet and very low Carb Diet But We Failed to Realize that whether these kinds of Diet Plans are Healthy Well Balanced And unsustainable . Our Body Needs all the Nutrients in adequate Amounts and Correct Proportions to work and to make Healthy Body Cells its Called Balanced Nutrition. So, A well Balanced Diet is which Incl...

Nutrition: Nutrition is the science that studies how living organisms obtain and use food to support every aspect of their lives. It involves understanding the various nutrients in foods, how the body uses nutrients, and the relationship between nutrition, health, and disease. Nutrition includes eating, digestion, absorption, transportation, assimilation and excretion of food. Key Components of Nutrition 1. Macronutrients: • Carbohydrates:  Carbohydrates are important macronutrients that provide energy to the body. They are found in foods such as grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which nourishes the brain and supports brain functions. They exist in simple (sugar) and complex (starch, fibre) forms.   • Proteins: Protein is an important macronutrient composed of amino acids that are important for building and repairing tissues, enzyme and hormone production, and supporting the immune system. Protein is found in foods such ...