There is so much information out there about eating healthy that it can all get quite over whelming and confusing to say the least!
At Firewalker, we believe in keeping our advice simple and straight to the point. No matter what your goal may be (weight loss, building muscle, keeping fit) being healthy should be by far you’re most important goal. Before we even attempt to look at all the different diets, metabolisms and all that jazz, let’s breakdown the basics.
- Before you make any changes – you need to look at your current eating habits.
You can do this by keeping a food & drink diary (on paper or computer/phone, which ever suits you), this will really enable you to see what you are eating and drinking (don’t forget drinks hold calories too!). Try to aim to keep a diary for 5-7 days so you can see the full picture.
- Look back at your food & drink diary, and look at how much sugar you are consuming.
Is it only occasionally you are having sugar (once or twice per week), is it daily or is it hourly? Don’t forget sugar comes in all forms, the exhausting list includes: white carbohydrates; fruit juices and fizzy drinks; sweets, chocolates, cakes and its normal form added into hot drinks, cereals… and the list goes on. If you are having a lot of sugar on a daily basis, cut it right down to once or twice per week. If you’re used to a lot of sugar in your diet, you will need to cut this down gradually as you can often get withdrawal symptoms such as headaches.
- Carbs aren’t the enemy!
Actually you need them to maintain a healthy metabolism in order to aid with weight loss and you also need them for energy. However, it is important to include as many wholegrain carbohydrates as possible, this is because they contain far less sugar, actually giving you an opportunity to burn them off before they convert and are stored as fats. Great wholegrain and/or low sugar carbohydrate options include: cous cous, sweet potato, whole-wheat bread, rye bread, wholegrain rice, wholegrain pasta, and yam.
- It may seem simple, but make sure you’re getting your 5 a day of fruits and vegetables.
There are so many fruits and vegetables that you can chose from which add vital micronutrients into our diets. Try to include at least 5 portions into your daily routine at breakfast, lunch, dinner and as snacks.
- Increase your protein intake.
Protein is so important for maintaining and creating lean muscle mass, it also plays an integral role with our hunger hormones. Protein helps us feel full, so if you have more protein than carbs on your plate you will feel more satisfied. Healthy protein sources include: chicken, turkey, fish, legumes (beans & lentils), quinoa and buckwheat.
And finally, one of the most important things to consider is the removal of processed foods. You have to be in control of what you’re eating to ensure it is healthy, so stick to home-cooked foods as much as you can. Can you be sure of what is in any product if you haven’t prepared it yourself?
If you would like more information on how to create healthy eating habits, speak to one of our personal trainers.
