Photo By Sgt. Christopher Madero | CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, Japan – Basic nutrition is made up of the five food groups in...... read more read more
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CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, Japan – Nutrition is a fundamental part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. If a Marine wants to keep their body in top fighting condition, the balance between fitness and nutrition must be maintained.
A Marine correspondent with Marine Corps Installation Pacific sat down with Erin Hughes, a wellness educator with Marine Corps Community Services Health Promotions to learn tips and trips about basic nutrition.
Q. What is nutrition?
A. Nutrition is making sure that the body gets the nutrients and minerals it needs in the correct quantities for the body to function properly. Calories come from fats, proteins and carbohydrates which supply the body with the nutrients and minerals
Q. Why is nutrition important for a healthy and active life style?
A. The body needs all the food groups to function properly. You have to fuel the body for the activity you’re doing. For example, strength athletes have to tailor their nutrition so they are making the most out of not just the workout but the recovery as well. Or if you are an endurance athlete than you eat different than a strength athlete. You have to give the body the things it needs to get the job done.
Q. How can concentrating on physical fitness but neglecting the body’s nutritional needs damage a Marine’s body?
A. If a Marine is only focusing on the fitness portion you are likely putting yourself into calorie deficit. When you put yourself into calorie deficit you are hurting your body. All the muscle that you want to build or strengthen will be cannibalized by the body to create the fuel it needs to survive. Your sleep will also be affected as well as your mood. Simple tasks for you will become hard and your reactions will be affected as well.
A Marine has their day job, but they also have the job of maintaining their mission readiness, and fitness. By focusing on both nutrition and fitness, a Marine is getting the best of both worlds by giving them the energy and nutrients they need while continuing to stay fit.
Q. What is a good template for Marines to use to maintain a healthy diet?
A. We recommend everyone to use the plate rule. This recommends you make a plate of food at every meal with half fruits and vegetables filling it, a quarter of it being good whole grain, and the other quarter of it being lean protein. This will get you really close to the ratio of nutrients that the body needs. It’s a simple way for Marines who are on the go or eat at the chow hall to get proper nutrition without weighing food.
Q. How does a Marine’s metabolism affect their eating habits?
A. If a Marine has a high metabolism, which means their body will process the food they intake quickly, then they should eat healthy snacks between meals when hungry. If a Marine has moderate or slow metabolism, then they should eat less in one sitting and spread their meals out. This will make the digestion process easier on the body.
Q. What are some food and drinks that should be avoided?
A. The worst foods are usually fried. It is empty calories that add no nutritional value to your body. Over processed food have extra sodium and sugars that the body doesn’t need and in some cases the processing gets rid of the original nutrients that may have been in the food. As for drinks I would say alcohol and sugary drinks. Alcohol doesn’t just affect the body for 12 hours after consuming it, it can also hurt the liver and affect your health in the long term.
Q. What are simple ways for Marines to maintain a proper nutritional diet?
A. Marines that eat at the chow halls have a chart they can look at. It is the green, yellow and red light food chart. Fruits and vegetables are things in the green so you can eat them all you would like. The yellow are foods that you favor but aren’t so good for you like pastas and higher fats. Red are things that you should eat as treats like ice-creams and cakes. If they follow that chart and the plate rule they can maintain a proper nutritional diet.
Q. What are good recovery foods?
A. Any goods that have healthy carbohydrates are great recovery foods. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains will help replenish nutrients used during a workout and bursts energy levels. Protein is also a good choice after a workout.
Q. When are the best times to eat before and after workouts?
A. A Marines should have a snack 30 minutes to 60 minutes before a workout to give the body the energy it needs to endure the length of the work out. I recommend fruit before a workout because it is a good complex carbohydrate but digests quickly. After a workout, 10 minutes to 30 minutes, a Marine should eat carbohydrates and protein to replenish the energy used and to help the body repair and build muscles.
For more information about nutrition, visit myplate.gov or contact MCCS Heath Promotions.
| Date Taken: | 03.16.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 03.26.2018 02:04 |
| Story ID: | 270373 |
| Location: | OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 626 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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