It is not a secret that what we eat ultimately contributes a great deal to our general fitness. This cuts across all borders be it mental, physical or emotional fitness. As a result, one should be very careful about what they eat and drink because it can either make or break you in the long run. This paper intends to examine some of the popular articles from magazines about nutrition. It becomes evident that there are certain common factors that run through all the nutrition articles. The common messages are identified in this article. To show this, articles by Blonz, Schlosser and Weber will be analyzed.
When choosing what to eat each day, there is a need to pay close attention to the different kinds of lifestyles that we lead and the kind of activities that we engage in. For example, are you an athlete, a housewife, an office assistant or a construction worker? Each of these jobs requires a different amount of food each day and different calories to match. An athlete and a construction worker for instance would require more calories in their diet than an office assistant or housewife. This is because they engage in a lot of strenuous activities and so require more energy. The food should also be healthy and balanced.
When one fails to pay attention to these factors consequences take place almost immediately or over a given period of time. It is to be noted that some of these consequences can accompany us for a lifetime because they do not have any known cure and so can only be managed. Even though others can be dealt with, the scars they leave behind are not worth it. The commonest consequences that we have as a result of poor food or diet are mainly diseases and general physical complications for example cancer, diabetes and obesity.
It can not be overemphasized that one needs to find the right balance between food and exercise. Eating without engaging in some form of exercise is harmful to a normal human being whereas exercise without eating right is also dangerous. The body needs its share of physical activity to enable it to be in proper function and healthy. A number of people perceive exercise to be a preserve of the athlete or of a person obsessed with physical fitness. What they do not realize is that exercise is an activity that requires the participation of everyone. It need not be a complicated regiment so as to qualify as fitness. A simple program that is maintained daily or alternated at intervals could just prove to be efficient for a person’s body and well being. Taking a brisk walk for instance or climbing a flight of stairs instead of taking the elevator or jogging and even swimming are all ways of sustaining a simple yet effective way of keeping the body in balance health wise that is.
Schlosser (3-6) helps many people realize the problems associated with fast food and rapidly prepared meals. He highlights and places emphasis on the effects of the kinds of fast foods that people love. It is a very sobering fact to note that most of that which ails people is a direct result of their daily intake.
These effects are further compounded by Weber (37-46). He claims that industrial food is a leading cause in making people unhealthier than they should be. He says that it makes us sicker, fatter and poorer. According to him, industrial food is more toxic than what many people credit it for. Its harmfulness supersedes that which people have credited it to have.
It is important for one to carefully consider what they are consuming or eating daily. Blonz (1) gives some guideline on what to look out for when purchasing products for use. He emphasizes on the need for a product to be of quality. He also states that a product should be standard and reliable.
All in all, it should be everyone’s priority to consider not only what they eat but also to incorporate some form of exercise in their lifestyle. Everyone needs to make a conscious decision to choose carefully what they consume and to ensure that it is not only balanced but also healthy. An individual’s fitness is so intertwined by the food they consume and there are no two ways about it.
Works Cited
Blonz, Edward. The Blobz Guide Nutrition Food and Health Resources; Rules of the road. n.d. Web.
Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation. The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. London: Houghton Mifflin, 2001.
Weber, Karl. How Industrial Food is Making Us Sicker, Fatter and Poorer – And What You Can Do about It; A Participant Guide. New York: Food Inc, 2009.