Let’s get real. Food is fuel. Healthy diet matters. In fact, a healthy diet is just as important as exercise when hitting the gym and making goals to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Your body can’t make good out of garbage. You are built by the resources you choose to put in your body. Right down to your cellular level, you are built what you supply. Make the right choice!
Maintaining a Healthy Diet
First, let’s talk about serving size. Quantity matters too! The best Rule of “Thumb and Palms” is to is to consume single-ingredient foods to maintain a healthy diet. Start with your hands – Forget counting calories or weighing your food. The easiest way to figure out portion sizes is with your hands. Here’s a quick overview:
- Your palm determines your protein portions.
- Your fist determines your vegetable portions.
- Your cupped hand determines your carb portions.
- Your thumb determines your fat portions.
But wait? Hand size is relative … does there really need to be a different approach men (vs. women) should take when choosing these foods? And the answer is yes. Typically, women should have a baseline diet of their hand size – not the size of a man’s hand. In most cases, it’s less than half the portion of that of a man.
Second: You need to maintain continuous energy throughout the day. The best way to do that is to listen to your body and start to understand what it’s craving. And then eat something healthy within the boundary of a “single-ingredient food.”
And third, rather than specific food, here’s what properties and nutrients that we should be looking for when planning our meals/snacks for focus/productivity. Let’s start with protein.
- Whey Protein: A whey protein supplement can make it easier to meet your daily protein requirements. You may choose to replace one of your meals with a whey protein shake and some fruit. Any whey isolate or concentrate is fine, just make sure each scoop is about 25g of protein and only 3 – 6 grams of carbs. Amount: One 25-50g shake per day.
- Fish Oil: Fish oil supplementation has been shown to reduce inflammation and is associated with decreased risk of diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and more. Amount: 1-2g of EPA/DHA / day (Check the label for the amount of EPA/DHA. That’s what counts.)
- Vitamin D3: Vitamin D supplementation is associated with increased cognition, immune health and bone density. Amount: 2000 – 4000 IU / day (take with food)
And fourth, healthy snacks. It’s so cliche but it’s true – garbage in, garbage out. Your body works with the resources it’s being given. Make sure you are setting your body up for success. Here are some healthy snacks by category to get you started.
Are you ready to make a change? And not just concerning what goes in your body? Did you know that One with the Water provides private or semi-private barbell workouts using the Starting Strength training program? We’re not in the business of building bulk, only to make you a stronger person, inside and out. Barbell workouts will build your confidence and strength like no other exercise in the world.
Contact Coach Rippetoe here for more information. Get started today!
Kenneth is a Life-time member of the American Swimming Coaches Association and holds certifications as a Level 4 Disability Coach & Level 3 USA Swimming as well as US Masters Coach. Coaching since 1985, Kenneth specializes in Swimming, Strength and Conditioning coaching.