Making Nutrition Easier Pt. 2
1. Cut out drinks with more than 0 calories:
Eliminate soda, fruit juice, coffees/teas containing large amounts of cream and sugar. There is a common misconception among people that fruit juice is a healthy alternative to soda. However, fruit juices have very little nutritional value and are certainly not a good substitute for actual fruits or vegetables. Stick with regular water as much as possible aiming to get 8 cups on days you do not exercise and 16 cups on days you do.
2. Whole foods trump supplements
Your daily food intake should consist of unprocessed whole foods that are in line with the other four rules set forth here along with the other five rules set out in last weeks 5 Keys To Making Nutrition Easier. Always try to choose organic when possible, as you will reap the benefits of eating organically produced food. Try to limit supplements for when you are under pressure for time. However, consistently eating unprocessed whole foods will prove to be difficult if you do not have whole foods prepared, which leads me to the next habit…
3. Plan ahead and prepare food in advance
The toughest part about eating well is staying consistent. A sure fire way to stay consistent with your food intake is planning out your week and preparing your meals in advance. Some examples would be boiling a dozen eggs on Sunday night for the coming weeks breakfast, or cooking a number of chicken breasts on the grill to use in your salads for lunch at work. Figure out what works for you and stick to it!
4. Eat a wide variety of foods
Mix it up! Use a variety of sources for protein – try bison, venison or ostrich as a change to the regular chicken, salmon, or beef. Try kale, spinach, mango, or berries instead of apples, oranges, carrots, or broccoli. Try quinoa or barley instead of bread or pasta.
5. Aim for 90-10
Do not expect perfection for this will set you up for failure. Aim to follow the rules 90% of the time, and your body will be able to absorb the 10% of the time you stray from the path. With that said, the 10% must be within reason! It doesn’t give you permission to eat two full pizzas and a case of soda in one sitting! If you eat 5 times per day per week, that’s 35 meals per week. Therefore, you can afford to drift a little on 3.5 meals per week. And just like with the rest of your eating, plan it out. Maybe choose a Saturday night meal with friends as one, or Sunday brunch as another.
There you have it. 5 more simple rules to get the body of your dreams. Make them a part of who you are and you will never turn back. Long-term, sustained success awaits you!
