If you only ever pay attention to the types of food you are eating when you want to loose a few extra kegs you put on over the holidays, or you are looking to bulk up for summer, than how do you know you for sure you aren’t doing damage to your body the rest of the time?
Eating a healthy, balanced diet might not sound as sexy as say “keto” or “paleo” do but creating a solid foundation that you can maintain year round will ensure you always feel and look your best while also enjoying lifes pleasures.
If you feel like making a change to your diet is too hard, youre not alone. It can feel daunting when you try and make a large change, so we reccomend you start small. By making a few small changes you can ensure you can create a routine that you can stick to for life.
In order to figure out where to start, you must know where you are right now. Then we can identify what are the easiest steps you can take TODAY that will make a world of difference in the future.
Ask yourselves the following questions:
Do you drink 2L of water every day?
Do you sleep more then 7-9 hours each night? or Are you in bed distraction free for 7-9 hours each night?
Do you eat 3-5 meals consistently each day?
Do you plan your meals for the week ahead?
Do you eat protein with each meal?
If you answered “yes” to all of the above, your nutrition foundations are strong. If you answered no to any of the above, you have your starting point.
Here are our tips on improving each habit, practice for 2-4 weeks and then try the next one.
Habit #1: Drink 2L of water each day
Staying hydrated is crucial for our survival, as well as feeling good and keeping our bodies functioning properly.
Try keeping a jug of water at your desk, or carry a water bottle with you while you’re on the move. If water on its own doesn’t interest you, you can add fruits and vegetables such as cucumber, lemon, lime or orange segments for natural sweet taste.
Habit #2: Be in bed asleep or distraction free for 7-9 hours each night
When we are asleep our bodies have time to recover, repair and relax. This is the time when we build most of our muscle, reduce inflammation and shred body fat.
Remove any distractions. TV, lights and our mobile phones all stimulate our minds and senses, by turning them off we allow ourselves to wind down, even if we aren’t asleep. Creating strong habits that will encourage us to create a routine switch off before we go to sleep.
Habit #3: Eat 3-5 meals consistently each day.
Not eating, can be just as harmful to our bodies as over eating. If we aren’t getting the fuel and vitamins we need from our food, we will start to become malnourished impacting on our metabolism, brain function and mood. Missing meals can lead to binge eating later in the day, causing us to over eat calories that we wouldn’t have otherwise eaten.
Prepare the night before. Meal prepping doesn’t have to take up your whole Sunday, ensuring you have a protein shake, smoothie, piece of fruit or left overs is the difference between going hungry and making sound choices.
Habit #4: Plan your week in advance.
There is nothing worse then looking in the fridge and seeing nothing, then going back 10 minutes later hoping that food has magically appeared. Planning ahead means there will always be good food choices when you need them. Leading to less time spent at the shops, less opportunity to buy snacks you don’t actually need and it means more time enjoying the things that you should be doing when your’e not busy walking the isles of the supermarket.
Check out our Blog about meal planning here. Plan ahead, you wont regret it.
Habit #5: Eat Protein with each meal
Eating protein with each meal doesn’t mean you need to eat red meat three times per day. In fact we don’t recommend that. There is a huge variety of protein rich foods that you can try (see our list below). Eating protein at each meal will keep you fuller for longer, ensuring we maintain or build muscle when combined with strength training and exercise, and supports fat loss. We recommend eating a constant variety of animal and plant protein sources to ensure you are getting a mix of different vitamins and minerals.
Finding good quality protein will help eating protein all that much easier. Go to your local butcher, fish and chicken shop & health food stores. Animal protein powders should be 100% protien and not blends.
Protein rich foods;
Animal Protein: Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Eggs & Egg Whites, Tuna, Salmon, Trout, Sardines or Mackerel, Shrimp (fresh or frozen), Mussels, Clams, Scallops, Crab, Lobster, Squid (calamari) or Octopus, Lean cuts of beef, Lamb, Lean pork (e.g. pork tenderloin) & Whey or Beef Protein Powder.
Vegan Friendly Protein: Tofu, Tempeh, Spirulina, Pea & plant protein powders
Some vegan protein sources are made up of a 50% or more carbohydrate content. We suggest consulting with a coach if you would like more information on how to best ensure you are getting a good balance.
If you would like a more specific strategy tailored to your nutritional needs, contact us by booking your FREE nutrition help call below and speak with one of our coaches.
Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet. This advice is general advice only and should not be seen as individual specific advice.