How can I improve my nutrition? It’s a simple enough question, at face value, but it’s one that a lot of health and fitness program leaders and trainers find themselves facing regularly. Often through no fault of their own, people fall into bad habits and lack the nutritional education that’s going to help them build the body that they want and live a healthier and happier life. At Reset we strongly believe in the power of self awareness and being aware of how our nutrition is affecting our mind and body is something we would like everyone to consider. Let’s have a look at how you can do that.
Don’t think ‘what do I have to restrict?’
Telling yourself that you cannot have certain foods often leads to a future binge on the very foods you are trying to restrict, and can even lead to eating disorders and bad relationships with food. Try to ask yourself the question ‘what can I eat more of that is healthy for my mind and body?’ Many people find that when they add in more foods such as vegetables and whole grains, which are high in fibre, they feel fuller for longer and the cravings for the foods we know aren’t so healthy for us are not as strong.
Make sure that you get plenty of protein
Regardless of what kind of lifestyle you’re living, you need to ensure that you’re incorporating enough protein into your diet. The great thing about protein is that it is satiating, which means it helps to keep us fuller for longer and can help to stop food cravings. Protein comes from eggs and meat, but also from other sources like seeds, nuts, and Greek yogurt. Even if you’re a vegan (especially if you are vegan), you need to make sure that you get your protein content and it’s better if more of it comes from natural sources as opposed to protein shakes.
Carbohydrates are not the enemy
Many people see carbohydrates as the enemy when it comes to nutrition, and particularly weight gain. This is simply not true. Carbohydrates are vital to give our mind and body the energy they need to be active and feel good. As we have already mentioned above, there are some types of carbohydrates that we will want to include more of in the diet, such as whole grains high in fibre, and there are others we need to be aware of like sweets and biscuits that quickly raise our blood sugar levels leaving us feeling hungry and lethargic soon after.
Understand calories but don’t obsess over them
It’s important to know that counting calories is not everything there is when it comes to your nutrition (hence why it’s not the first point). However, it’s still important to have an understanding of how food provides us with energy . Different attributes and conditions can affect your metabolic rate, but the truth of the matter is that if you burn more calories than you eat, then you will lose weight and vice versa. However, it is not all about how much we weigh. Have you ever considered how under or overeating may be affecting your mood, your energy, your relationships, and your mental wellbeing? Overall calories, and where they come from, have a huge bearing on this and increasing our self awareness in this area is key.
Improving nutrition is simple enough, in theory, but it’s in practice that you need to excel. As such, the Reset Health Group’s core program can help you learn the discipline and develop the habits necessary to make long-lasting changes to your nutritional lifestyle. Get in touch with us today for more information.
