6 Basic Steps to Nutritional Success!
Justin here!
I want to go back-to-basics with you today.
Life is all about choices. At Empyrea, we want to help educate everyone on how to make the right choices when it comes to their health and fitness, however, the only way to end up where you want to go is to have a good grasp of the most basic concepts.
Sometimes it pays to revisit the basic steps to leading a healthier lifestyle, even if you think you are well beyond your humble beginning.
Some of us may be further along the road than others with our health and fitness, but it’s never too late to stop, take a deep breathe, and ask yourself if you are following some of the most simple steps.
If you can make your small daily steps into habits and make your habits consistent, then over a longer period of time, you will have built a strong foundation for your nutritional success.
Only with a consistent daily foundation built up of small steps-turned-habits, will you be able to progress further into more complex dietary tactics and advanced habits.
Follow these 6 simple steps that will help you succeed during your health and fitness journey.
Make them habits, TODAY!
1. Are you eating slowly?
Check in with hunger, sit down, relax and take your time; studies have shown that taking 15-20 minutes to complete a meal will help aid in your digestion and make you less hungry by the end of your meal. If fat loss is your goal, make sure you stop eating when you’re about 80% full.
2. Where is the protein dense food?
Are you about to eat at least one palm-sized portion of protein dense food? Women should have one palm-sized portion and men should have two. This is a minimum, but a great place to start. Apply this to eating lean meats (ground turkey, steak, chicken, lean pork, fish, etc.)
3. Where are the veggies?
Are you about to eat a large portion of veggies? They can be prepared any way you like. One serving is about one fist-sized portion and you should try to eat a few portions per meal. Ultimately, you should have between 7-9 servings of veggies per day! This may sound like a lot, but if you have 2-3 portions per meal, it will add up before you know it. This should give you an idea of how undernourished our population may be when it comes to getting their veggies! It’s not asking a lot!
4. Where are the carbs?
If you have fat to lose but haven’t just worked out, eat less pasta, bread, rice, and other starchy carbs. Even though whole-grain is the healthier option during the day, eat less because it still contains carbs! Focus the majority of your carbohydrate consumption (excluding veggies) around the times of your exercise, for they will be utilized more efficiently, and less likely to store as body fat, rather than just eating these foods at random times of the day.
5. Where are your fats coming from?
Today you need some fats from various foods, prioritizing whole food sources like eggs, meats, fish, olives (oils), nuts and seeds. Spread these throughout the day, especially if you are trying to lose body fat!
6. Are you drinking enough water?
Our bodies are 60% water. Thus, if you weigh 150 lb, then 90 lb of you is water (it is important stuff). Try having 16 oz. of water three times a day BEFORE meals and make this a habit. It will help aid in loss of body fat. This will also help keep you fuller, hydrated, and boost your metabolism!
How much should I eventually drink daily?
Men: 16 cups per day (125-130 oz/day)
Women: 11 cups per day (91-95 oz/day)
Calorie Control
I have added the following “calorie control guide” from Precision Nutrition as a tool to getting on the right track, and to help you avoid thinking about counting calories.
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/PN-calorie-control-guide.pdf
Counting calories, although necessary for specific health and fitness goals, is not something a newcomer should even be thinking about.
Take away the confusion, and begin to eat healthy foods while relying on your own hand as a guide for how much food you should be having during your meals and snacks.
Take a look here for a great visual. This is great for getting back-on-track after a vacation or time-off as well.
Again, this is a back-to-basics beginner approach, but it never hurts to take a look back to where you should have all started, even the most seasoned athlete, client, or fitness professional!
If you can take something away from this, please do.
You will thank yourself down the road!
Here for all of your Health and Fitness Needs!
Justin Marrone
Have a question? Please email me!
