You've heard it before — the way you eat will determine most of your your fi
tness success. Well, guess what? It's true.
You will never, never out-train poor nutrition. Unless you are a professional athlete who trains three to four hours a day, you really have to "laser focus" on your nutrition habits.
Many people believe eating "clean" has to be a difficult, time-consuming chore with weighing and measuring food, and eating tuna and rice three times a day. Believe it or not, all of my most successful clients will tell you that when it comes to improving your nutrition, making little changes will definitely go a long way. You can make these changes and actually enjoy the outcome. Here's how...
Eat more vegetables
"I don't like vegetables." How do you know? Most Americans eat fewer than two servings a day, and almost never stray from the old American standbys: corn, peas, carrots and maybe a broccoli spear here and there. Walk into the grocery store, head to produce and look at the wide variety of vegetables you've never heard of, let alone eaten. Venture out of your comfort zone, and eat more vegetables. A LOT more. Aside from being full of gut-healthy fiber, vegetables provide a boatload of essential nutrients — and little to no sugar. To make a commitment to eating better without bumping up the vegetable intake is like going to college — without picking up your books. Commit to eating at least three to five servings a day, and rotate a new variety into your diet once a week.
Eat less carbs
Americans eat waaaaaaay too much carbohydrates in relation to their level of physical activity. Breads, cereals, rice, juices, "energy bars" and the like are quick digesting sources of fuel. It's not a chore for your body to convert these foods into a simple sugar that can be used for instant energy. There's the problem. The process is too easy. When these foods are broken down into their simplest form, much of the energy produced won't be used by the average American's sedentary, untrained muscles. Instead this energy will be stored as bodyfat since there is nowhere else to put it. And there it sits. Waiting. And waiting. And now that your body has it in storage, it's not going to give it up very quickly, as many of us have found out.
Eat more fat
I don't mean eat a T-bone steak and a carton of eggs every day, but we are seeing more evidence that the low-fat recommendation we've been following for decades might not be as healthy for everyone as it was previously thought to be. Dietary fat has many benefits including organ function, joint health and hormonal support. The group of people the low-fat lifestyle seems to work best for are food manufacturers who get to produce low-fat, high-sugar food-like products to put on grocery shelves. Don't be afraid to replace some of those reduced carbohydrates with a little fat, especially from fish and vegetable sources, which have been shown to have many health benefits. Good sources of dietary fats include eggs, quality cuts of beef, nuts, cold water fish and olives. Too much of anything is always a bad thing, so don't go crazy, but dietary fat has gotten a undeserved bad rap. It's time it got a second chance.
Eat more frequently
A common theme for people I consult with is not eating breakfast, and eating a large dinner. That works against you on many levels, especially if your goal is weight loss. As unreal as it may sound, many of my most successful clients have actually increased their calorie intake to lose fat. The bottom line is calories in, calories out. So in theory, you could eat McDonald's every day if you kept your calories right, and divided them up into frequent and balanced feedings throughout the day. You probably wouldn't feel very good, but you'd definitely be dropping pounds. Your metabolism is well supported by balance and routine. This is the ultimate weapon in the "battle of the bulge."
That wasn't so hard, was it? These four new habits will improve a typical American's nutrition significantly.
You've heard it before: The way you eat will determine most of your your fitness success. Well, guess what? It's true.
You will never, never out-train poor nutrition. Unless you are a professional athlete who trains three to four hours a day, you really have to "laser focus" on your nutrition habits.
Many people believe eating "clean" has to be a difficult, time-consuming chore with weighing and measuring food, and eating tuna and rice three times a day. Believe it or not, all of my most successful clients will tell you that when it comes to improving your nutrition, making little changes will definitely go a long way. You can make these changes and actually enjoy the outcome. Here's how...
Eat more vegetables
"I don't like vegetables." How do you know? Most Americans eat fewer than two servings a day, and almost never stray from the old American standbys: corn, peas, carrots and maybe a broccoli spear here and there. Walk into the grocery store, head to produce and look at the wide variety of vegetables you've never heard of, let alone eaten. Venture out of your comfort zone, and eat more vegetables. A LOT more. Aside from being full of gut-healthy fiber, vegetables provide a boatload of essential nutrients — and little to no sugar. To make a commitment to eating better without bumping up the vegetable intake is like going to college without picking up your books. Commit to eating at least three to five servings a day, and rotate a new variety into your diet once a week.
Eat less carbs
Americans eat waaaaaaay too much carbohydrates in relation to their level of physical activity. Breads, cereals, rice, juices, "energy bars" and the like are quick digesting sources of fuel. It's not a chore for your body to convert these foods into a simple sugar that can be used for instant energy. There's the problem. The process is too easy. When these foods are broken down into their simplest form, much of the energy produced won't be used by the average American's sedentary, untrained muscles. Instead this energy will be stored as body fat since there is nowhere else to put it. And there it sits. Waiting. And waiting. And now that your body has it in storage, it's not going to give it up very quickly, as many of us have found out.
Eat more fat
I don't mean eat a T-bone steak and a carton of eggs every day, but we are seeing more evidence that the low-fat recommendation we've been following for decades might not be as healthy for everyone as it was previously thought to be. Dietary fat has many benefits including organ function, joint health and hormonal support. The group of people the low-fat lifestyle seems to work best for are food manufacturers who get to produce low-fat, high-sugar food-like products to put on grocery shelves. Don't be afraid to replace some of those reduced carbohydrates with a little fat, especially from fish and vegetable sources, which have been shown to have many health benefits. Good sources of dietary fats include eggs, quality cuts of beef, nuts, cold water fish and olives. Too much of anything is always a bad thing, so don't go crazy, but dietary fat has gotten a undeserved bad rap. It's time it got a second chance.
Eat more frequently
A common theme for people I consult with is not eating breakfast, and eating a large dinner. That works against you on many levels, especially if your goal is weight loss. As unreal as it may sound, many of my most successful clients have actually increased their calorie intake to lose fat. The bottom line is calories in, calories out. So in theory, you could eat McDonald's every day if you kept your calories right, and divided them up into frequent and balanced feedings throughout the day. You probably wouldn't feel very good, but you'd definitely be dropping pounds. Your metabolism is well supported by balance and routine. This is the ultimate weapon in the "battle of the bulge."
That wasn't so hard, was it? These four new habits will improve a typical American's nutrition significantly.
Chad Smith is a Hagerstown personal trainer, and co-owner of Home Team Fitness LLC. Visit his website, www.hometeamfitness.net, or find him on Facebook www.facebook.com/hometeamfitness.
