By Jen McMahon
In our last blog post, Kris started a conversation about Teaching a Man to Fish. It is all about learning skills from and surrounding yourself with the right people who can help you thrive. We believe the foundation of thriving is built on what we fuel ourselves with.
If you have opened a diet book or researched healthy food on the internet lately, you’re likely suffering from information overload. The real trick in today’s information bonanza is to find someone you trust to lead you and teach you how to discern all of the information out there. After 6 Years of studying, and hundreds of hours coaching clients about nutrition, I have a pretty robust filter that I want to give to anyone I can. Read on if you just want to know the fundamentals of eating well so you can thrive instead of just get by.
Michael Pollan once said, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” This is like the wide mouth of the filter. It simplifies eating down to the basics and helps inform the nutrition principles below that anyone can begin to implement now and benefit from:
Eat REAL food.
Real food comes from nature (ie: plants and animals).
In short, get rid of the pre-packaged junk food that has a long ingredient list that you don’t recognize.
Eat BALANCED meals. This means filling your plate with different macronutrients. You want to make sure at each meal you’re fueling with protein, fat and carbohydrates.
Among other things, carbohydrates provide energy for physical activity. Carbs are fruits, veggies, starches, beans/legumes, and whole grains.
Protein serves many functions in your body including helping your body build and repair muscles and connective tissue. Quality protein comes from animal meat, seafood, eggs, nuts/seeds, grains, legumes, and even vegetables. (Side note: I’m a big fan of meat, but sourcing makes a huge difference. Make sure you’re buying grass-fed beef, free-range organic chicken, heritage breed pork, and wild-caught seafood when you can).
Fat is also a macronutrient that fuels your body with energy and helps to regulate metabolism. Stick with quality sourced saturated and unsaturated fats like meat, nuts/seeds, avocados and fish.
Eat a VARIETY of nutrient dense foods. This means your foods should be colorful and varied to give you a blend of nutrients.
It is great to find meals that work for you and your family that work well in your routine, however don’t get stuck there. Venture out and try new foods!
Eat LESS..._______. These are the things you want to do less often with regard to food.
Eat less food. Eat until you’re about 80% full. You’ll have plenty of what you need and you’ll feel better.
Eat less often. Most of us don’t need snacks the way we have come to rely on them. Give your body time to digest between meals.
Eat less sugar. This goes back to junk food, but it is worth repeating. Sugar is everywhere and it flavors WAY more of our food than it should. It is probably creeping up in more places than you realize.
Eat (and drink) MORE..._______. These are the things you want to do more often with regard to your nutrition.
Eat more mindfully. Breathe between bites, put your fork down, chew your food, and enjoy it.
Eat more veggies! Fill your plate with veggies first (organic when you can). Make them colorful and try new varieties until you find several that you love. They’re worth it!
Drink more water. Squeeze lemon into it or whatever you need to make it more appealing, but just drink your water.
Eating food should be enjoyable and not stressful. Keep it simple and try not to make it a negative thing for you and your family. Think of each meal as an opportunity to feed yourself and those you love with healthy foods to keep you feeling great and at the top of your game! If you find these principles difficult to stick with, I’d love to chat further and help break down any obstacles that might be standing in your way.
