When did you last stop to assess\u00a0your nutrition? If it’s no longer serving your lifestyle, here\u2019s how to get the balance back.<\/p>\n
Nutrition and fitness, diet and training. They\u2019re such an ingrained part of our lives these days. 10 years ago,\u00a0only professional athletes and elite amateurs paid such close attention to diet. Macros meant a setting on your camera.<\/p>\n
Fast forward to 2016 and it seems that everyone has a diet protocol. If you\u2019re not cutting, you\u2019re bulking. But\u2026 what for?<\/p>\n
Start with honest answers to these questions:<\/p>\n
What do you want to achieve with your nutrition?<\/p>\n
And – more importantly – why?<\/p>\n
Is your style of eating a positive part of your life?<\/p>\n
Do you feel like you are in control of your nutrition? Or is it controlling you?<\/p>\n
Eating for health, strength, and better body composition is a good thing. We\u2019re not saying anyone should go back to convenience food and massive portion sizes. But sometimes we can get swept up in the healthy-eating storm and lose sight of our personal goals.<\/p>\n
Many people decide to focus on healthier eating because of a major life change. A new job, a relationship break up, having kids. What changes in your own life have led you to your current nutritional set-up?<\/p>\n
Remember that eating habits develop over time. Grabbing a pastry at the train station on your way to the new job. Negotiating the tricky landscape of eating alone now you\u2019re single. Nibbling at food you\u2019re making for your kids. None of these things happen overnight. They become unhealthy new routines which need to be unlearned.<\/p>\n
So once your life is back on an even keel, it\u2019s time to reassess your nutrition.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve lost your way with confusing, conflicting nutrition advice, strip things back to basics.<\/p>\n
1) Food is energy.<\/strong><\/p>\n Some people think \u201cfood is fuel\u201d. Others think that food is there to be enjoyed. We reckon the truth is somewhere in the middle. Food<\/a> should be nourishing, enjoyable, and something to look forward to. But don\u2019t forget that food is energy and nutrients. Enjoy what you eat, but never to the detriment of your health.<\/p>\n 2) Eat to support your activity levels.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n For most healthy people, weight management is calories in (food\/drink) vs calories out (BMR, activity, and training). Make sure your calorie intake matches your level of activity. If you\u2019re active, eat more. If you\u2019re sedentary, eat less.<\/p>\n 3) Prioritise a well-balanced diet.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Don\u2019t cut out any food group or specific food (unless it affects your health). Eat from all three macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fats). Use a quality whey protein powder<\/a> to bump up your protein intake if necessary. A rounded, balanced diet\u00a0includes protein, carbs, and fats. It features\u00a0vegetables and fruit, pulses and\u00a0wholegrains, and dairy. Protein can come from a variety of meats,\u00a0fish and seafood, eggs and liquid egg whites<\/a>. Add in\u00a0healthy treats like nut butters<\/a>. Balance is key to long-term health and happiness, too! Your style of eating needs to nourish your body and emotions for the long term.<\/p>\n 4) Supplements are supplementary to food.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Get your nutrition, hydration, macronutrients and micronutrient intake nailed down before worrying about supplements. The clue is in the name. Even the most well-respected basics like Omega 3<\/a> fish oils, Vitamin D<\/a>, and Vitamin C<\/a> are supplemental to your existing diet. Don’t patch up a\u00a0poor diet\u00a0with supplements. Just as you can\u2019t out-train a bad diet, you can\u2019t hold it together with supplements either. You\u2019ll need to go back to basics and address the bigger issues.<\/p>\n 5) Fix your lifestyle.<\/strong><\/p>\n Support all that effort you put into your diet. Poor sleep can lead to low energy, no motivation, and delayed recovery from training. Liquid calories (particularly from alcohol) contribute to fat gain and\u00a0poor health. Eat too much fast food and you\u2019ll take in excess trans-fats and sugars (and\u00a0crowd out vitamins and nutrients).<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve lost your way with nutrition, don\u2019t look for another diet. Take it back to basics. Remember why you want to eat better. Then take steps towards eating better and being more active.<\/p>\n About the Author<\/strong><\/p>\n Nicola Joyce has been writing for (and about) sport, fitness, nutrition and healthy living since 2004. She\u2019s also a keen sportswoman: her background is in endurance sport but she now competes as a natural bodybuilder, most recently winning a world title with the INBF. When she\u2019s not writing content, she can be found blogging. Follow her here www.nicolajoyce.co.uk<\/a> and on Facebook<\/a> & Twitter (@thefitwriter<\/a>) too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When did you last stop to assess your nutrition? If it’s no longer serving your lifestyle, here’s how to get the balance back. Nutrition and fitness, diet and training. 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