Nutrition Basics

I would like to share with you some principals of good nutrition. Some people talk about diet, but for me it is better to talk about nutrition because it is a lifestyle that you need to live. It is not about following some plan to loose weight and then going back to what you were eating before. I think the biggest reason people get stuck in this cycle of gaining and loosing weight is because they think about going on a 'diet'. It is this thing that they do and then they go back to normal. If you want to be in control of your weight, you need to have a good nutrition plan every day. This doesn't mean that you can't go through a phase to loose fat or build some lean muscle or whatever. The fact is that you will be what you are doing 90% of the time. It is also about more than just maintaining a healthy fat percentage, it's about being as healthy as possible. Good nutrition will supply your body with most of the vital nutrients to live in optimal health. A lot of people want to eat whatever they feel like and then try to take supplements to counter attack their bad diet. This will never work.

So what should you do? If you are prepared to change you can learn new habits. You are taking time to prepare food in any case. You might just as well learn how to do it differently from what you are used to. It is really not that difficult or as time consuming as most people believe. In the beginning, say the first month, it will take a bit longer. You will need to think a bit before running into the shop to buy groceries. Eventually the new principals will become your habits. Following are a few principals that you can implement to help you sort out your nutrition. This list is by no means complete, but it is a good start.

1. Eat real food. If you do just this one thing, you will be amazed at how much healthier you will be, how much better you will feel, look and perform. So what is real food? It must have been a living organism or direct product of one at some stage. Think about all the meats, eggs, milk, etc. I'm sure you know what a plant looks like, so look for some of those in your shopping trolley. No processed stuff! If you get the meat, you want the cow without the skin, not some processed thingy that has who knows what in it. (Trust me, you don't want to know!) If you get the fruit and veggies, think about the pictures that we show children to teach them what the different fruit and veggies are; this is an apple, this is broccoli, etc. You must be able to put them in a definite category. If something is in a box or packet, there is a big chance that you can do better. If you follow this rule you will not drink bad liquids, you will get in healthy fruit and veggies and you will get in lean proteins. Obviously it is not all that simplistic, but if you stick to this rule as much as possible, you will definitely do yourself and your loved ones a favour.

2. Eat smaller meals throughout the day. A meal doesn't need to be a plate with stuff on it. If you eat breakfast, you can put in a nice snack before lunch, then another snack before dinner again. In this way you have 5 meals every day. Just to clarify, a snack must still be real food (remember principal 1?) This rule is important because there are numerous studies to confirm that eating this way is better for your blood sugar levels, your hormone levels, and your energy levels throughout the day. This rule ties in with the next 3 principals. I know you think you are too busy to make and eat 5 meals or more a day, but if you are willing to change, you can learn new habits to help you. If you get into the habit of planning ahead, you can plan all your meals for a week in advance. Every morning you can make all the meals for that day (or as much of it as possible) and it can take you around 30 minutes. You might need to learn some new recipies, but you are willing to change, right?

3. Eat lean protein at every meal. Don't worry, you are probably not eating enough protein to hurt your kidneys. In fact, you are probably not eating enough protein for optimal health. In all my years I have only met one person in a ketonic state. You need sufficient proteins to maintain all your body tissue. Of all the food groups, proteins are the best for loosing fat. It takes about three times more energy just to process proteins compared to carbohydrates and fats. Animal proteins are complete proteins, which means that they contain all the essential amino acids. If you choose not to eat them, you need to be more careful. Combine foods that will make up a complete protein profile.

4. Eat fruit and veggies at every meal. Yes, it includes breakfast. Tomatoes with your box of cereal? You probably shouldn't be eating that box of cereal! Remember principal 1, always. Although it sounds freaky at first, it really is not that difficult to whip up a fast breakfast with good food. Think omelette with spinach and feta, or fresh fruit with yoghurt. I make fresh veggie juice every morning and it tastes fantastic if you put the right stuff into it. Most people raise their eyebrows when they see the glass with red juice, but they are always pleasantly surprised when they taste it. Have I mentioned principal 1 before? For snacks you can use fresh fruit or veggie sticks. What about an avo with salad? Just read some health cook books, there are lots of ways to prepare fruit and veggies. Do I really need to tell you why they are good for you? People still debate about proteins and fats, but everybody agrees that you need fruit and veggies, and the more, the better. They supply you with vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and a host of stuff that are good for you. Listen to your mother and just eat them.

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