Foods for energy | Ways to eat men’s health program
nutrition to support energy
Now that we know more about balanced eating, some of the most important nutrients for men, and how to build balanced meals, it’s time to venture into the world of energy and performance!
So, how exactly does what we eat influence our energy levels and performance? Let’s find out!
What causes low energy?
There are many different factors that may cause low energy or fatigue. These include illness, stress, grief, depression, workplace burnout, lack of sleep, lack of regular exercise and a poor diet. These may lead us to feel run down, tired and sluggish.
Workplace burnout is common, especially in our new world of hybrid working arrangements and working from home. Find out more about workplace burnout and how you can manage it.
Energy and Diet
All macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fats) contain and provide us with energy. Research suggests that a macronutrient balance of 45-60% carbohydrates, 20-35% fat and 15-25% protein is optimal to fuel our bodies. Therefore, following a balanced diet may help to ensure we’re getting the right proportions of nutrients to keep our energy levels up. This includes making sure we are eating a variety of foods from all five food groups.
Eating to support exercise and performance
If you’re exercising a lot and want to make sure you’re eating right to fuel and support your performance, there are a few nutrients you can focus on.
Energy
Don’t skimp on your food intake! Getting in enough energy (or kilojoules) to meet the demands of the activity is important for performance and recovery. Eating regularly, including three meals and snacks can help ensure you’re eating enough.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrate is our bodies preferred source of energy and is a particularly important energy source during exercise. Low carbohydrate diets combined with regular training may lead to fatigue, lack of energy, loss of muscle mass and poor recovery. Therefore consuming a variety of different carbohydrate sources before and after exercise is important. Carbohydrates also aid with immune function and provide energy to our brain to help with concentration levels, mood, and performance.
Protein
- Protein is needed for all of our cells to grow, repair and function. It aids with building muscle and recovery as well as maintaining a strong immune system.
- While there is a place for protein supplements for endurance or power athletes in heavy training who can’t meet their needs through diet alone, most active Australians can meet their needs through the food they eat.
- As we’ve previously discussed, protein requirements can easily be met by including a good protein source in each meal throughout the day, aiming for around 20-40g per meal. Any extra protein you have that your body doesn’t use can’t be stored so will be excreted as waste – so save your money and include protein rich foods at each meal such as lean meat or poultry, fish, eggs, legumes, tofu, nuts, seeds or dairy.
After exercise needs
It is also recommended to have a serve of protein and carbohydrate after exercise to help your body recover and maintain its protein balance. Something as simple as a glass of milk or a tub of yogurt will give you a serve of protein and carbohydrate to satisfy your post workout needs without turning to supplements!
Hydration is an important part of good health, especially since two-thirds of the body is made up of water.
Here are some easy ways you can make sure you are drinking enough water:
- Grab a bottle and take it wherever you go.
- Set reminders on your phone at intervals throughout the day.
- Add fruit or herbs (mint) to your water for extra flavour.
- Have a glass of water with each meal.
Drink more water
In our free program, we'll cover how much water your body actually needs, the best ways to stay hydrated and how to track your water intake.
Lastly…get in enough zzz’s!
Sleep is an important part of our daily routine to maintain physical and mental health. How much sleep you need varies between individuals, but putting aside an eight hour window each night for sleep is a good start. Here are some tips to help you achieve this:
- Set a reminder to stop working, unwind and stop using your phone/computer.
- Read a book before bed or trying your own relaxation techniques to help unwind.
- Learn more about our top 3 sleep hacks.
What's next?
Keep an eye out on your inbox for the instalment on men's health – we’ll be taking you through common health concerns you should be looking out for and how to be on top of your health checks.
Content prepared by Nutrition Australia for healthylife
This page is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. If you have any concerns or questions about your health you should consult with a health professional.