Healthy eating and good nutrition is important all year long, but March is “National Nutrition Month,” where we are reminded of and celebrate the importance of healthy eating. Good nutrition contributes to your overall health and can help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce your risk for chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Simply making small changes to include healthy eating in your lifestyle can make a BIG difference. If your New Year’s resolutions haven’t quite stuck, then this month offers a new chance for you to get back on track by stopping to analyze your current lifestyle habits and how they are working for you.
Nutrition information has never before been as accessible as it is today. We have easy access to the internet, television and magazines, along with countless diet books and weight loss programs everywhere we turn. It’s not surprising we often times find ourselves lost and wondering what to believe. Everyone has their own definition for “healthy.” On top of the widely varied mixture of information out there, nutrition is a field with information that is constantly changing based on the latest research studies. It’s important to turn to the right places when seeking nutrition advice.
This nutrition month, my advice is to focus on keeping it simple by bringing us back to the basics of healthy eating.
How to “Keep it Simple:”
Every single meal and snack should include a protein, fat and carbohydrate. Think PFC. There are three macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein and fat. They all serve a specific purpose, therefore (despite what you may have heard) none of them should be avoided. Including all three every time you eat provides your body with the proper balance it needs to function most efficiently.
- Carbohydrates are your body’s main fuel source and account for the majority of calories we ingest. The best carbohydrate choices are non-starchy vegetables—these provide the greatest amount of nutrients for the least amount of calories and can be consumed in unlimited amounts. Think broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus, spinach and leafy greens. Other carbohydrate sources that can be included (but not in unlimited amounts) include fruit, sweet potatoes, legumes, beans, and for some people; dairy products, whole grain breads and brown rice.
- Protein is essential for your muscles and organs and actually increases metabolism every time you eat it! For our metabolism to function at its best, we should be eating protein five to six times each day. Healthy protein sources include eggs, cheese, fish and lean meat (if you are a meat eater).
- Fat—Although fat has gotten a bad rap, it’s just as important to eat as it is to have protein and carbohydrates. We have developed a fear of fat due to trends and marketing in the recent years, so it is important to realize that fat is not going to make you fat. Fat is essential for our cell membranes, nervous system and brain function. That being said, be sure you’re picking the right type of fat. Healthy fat sources include olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, olives, salmon, nuts and seeds. Stay away from fat in processed foods, as they tend to contain trans fats and man-made oils.
Eat real food. The less processed, the better. Think back to what our ancestors ate. Stop eating processed foods like cereal, muffins and crackers and start eating eggs, fruits and vegetables.
Be consistent. Aim to eat every two to three hours. This will keep your blood sugars balanced and your metabolism revved up all day long. Eating every few hours may sound like a lot, but realize that you’re not going to be eating large amounts. A balanced snack can be as simple as an apple, a hardboiled egg and two tablespoons of peanut butter. Or a couple handfuls of berries, nuts and a beef stick. Or cottage cheese with fruit and sunflower seeds. Keep it simple.
Don’t buy into fad diets and anything that promises you something that sounds too good to be true. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Keep it simple by eating real food.
Plan ahead and be prepared. Plan your meals and snacks ahead of time so you don’t find yourself in a state of desperation and grabbing anything in sight. When our blood sugar falls, it is a natural response to reach for something unhealthy to raise it. Be prepared by packing easy-to-grab snacks and a cooler with your lunch, or have a plan to choose something healthy.
Does meal planning stress you out? For meal plans, you’ll love our 50 Days of PFC, where it’s all laid out for you so you know what to eat for 50 full days. We take away the burden of having to figure out what to eat and lay it all out in one convenient e-guide (we have one for adults, and one for kids, too!)
Now, go grab my BEST tips to BOOST your metabolism by clicking the pink button below!
