When making changes to one's lifestyle we often get into this "all or nothing" approach and attempt to make large drastic changes in order to create results faster. More often than not, those dramatic changes do not last, and we fall right back into our old habits. The key to success is SMALL CONSISTENT STEPS! This same principle applies to improving your health and wellness as well, especially when it comes to your nutrition.
Why is nutrition important? Think of your body like a car, if you're not fueling that car with the proper fuel, it doesn't run efficiently, or at least not for a long time like we would like it to. No matter what stage of your wellness journey you are in, whether it's losing body fat, gaining muscle, or just attempting to live a longer healthier life, nutrition will be a vital part of that process. Your nutritional requirements will vary depending on what stage of your journey you are in.
STEP 1: Your Relationship with Food.
Before we begin diving into some specifics of nutrition, first we must look at what is your relationship with food. Is it positive or negative?
Signs of a positive relationship with food are...
-View food as fuel?
-Give yourself permission to eat the foods you enjoy?
-Enjoy foods that make you feel your best?
-You don't feel the need to justify your food choices?
-Are you open to trying various types of food?
-You don't let the opinions of others dictate the types of foods you eat?
-Do you view no food as off limits?
-Listen to your body's natural hunger signals?
-Monitor how certain foods make you feel (mood, energy levels, sleep, libido, level of fullness, etc.)
-Obsess about the number on the scale?
Signs of a negative relationship with food are...
-Do you view food as an enemy?
-In the "I can't have that" mindset?
-Constantly worrying about how much weight you will gain from consuming certain foods?
-Eat until you are stuffed and feel slightly nauseous?
-Become stressed when eating in social settings because of what others may think of your food choices?
-Obsess about the number on the scale?
As you take a look at your feelings towards food, notice if they are more negative or positive. If you approach is more negative, attempt to begin to rethink your approach to food and create that more positive relationship with it. Food is meant to be your fuel, so enjoy it!
What Approach Is Ideal for Me?
When it comes to nutrition, there is no such thing as a "one size fits all", it is completely unique and will vary depending on what stage of your wellness journey you are in. The goal is to find an approach that works best for you and that you can keep consistent. Your nutritional needs will also vary throughout the course of your life as well. What you need in your 20s and 30s will be different when you are in your 40s and 50s and so on. We will go over a few approaches for 3 primary wellness goals. Fat-loss, increasing lean muscle, and improving overall health.
1. Nutrition for Fat-Loss.
When beginning your weight-loss journey we must consider WHAT KIND of weight you would like to lose. Overall weight or just body fat? This is an important question to answer because the answer will dictate the outcome of your results. When your goal is to lose weight, it will be ideal to focus on lowering your body's overall bodyfat percentage. This will create a healthier version of yourself than just lowering the number on the scale (for more information on this topic click the link to our blog called Rethinking Weight-Loss "Rethinking Weight Loss: Is the Scale the Ultimate Measurement?" (choosetoliveengaged.com)). You can easily lower the number on the scale and actually increase your body's bodyfat percentage.
Losing weight, for most people, is no easy feat, but you can set yourself up for success by implementing these small steps into your daily routine when it comes to nutrition.
A. Eat as many WHOLE FOODS as possible. - Consume foods with as close to single-ingredients as possible (whole fruits and vegetables, beans, eggs, fish, chicken, etc.).
These foods have a lower calorie content and a higher density of nutrients that your body requires, and also create that full feeling with less food. When consuming large amounts of processed foods your body is consuming more artificial ingredients as well as added salt and sugar and and little to no vital nutrients.
B. Don't drink water at least 30 minutes BEFORE or AFTER your meals. -Drinking water, or any fluids, 30 minutes before or after your meal decreases your stomach's acidity level, which will not allow your stomach to breakdown and absorb all the vital nutrients from your meal.
If you constantly feel the need to have fluids with your meals, your food may contain too much salt, and maybe consider consuming foods lower in sodium. This may also lead to your body "holding" onto water and excess weight.
C. As often as you can, try and stand for at least 30 minutes after your meal. -When your body is standing, it is in a more aligned position for your digestive system to work properly and is not all scrunched up like when you are sitting. It can be anything, like doing the dishes or going for a walk.
D. Find out if you are eating enough QUALITY calories in order to carry out your daily tasks. -Often we think "all I need to do is eat less, right?" Believe it or not, and depending on your lifestyle, your body will protect itself and hold onto excess body fat if it feels it isn't getting adequate nutrition and may even begin to use your lean muscle tissue as fuel, as it is requires a large amount of energy to maintain. Focusing on the type of calories you are consuming is equally beneficial, because not all calories are the same. For example, the average medium sized donut has around 190-300 calories and is mostly sugar, but an apple with 2 Tbsp. of peanut butter is around 270 calories. Even though these two food items have the same NUMBER of calories, it is the quality of calories that matters, the apple and peanut butter has a higher amount of quality calories than the donut.
You can find out your daily calorie expenditure, or TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) using a TDEE calculator or a fitness app if you are already using one. Feel free to compare the two and it will still give you a close estimate. Here are some free resources to find your TDEE.
Find one of these approaches to implement into your daily routine as long as it takes to keep it consistent. Then, gradually begin adding another one of these tactics with the same approach. Above all, be patient, mostly with yourself.
2. Nutrition for Increasing Lean Muscle.
When it comes to building lean muscle, every individual is different, and similarly to losing body fat, for most people, it is not easy. When one is building lean muscle, they will often also see a decrease in bodyfat percentage due to an increase in your body's metabolism and improved ability to process food. There are many factors that contribute to one's ability to build lean muscle, such as lifestyle and genetics. Consistency will be your greatest ally in this process, and making small consistent changes into your daily routine will aid in this journey. When it comes to nutrition, you will focus on 3 main nutrients our body will need, protein, carbs and healthy fats, again focusing on getting QUALITY sources of these nutrients. Implementing regular strength training into your routine is another vital piece of the muscle building process. If you are not challenging your body appropriately your body will not receive the appropriate signals to grow lean muscle.
How Much of Each Nutrient Do I Need?
In order to add lean muscle to your existing frame you must find your baseline calorie expenditure or TDEE (Find out how to in the section above). Once you have found your TDEE, then we will slowly begin adding calories to your diet, approximately 5-10% of your TDEE. For example, if your TDEE is 2000 calories, then we would add 100-200 calories. Most people are apprehensive to begin this step as they are in the mindset that they will gain excess weight. The thing is, you will, but it will be lean muscle. What you are doing at this stage is sending signals to your body that it is time to grow and become stronger by fueling it with the appropriate amount of those specific macronutrients. Next, you can begin to find what amounts of each macronutrient we need in order to add lean muscle. There are two primary ways to do this. Using a percentage of each macronutrient in your total calorie intake, and the other is using your bodyweight to measure each macronutrient.
FOOD PERCENTAGE. -Calculating the percentage of calories of each of the main three nutrients is one approach to ensuring you are getting your adequate nutrition for building lean muscle.
As you can see in the chart you will need a large amount of carbs, approximately 50-65% of your calories. YES CARBS. This will be your energy source for your workouts as well as aiding in the repair and growth process. Then we have your protein sources, which will count for 20-30% of your calories. And finally, we have healthy fats, at 15-25% of your calories.
USING YOUR BODYWEIGHT.- When calculating your macro nutrients using this approach you will base your amounts on your either current or target bodyweight depending on your body fat percentage. Don't worry, I will explain shortly. When adding lean muscle, protein is your primary focus. Your goal is to aim as close to 1.2-1.7g of protein per kg of bodyweight (1b=2.2kg)(current or target weight). For example, if your weight is 185lbs (82kg) you would aim to consume 98-139 grams of protein per day. For carbohydrates, the amount is 8-10 grams per kilogram of bodyweight. Using our 185lb (82kg) person they would aim to consume 656-820 grams of carbohydrates per day. As for healthy fats, you will aim to consume 0.5-1.5 grams per kilogram of bodyweight, so the same individual at 185lbs (82kg.) would aim to consume 41-123 grams of healthy fats per day.
Find which of these approaches will work best for you and begin learning what your specific macronutrients are.
3. Nutrition for Improving Overall Health.
Improving your overall health, like most processes in your wellness journey, is to be taken one step at a time and is unique to the individual. First, you must look at WHY you would like to improve your overall health. Is your focus to increase your energy levels, decrease your body fat percentage, prevent diseases, decrease inflammation, you would like to live a long and healthy life, etc.? Once you have discovered your why, then we can begin to focus on the how. Are you eating a variety of foods, including fruits and vegetables and various sources of proteins and carbohydrates? Not sure? One way to tell is how much color is on your plate at each meal. In order to improve your overall health you will aim to "eat the rainbow" and add a variety of natural colors to your plate. This will enable you to improve your gut health allowing you to have a more robust digestive and immune system and decrease the likelihood of gaining excess body fat.
Begin by adding as many whole food sourced items to your nutrition and find things that your genuinely enjoy. This will ensure your consistency as well as your long-term success. As I said previously, each person is unique and the approach to one's wellness should be as such. There is no "one way" one should eat for the rest of their lives. Your nutrition will be fluid and changing. The focus is to find what works for you and your body, and above all, something you enjoy.
Whether your goal is fat loss, building lean muscle or you would like to improve your overall wellness, find which approach suites you best and slowly find ways to learn about your unique nutritional needs.
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