Health & Medical Nutrition

Vitamins and Minerals 101

If asked to prioritize the components of a weight loss program, many people would say diet is number one, exercise number two, maybe hydration at number three. Most people would fail to mention vitamins and minerals as an important part of their weight loss. While vitamins and minerals may not make or break your journey to weight loss, they do play a vital role in keeping you healthy and making sure your body is functioning properly. It's critical to any exercise routine to know what the basic vitamins and minerals can do for you and what sources you can get them from. Let's discuss the major vitamins and minerals and I'll also list several examples of sources you can get them from.

Vitamin C

The first vitamin that you should make sure you're taking in enough of is Vitamin C. Vitamin C is going to play an important role in your immune system and recovery ability. This means it will ensure that you come back from each workout you do feeling stronger than you did before. Vitamin C will be important for fending off illness and viruses, keeping you from become sick and missing important workouts. Vitamin C is also a very powerful antioxidant for the body, so it will also help to combat free radical damage.

Vitamin C Sources

You can get vitamin C from brightly colored fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, oranges, berries, and grapefruit.

B Vitamins

The second vitamin that you need to pay close attention to is actually a class of vitamins, the B vitamins. These vitamins each have a slightly different role in the body but each are going to contribute to maintaining stronger energy levels and keeping your metabolism running properly. If you are deficient in your B vitamin intake, especially while on a diet, you may find it harder and harder to keep up with the workout sessions that you're doing. They are also required for proper production of red blood cells, and these cells will transport oxygen to the working muscle tissues. Furthermore, lack of B vitamins can also hamper recovery and proper growth, so you definitely want to make sure you're not deficient in any B Vitamins.

Sources of B Vitamins

B vitamins are found in a wide variety of foods include poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products as well as leafy greens.

Iron

The next nutrient that you can't afford to be falling short in is iron. Like the B vitamins, iron is very important for generating enough energy in your day to day life and is important for keeping your red blood cell count up as well. It's these red blood cells that are going to transport oxygen to the muscle tissues during exercise, so when they are low, your endurance levels will be as well. Those who don't get in enough iron will begin suffering from anemia if the condition is left untreated, which can cause a number of other health problems as well.

Sources of Iron

You can get iron from lean red meat, liver, oysters, turkey, as well as tuna and shrimp. Iron from animal products is absorbed much better than iron from plant foods, so it's ideal to get your intake from these sources.

Calcium

Calcium is another mineral you need to make sure you're getting enough of in your diet. Since many people start reducing the amount of dairy foods they eat when seeking fat loss, this means their calcium intake falls very low as well. Calcium is required to promote strong bones and also to maintain proper muscular contraction rates, so it's very important to be taking in daily.

Sources of Calcium

Calcium is best found in dairy rich foods, and as long as you are choosing lower fat varieties, there is no reason that you can't include these in any weight loss diet plan. Alternatively, you can also get calcium from the bones in canned salmon or from dark leafy greens, so those are some alternate sources to consider. Some orange juice varieties are also fortified with calcium, so that may be an option for those who are lactose intolerant.

Potassium

The last mineral we'll discuss is potassium. Potassium is important for maintaining proper blood pressure along with fluid balance in the body. If you aren't getting enough potassium, you're likely to feel light-headed, weak, and low in energy, and may also experience muscle cramping during exercise as well. Eat a varied diet rich in produce and you'll have no problem meeting your needs.

Sources of Potassium

Potassium is found widely in fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts.

So keep these vitamins and minerals in mind as you go about creating your diet. Always make sure to add variety into your diet so you ensure you're getting all these vitamins and minerals. If you're still unsure about how to get all your vitamins and minerals into your meal plan, contact Philadelphia personal trainer, Brian Maher today!
for more information go to http://www.phillypersonaltraining.com/ or
https://m.Facebook.com/phillypersonaltraining?id=145973650917&_rdr
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