Nutrition…it’s probably one of the toughest topics to tackle when it comes to overall health and wellness…and yet it’s also talked about more than any other topic. But how do you know what’s right? How do you know what is going to work for you? What do you listen to when one source is telling you one thing and another source is telling you the exact opposite? Nutrition is complex which means that the answers are complex as well. In fact when it comes to nutrition what works for you may not work for your friend or family member. Today, I’m going to take a few minutes to tackle some of the most common nutrition questions I’ve heard over the years and give you some insight into these topics…and to be honest with you it will probably be different than what you’ve read elsewhere, because it seems to be how nutrition goes.
I want to start eating healthy, where do I start?
This is a tough question to answer generally as everyone will be different, but there are some general simple tips that you can start trying to implement when you decide you want to begin a healthy eating journey. Keep in mind that it’s best to choose 1 or 2 of these tips and begin implementing them consistently. Once you have been able to consistently complete those habits most of the time over the course of a couple weeks then you can add another new habit.
- Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed (you shouldn’t feel overfull after eating a meal)
- Substitute water for other drinks
- Eat a fruit or vegetable with each meal
- Choose whole foods as often as possible
- Try eating off smaller plates/bowls
- Slow down while eating
These are just a few tips to get you started on your journey to healthy eating. Make sure that you don’t try to implement them all at once. Start by choosing one and make it a consistent habit before you add more.
Which diet is the best to follow?
You probably aren’t going to like the answer to this one but there isn’t one. First of all the answer will vary from one person to the next depending on allergies or foods that your body doesn’t process well. It may also vary depending on where you are at in your life and a “diet” may not be right for you at all. I usually encourage people to make healthy food choices as often as they can while still allowing themselves room to enjoy the foods that they love. Generally no matter which diet you are looking at they all have some sort of food restriction involved. Keto aims to keep carbs down and fat high, Paleo focuses on fruits, vegetables, nuts, lean meats and oils while discouraging grains, dairy products and other processed foods. This list could go on and on, but you get the picture that a lot of these diets restrict certain food groups while emphasizing the importance of others. While this might be appropriate for certain people at certain times in their life, for the average person choosing healthy and balanced foods is the best way of eating (and yes I’m not calling it a diet)!
Are carbs bad for me?
Carbs are not the bad guy. In recent years carbs have been made out to be the bad guys and while not all carbohydrates are created equal they are not bad for you. To break it down, carbohydrates are one the three major macronutrient groups (in addition to fats and proteins). Macronutrients are needed in large quantities in the diet (in contrast to micronutrients which are needed in much smaller quantities). So the short of it is yes, we need carbohydrates in our diet. Carbs provide us with a large majority of our energy to expend and they are the first energy source we use when completing activities in our daily life (before fat and protein). It’s important that we stop fearing carbohydrates and start embracing them!
What’s the deal with whole grains?
What is the deal with whole grains. While above we were talking about how yes we need carbohydrates in our diet it’s important to note that not all carbs are created equal…enter whole grains. Whole grains are what we preach today as the best grain option and while I do believe that you should place emphasis on increasing your whole grains it is incredibly difficult to get rid of all of the processed grains in your diet. Instead, aim to choose whole grains 50% of the time or in the situations when you have control over it. When looking at ingredient lists look for “whole grain” in the label. You may see things like “whole grain wheat” or “whole grain barley”. Standard whole wheat bread it typically a combination of whole grains and processed grains so although it may not be the perfect option it can be a great in between option. Whole grains are less processed and more closely resemble the original grain which is why they are often a healthier option.
Do I need to count calories?
Generally counting calories isn’t necessary for the average individual. There may be occasional situations where it’s beneficial, however for the general individual looking to improve their nutrition and health they don’t need to count calories. Not only is counting calories time consuming it’s also often inaccurate. Unless you are measuring your food with a scale, typically your estimates of portion sizes are inaccurate which will lead your calorie counts to be inaccurate as well. Focus on tuning into how you are feeling and avoid eating so much that you feel overfull to help you make health changes without having to count calories.
There you have it…5 common nutrition questions answered in their basic form. Have more questions or want to dive into one of these topics deeper…reach out to me and I would love to chat in more detail about these nutrition topics. Remember that nutrition is a hard topic and more often than not the answer will be different for one person versus another person.
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