Low-carb diets are not only used by professional athletes, bodybuilders, and those with well-developed muscle mass. Eating less carbs, more protein, and more high-quality unprocessed foods like lentils, chickpeas, barley, oats, wheat, rye, spelt, peas, lupins, soy, and vegetables leaves you satiated for a much longer time. This also significantly boosts endurance during exercise and training.
On the other hand, both physical and cognitive performance decreases after consuming the following products:
- Beer, wine, spirits
- Sweets, processed foods (e.g. pizza and pasta)
- Pastries, milk, too much coffee and energy drinks
- Fried foods (i.e. with unhealthy fats), chips, fries, salted nuts
Although potatoes are still regarded as a climate-friendly food in German-speaking countries, some potato dishes have a detrimental effect on one's health, especially with excessive consumption.
Consistent exercise and an occasional intense workout will increase your physical vitality within a few weeks or months, particularly when paired with a healthy, invigorating diet.
Consider incorporating the following in your daily meal regimen:
- Tofu, hummus, lentils, chickpeas, lupins, peas, and broccoli mixed in various stews or pre-cooked al dente and served with different garnishes.
- If possible, consume processed food only as a side dish. Potatoes, pasta, or rice should not make up more than a third or, ideally, a quarter of the plate.
- Have more salads with nuts, seeds, and pre-cooked lentils in different garnishes. Eat salads up until and after midday if you can. Eating some carbs in the evening can help you fall asleep.
- If necessary, do without one or two meals. Drink plenty of good quality water (either filtered or boiled). One of the best things you can do for your health is intermittent fasting.
- Having pre-made or precooked healthy menus, and perhaps even nutritional snacks, saves you several shopping trips and makes sense from an ecological and financial standpoint.
- Have a variety of frozen fruits and vegetables on hand. With a little imagination and enough preparation time, the diversity of your menus increases easily.
- Vegan meat substitutes and cheese products are now widely available on the market as new protein sources. These products are expensive and not intended for everyday consumption. But one can enjoy increased nutrition when these are consumed occasionally.
- Have fewer or no snacks between meals! Fruit, unprocessed nuts, hummus, premium crackers, and high-quality food substitutes are far healthier than hamburgers, hot dogs, and other similar heavily-processed products.