Doctor with vegetables and family. Healthy diet and nutrition.
Achieving good nutrition and a balanced diet can seem like a daunting task in today’s world, especially if you lead a busy, on-the-go lifestyle. However, if you incorporate these four guiding principles, you will be well on your way to better nutrition.
1. Eat breakfast. You’ve heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day for years, yet many people still continue to skip breakfast or get buy on a cup of coffee and a piece of toast. Breakfast helps get your metabolism working for the day, and literally provides the fuel you need to meet the day’s challenges. Ggreat breakfast not only helps you avoid hunger and cravings throughout the day, but even improves your cognitive functioning. Not just any breakfast will do; you want a breakfast that combines proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates.
2. Count nutrients, not calories. For years, people have believed that a healthy diet is all about staying low-calorie. While calories certainly will impact your success, it is far more important to count nutrients. If you are getting your nutrients through nutrient-dense foods, you will probably find that getting them in actually involves eating more food than you think it will, and that, while you may initially struggle with cravings, you will naturally reduce calories without dealing with hunger.
3. Ditch the three-meal mentality. Most of us grew up with the three meal and a snack model, but, for most people, a five meal or more approach is much easier to sustain. Try eating multiple smaller meals throughout the day, aiming to eat every 2 to 3 hours.
4. Shop for success. It is hard to eat healthy, when you do not have healthy options in your fridge. Buy healthy, nutrient-dense food that you like to eat at the grocery store, and make sure you keep it in stock.
At The MAX Challenge in Madison, NJ, we firmly believe that you cannot out-exercise a bad diet. Come in today and let one of our health and wellness gurus help you develop a total lifestyle fitness plan.