For the past 3 blog posts, we’ve gone over the 3 macronutrients- Proteins, carbohydrates & fats.
(If you haven't read those, go read them & then come back.)
The two questions that always follow are- “Well, how do I know how much & exactly what to eat?”
Well, hold ya horses cause we’re diving in.
I'm going to start off by saying that the recommendations I'm giving are just that- recommendations.
There is SO MUCH VALUE in investing in a qualified coach to help you figure out exactly what your body needs because every person has a different set of genetics, body type, family history, life circumstances, preferences, etc. (You get the point.) & Because of those differences, your body isn’t going to respond the same as the person next to you. However, I think that each person deserves a base of information on where to start so here are a few of my recommendations:
ALL THE VEGETABLES. This probably doesn’t need much of an explanation, but eat your veggies & vary the color! If you’re not much for vegetables, consider adding in a greens supplement to ensure you’re getting in all the vitamins & minerals your body needs.
FOCUS ON PROTEIN. A higher protein diet will not only keep you full for longer between meals, but also help in building lean muscle mass. The DRI (Dietary Reference Intake) recommendation is .36g per lb. of body weight.. which comes out to about 54g for the average 150# sedentary adult. My personal recommendation is typically higher than that for most of my clients- between .8-1g per lb. of body weight to assist with building lean muscle mass & lowering body fat %.
GET IN HIGH-FIBER FOODS. These are typically your vegetables, fruits, legumes & whole grains. The AHA (American Heart Association) recommendation is between 25-38g of fiber per day. Getting in high-fiber foods will help to regulate your bowel movements, lower cholesterol levels & control your blood sugar levels throughout the day.
EMPHASIZE HEALTHY FATS. The DRI recommendation for fats is 20-35% of total calories. For example, a 2,000 calorie diet would have 44-77g of fat & focusing on avocados, fatty fish, nuts, seeds, whole eggs & olive oil.
KNOW YOUR TOLERANCE TO DAIRY. A recent study came out that says that roughly 65% of the human population has a reduced ability to digest lactose (dairy products) after infancy. Dairy intolerance can cause gas build up, stomach pain, bloating, constipation, general body inflammation & acne in some cases. Not everyone has these side effects, however I think its really beneficial to cut out dairy for a period of time to see how your body reacts.
LIMIT HIGHLY PROCESSED FOODS & SUGARY DRINKS. How do you know if a food is highly processed? If the ingredient list is as long as a CVS receipt & has ingredients you can’t even pronounce, it’s probably not something you want to put into your body. Now, there are some healthier alternative processed foods, but as a general rule of thumb- try to limit your overall consumption & stick to real food.
ENJOY YOUR FOOD. This goes without saying, but choosing foods to eat shouldn’t be stressful. It’s all about moderation.