So, I’ve just been composing a quick sheet of pointers for a class I’m speaking to tomorrow, regarding nutrition.
I’ve tried to keep clean eating as simple as possible for the members of this class – of course there is so much to know, but here are the most important points highlighted:
– always eat within an hour of waking up to get your metabolism running for the day
– get in some starch with breakfast (oatmeal, whole grain bread) to fuel the brain immediately
– eat every 3-4 hours throughout the day to keep blood sugar levels stable and burn more fat
– every time you eat, include each of the macronutrients (protein, carbs and fat) to round out your meal and better stabilize blood sugar levels
– find out what the best sources of proteins, carbs and fats are by educating yourself
– drink 6-8 glasses of water/day, add an extra 1-2 for each caffeinated beverage
– if you need to indulge in something, choose a high-quality version of what you are craving, and don’t reach for the lowfat, cheap version.
– cook a large amount of a healthy dish early on in the week, so that you have homemade options to grab quickly throughout the week after a long day
– try to get a fruit in with your two morning meals, and at least one serving of vegetables with your each of your afternoon and evening meals.
– build your meals around your produce! Choose the fruit / vegetable first, then decide how you will put it together with your starch, protein and fat.
– when choosing meat products, choose those naturally lower in fat, as meat fat is saturated fat, one we need to avoid. Educate yourself about vegetarian sources of protein so that you are adding variety to your dishes and not always relying on meat.
– when choosing fat sources to round out your meals, choose sources from the ground such as nuts, olives, avocados, hummus.
– when choosing carbohydrates, remember that fruits and vegetables are in this category! Choose grains such as oatmeal and brown rice firstly (or quinoa – also a complete protein!), and when choosing wheat products, always pick whole grain.
– booze is empty calories – and empty calories just get stored in the body as fat. So, try to limit your alcohol consumption. If you are an all-in-one-night person, stop at 4. If you’re a drink-with-dinner person, try to stick to one max / night.
*And one I cannot leave out: Our bodies are designed to MOVE! So long as you own a body, it is your responsibility to keep it healthy. Exercise is like brushing your teeth – it’s non-negotiable. Make the commitment and you will look and feel better in no time.
If you commit to learning these tips and sticking to them, your struggles with eating will soon be history. This will become a way of life, and your weight will stop fluctuating. Find your healthy weight, get rid of excess fat, and then start thinking about all of the more important things in life.
*image found at www.csnn.ca