11 Reasons Why Nutrition is Important: Healthy Body and Mind Foundation
Nutrition plays a crucial role in maintaining good health and well-being. It is the foundation for a strong and healthy body.
From birth to old age, nutrition is important for growth, development, and the prevention of chronic diseases.
In today's fast-paced world, it is challenging to make informed decisions about what and how much to eat.
Take the time to understand the importance of good nutrition. Making informed choices has a significant impact on your health and quality of life.
Let’s explore the importance of nutrition and why it is essential to pay attention to your diet and eating habits.
You will learn the impact of good nutrition on your physical and mental health. You will also get tips on how to make healthier food choices.
11 Reasons Why Good Nutrition is Important
#1 Nutrition impacts every process in your body.
The first reason you should always try to improve your nutrition is that it impacts every process in your body.
Everything within your body is connected. Your nutrition impacts your mood, sleep, stress levels, energy, ability to focus, etc.
Improving your nutrition means improving the overall quality of your life.
#2 Nutrition supports better immunity.
Nutrition is important because it improves your immunity. Eating high-nutrient foods rich in vitamins and minerals reduces the risk of catching a cold. It also helps you build strong immunity.
#3 Nutrition improves your life and health quality.
Nutrition impacts every aspect of your life - sleep, mood, exercising, ability to focus, stress levels, etc.
By prioritizing good nutrition, you’re improving every other aspect and therefore living a healthier and happier life.
#4 Nutrition gives you more energy.
Prioritizing good nutrition leads to having more energy.
You can use this energy to improve your physical performance and move more.
On the other hand, more energy means a better ability to focus and do more mental work. After eating a high-nutrient diet consistently, you will notice an improvement.
Having more energy will help you perform better in any physical activity and will also improve your focus.
#5 Nutrition supports a better mood.
Nobody likes to be in a cranky mood neither do the people around them. Do yourself, friends, and colleagues a favor and prioritize good nutrition.
Eating high-nutrient foods improves your mood.
#6 Nutrition helps you achieve fitness goals faster.
Nutrition is the most important factor when it comes to fitness goals.
While exercising is helpful, the true magic happens when you improve your nutrition.
You can change your body by changing only your eating habits.
Research what changes you need to apply to your diet to lose weight or build muscle. You’ll speed up the results 10x.
#7 Nutrition helps you with weight management.
Good nutrition helps you manage and maintain a healthy weight.
In a world where fast food is all around you, and it’s the most convenient meal option, it’s crucial to keep the big picture in mind.
While no food should be off-limits, focus on eating high-nutrient foods most of the time.
It doesn’t matter what you eat once a month. It matters what you eat every day.
#8 Nutrition improves your mental health.
As we already discussed, good nutrition impacts your mood, therefore your mental health, too.
A diet high in nutrients, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats, is associated with a lower risk of mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety.
Good nutrition means higher energy, better mood, and lower risk of anxiety.
#9 Nutrition supports faster recovery.
Working out makes your body and muscles sore. To speed up your recovery, focus on having enough rest and eating high-nutrient foods.
As we already discussed, nutrition impacts every aspect of your body and life.
If you prioritize high-nutrient foods, you get better in every area of your life.
#10 Nutrition reduces the risk of some diseases.
Nutrition is one of the main reasons for the spread of diseases.
Adequate nutrition can prevent chronic disease development, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
Eating a balanced diet that includes a variety of nutrient-dense foods can also help improve mental health and cognitive function.
#11 Nutrition is crucial for longevity.
Every time you watch an interview with a 100-year-old person, the journalist always asks him what's their diet. That’s not a coincidence. Nutrition has a major role in longevity.
Your body does its best to flush out the toxins, but if that’s all you’re giving it, you make its job way harder.
What is Good Nutrition?
Good nutrition is an abstract term.
When it comes to diets and eating habits, there’s no one-size-fits-all. You’re a unique human being - you need a unique approach.
However, following the fundamentals of good nutrition is helpful advice for every person.
You can’t go wrong by:
Eating more protein
Eating high-fiber carbs
Eating fruits and vegetables
Eating healthy fats
Following the fundamentals of good nutrition lets you experience all the benefits that come with it.
Consequences of Poor Nutrition
You already know why nutrition is so important. So, what are the consequences of poor nutrition?
Poor nutrition may lead to:
Weak immunity
Poor sleep
Bad mood
Increased stress levels
Increased risk of diseases
Malnutrition
Poor life quality
Lack of energy
Tips on Good Nutrition
So, how to make sure you’re prioritizing good nutrition?
Here are my top 7 tips when it comes to nutrition:
#1 Protein
Protein is king. Eat protein at every meal, including snacks.
If you find it hard to increase your protein intake, download my free protein cheat sheet. It’s full of high-protein meal ideas and sources.
Start with a protein source every time you prepare a meal.
#2 High-Fiber and Starchy Carbs
Carbohydrates are your body’s primary source of energy. High-fiber carbs take more time to break down, leaving you satiated and energized. Good sources of high-fiber cars are whole wheat, oats, chickpeas, lentils, berries, edamame, etc.
#3 Healthy Fats
Your body can’t survive if you don’t eat any fat. I’m serious.
Fats are crucial for your hormonal balance and vitamin absorption. Prioritize foods rich in omega-3 and 6 healthy fats.
#4 Fruits and Veggies
Fruits and veggies provide your body with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Aim to eat 3-5 servings of colorful fruits and veggies daily.
Always try to buy fresh produce that’s in season (for example, peaches in the summer, and pumpkins in the fall).
Also, frozen fruits and vegetables are a great budget-friendly option to make healthy foods available and convenient.
#5 Hydration
Hydration also plays an important role, as even mild dehydration can lead to mood swings, anxiety, and fatigue.
Drinking enough water and staying hydrated is crucial for overall health and well-being.
Around 50% of your body consists of water. If your goal is to live a healthy life, hydration is not optional - it’s a must.
The good news is it’s not that hard to drink enough water. Aim to eat a liter of water per day for every 20 kilos of your weight.
To drink more water, always have a filled water bottle around you, be cautious of caffeine and alcohol consumption, and increase your water intake when you move more.
Hydration is a top priority when it comes to good nutrition.
#6 Eating Healthy on a Budget
There’s a myth going around that eating healthy is too expensive.
Why it’s not?
You take care of your health - if you don’t do it now through food, you’ll do it in a few years, spending much more money on medications.
Healthy foods are more nutrition-dense - therefore, you need less food to feel full.
Healthy budget-friendly options
Opt-out for delivery like Hello Fresh - quick, no wasting food, delicious, nutrition-dense.
Stock on frozen fruits and veggies.
Buy in bulk (value packs).
Shop in grocery stores like Aldi or Costco.
#7 Eating Healthy when Busy
It’s harder to eat healthy when you have a busy schedule, but it’s not impossible.
Staying healthy when busy is challenging but not impossible. It mostly comes down to excellent planning and taking one step at a time.
Don’t go for too many changes, or your health priorities will start draining you rather than improving your life.
Indicators of a Nutritious Diet
Once you start improving your nutrition, you’ll recognize the following benefits:
More energy
Better body composition
Healthier skin and hair
Healthier blood pressure and cholesterol
Better sleep quality
Better ability to manage stress
Regular bowel movements
Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see any results after a week or two.
You will need at least three months of following the fundamentals of good nutrition consistently to see any of those results.
There’s no need to rush. Remember, the only way to fail is if you give up.
Experiencing the benefits of good nutrition takes time. However, they have the power to improve every aspect of your life in the long-term.
How a Nutrition Coach Can Help You Improve Your Nutrition?
If you’re starting your journey to a healthier you, you might find it hard to navigate through all the different online information.
However, you don’t have to feel lost. A shortcut to better nutrition is to hire a nutrition coach.
Here are all the benefits you’ll get if you decide to take action on that step:
#1 Educate you about the basics of nutrition.
Once you know the basics of good nutrition, you’ll understand what your body needs and how different foods support you.
Understanding the fundamentals of good nutrition will help you stay away from FAD diets and be aware of BS nutrition advice (pssst - it’s all over the Internet).
#2 Give you specific advice.
Even though the basics of nutrition are important, every person is unique and needs a unique approach. A nutrition coach can help you find what you need, overcome any barriers you encounter, and will make you feel secure.
Also, you can ask any question that comes to mind and have it answered by a professional.
#3 Motivate you.
Your health journey will have its ups and downs. You have to keep going through both.
A nutrition coach can motivate you when you feel like you’re not making progress or see no results. They will also help you build a healthy and strong mindset.
#4 Help you stick to your goal.
Life happens, and after two months, you may not see the point of following a good diet and taking care of your body.
However, your nutrition coach will be there to remind you why you started and about all the benefits you’ll get if you keep going.
#5 Celebrate every win with you.
It’s important to celebrate all the wins along the way when you’re building a new habit.
A nutrition coach will remind you of every small and big win, every milestone you reach, and every action you take toward a better you.
If you’re interested in working with a nutrition coach, apply for coaching.
Final Thoughts
Good nutrition equals good health. It affects every process in your body and every aspect of your life.
Prioritizing good nutrition helps you have more energy, build strong immunity, improve sleep quality, and helps you manage stress.
If you’ve never focused on improving your eating habits, there’s no better time than now.
You don’t have to do something extraordinary or spin your life upside down.
All you need to do is to follow the fundamentals of good nutrition consistently and watch your quality of life improve 10X.
If you feel lost in the nutrition world and need guidance to live your healthiest and happiest life, check out my 1:1 coaching. I can’t wait to help you build a healthy lifestyle you can stick to daily.
Probably, you already know that protein is extremely important for you. But do you manage to eat enough protein every day?
In the protein cheat sheet, you will find 20+ high-protein foods, meal ideas, and tips on how to eat more protein. Healthy eating won't be so hard.
The most popular fitness goal amongst women is to grow their glutes. Many women change only their workouts without thinking about nutrition.
Be ahead of the others and grab my meal plan for glute gains. Growing your glutes becomes easy once you know which foods to prioritize.
Comment below: what other guide do you need to feel more confident in your health journey and accomplish your goals?
If you enjoy short and handy nutrition and wellness tips, follow me on Instagram. I share my perspective on how to ditch the diet culture, make healthy eating easy, and build wellness habits.
I hope this article motivated you to keep on going with your wellness journey with more confidence.
Until next time.
- Mariya
*Disclosure: There are affiliate links on this page. I may earn a small commission for purchases made through links to products or services from this website. Your purchase helps support my work in bringing you honest information about fitness, nutrition, a healthy mindset, and lifestyle.
