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Uncategorized May 7, 2023

Changing Your Body Composition: Why It’s Important and How Exercise and Diet Can Help You Achieve Optimal Health

Introduction:

Body composition is a term used to describe the amount of fat and muscle in the body. While many people focus on losing weight, changing body composition is more important for achieving optimal health. The benefits of a healthy body composition include improved energy levels, better metabolism, and reduced risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer. In this post, we will explore why changing body composition is important and how exercise and diet can help you achieve your goals.

Why Changing Body Composition Is Important:

Changing your body composition is important for several reasons. Firstly, it can help improve your metabolism, which is the rate at which your body burns calories. When you have a higher muscle mass, your metabolism is faster, which means you burn more calories even when you’re at rest. This can be particularly helpful for weight loss and weight management.

Secondly, a healthy body composition can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Excess body fat is linked to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer. By reducing your body fat percentage and increasing your muscle mass, you can lower your risk of developing these conditions.

Furthermore, a healthy body composition can improve your physical performance and overall quality of life. When you have a healthy body composition, you have more energy, better sleep quality, and improved physical performance. This can make it easier to perform everyday tasks, participate in physical activity, and enjoy your favorite hobbies and activities. A study conducted by Harvard Medical School found that elderly individuals with a higher muscle mass had a lower risk of falling, greater mobility, and better quality of life.

How Exercise Helps:

Exercise is a critical component of changing your body composition. Specifically, resistance training, such as weightlifting, is the most effective way to increase muscle mass and reduce body fat. When you lift weights, you create small tears in your muscle fibers. Your body then repairs these tears, making your muscles stronger and larger. Over time, this process leads to an increase in muscle mass and a reduction in body fat.

In addition to weightlifting, cardiovascular exercise can also be helpful for changing body composition. Cardiovascular exercise, such as running or cycling, can help you burn calories and reduce body fat. However, it’s important to note that cardiovascular exercise alone is not as effective as resistance training for changing body composition.

How Diet Helps:

Diet is also an important component of changing your body composition. To increase muscle mass, you need to consume enough protein. Protein is the building block of muscle tissue, so it’s important to eat enough to support muscle growth. Good sources of protein include lean meats, fish, eggs, and dairy products.

In addition to protein, it’s important to eat a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats. These foods provide the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients your body needs to support muscle growth and overall health.

Feeling Better:

In addition to the physical benefits, changing your body composition can also have a positive impact on your mental health. People who exercise regularly and maintain a healthy body composition tend to feel more confident, have higher self-esteem, and experience less stress and anxiety.

In fact, a study conducted by the University of Basel found that regular physical activity can be just as effective as medication in treating depression. This is likely due to the release of endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that help reduce pain and improve mood.

Conclusion:

Changing your body composition is important for achieving optimal health and wellbeing. By increasing your muscle mass and reducing your body fat percentage, you can improve your metabolism, reduce your risk of chronic diseases, and improve your overall quality of life. Exercise and diet are both critical components of changing body composition.

“Why Changing Your Body Composition Is More Important Than Weight Loss” (Healthline): https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/body-composition#section1
“The Importance of Body Composition and How to Measure It” (Verywell Fit): https://www.verywellfit.com/the-importance-of-body-composition-and-how-to-measure-it-3495619
“Resistance Training is Medicine: Effects of Strength Training on Health” (Current Sports Medicine Reports): https://journals.lww.com/acsm-csmr/Fulltext/2016/07000/Resistance_Training_is_Medicine___Effects_of.11.aspx
“Protein: Why Your Body Needs It” (Mayo Clinic): https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/how-to-eat-healthy/art-20046590
“Exercise and Depression: Endorphins, Reducing Stress, and More” (WebMD): https://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/exercise-depression

Health April 23, 2023

Sweat Your Way to a Smarter Brain: The Surprising Link Between Exercise and Brain Health

Exercise and cognitive performance

Cognitive performance refers to our ability to learn, think, reason, and remember. It is a critical aspect of our daily lives, and any decline in cognitive function can significantly impact our quality of life. Fortunately, exercise can help to maintain and even improve cognitive performance.

Research has shown that regular exercise is associated with better cognitive performance in various domains, including attention, memory, and executive function (Colcombe & Kramer, 2003; Hillman, Erickson, & Kramer, 2008). One study found that older adults who engaged in regular aerobic exercise for six months improved their spatial memory and increased the size of their hippocampus, a brain region critical for memory (Erickson et al., 2011). Additionally, another study found that a single session of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise improved working memory performance in young adults (Pontifex et al., 2019).

The mechanisms behind exercise’s positive impact on cognitive performance are not fully understood. However, it is believed that exercise increases blood flow to the brain, which provides the brain with more oxygen and nutrients. Exercise also promotes the production of growth factors, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which helps to support the growth and survival of neurons and synapses (Voss et al., 2013).

Exercise and mental health

Mental health is another critical aspect of our overall well-being, and exercise has been shown to have a positive impact on various mental health outcomes, including depression and anxiety.

Depression is a common mental health disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Research has shown that exercise can be an effective treatment for depression, with some studies suggesting that exercise may be as effective as antidepressant medication (Blumenthal et al., 2007). Additionally, exercise has been shown to be beneficial for reducing anxiety symptoms, with one study finding that a single session of moderate-intensity exercise reduced anxiety in young adults (Leppo et al., 2018).

The mechanisms behind exercise’s positive impact on mental health are also not fully understood. However, it is believed that exercise may increase the production of endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that promote feelings of pleasure and well-being. Exercise may also help to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, which have been linked to depression and anxiety (Dunlop & Talbot, 2017).

Exercise and brain structure

Exercise not only impacts cognitive performance and mental health but also has a positive impact on brain structure. In particular, research has shown that exercise can increase the size of certain brain regions and improve white matter integrity.

One study found that older adults who engaged in regular aerobic exercise for six months increased the size of their hippocampus, a brain region critical for memory, by 2% (Erickson et al., 2011). Additionally, another study found that older adults who engaged in resistance training had increased gray matter volume in regions of the brain associated with executive function (Cassilhas et al., 2016).

Exercise has also been shown to improve white matter integrity, which is critical for the efficient transmission of neural signals throughout the brain. One study found that older adults who engaged in regular aerobic exercise for six months had increased white matter integrity in regions of the brain associated with attention and memory (Voss et al., 2013).

Conclusion

In conclusion, exercise is not only important for physical health but also has a positive impact on brain health, including cognitive performance, mental health, and brain structure. Regular exercise has been shown to improve attention, memory, and executive function, as well as reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Exercise can also increase the size of certain brain regions, such as the hippocampus, and improve white matter integrity.

While the mechanisms behind exercise’s positive impact on brain health are not fully understood, it is believed that exercise increases blood flow to the brain, promotes the production of growth factors, such as BDNF, and may increase the production of endorphins. Exercise may also help to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, which have been linked to depression and anxiety.

Incorporating exercise into your daily routine can have significant benefits for your overall health, including your brain health. Even small amounts of exercise, such as a 30-minute walk, can make a difference. So, whether it’s a brisk walk, a yoga class, or weightlifting, find an exercise that you enjoy and make it a regular part of your routine.

References:

Blumenthal, J. A., Babyak, M. A., Doraiswamy, P. M., Watkins, L., Hoffman, B. M., Barbour, K. A., … & Sherwood, A. (2007). Exercise and pharmacotherapy in the treatment of major depressive disorder. Psychosomatic medicine, 69(7), 587-596. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17846259/

Cassilhas, R. C., Lee, K. S., Fernandes, J., Oliveira, M. G., Tufik, S., Meeusen, R., & de Mello, M. T. (2016). Resistance exercise improves hippocampus-dependent memory. Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, 49(10), e5312. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27580489/

Colcombe, S. J., & Kramer, A. F. (2003). Fitness effects on the cognitive function of older adults: a meta-analytic study. Psychological science, 14(2), 125-130. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12661673/

Dunlop, B. W., & Talbot, L. S. (2017). Stress and Inflammation: The Role of Exercise. In The Oxford Handbook of Stress and Mental Health (pp. 1-12). Oxford University Press. https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190681774.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780190681774-e-9

Erickson, K. I., Voss, M. W., Prakash, R. S., Basak, C., Szabo, A., Chaddock, L., … & Kramer, A. F. (2011). Exercise training increases size of hippocampus and improves memory. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(7), 3017-3022. https://www.pnas.org/content/108/7/3017

Hillman, C. H., Erickson, K. I., & Kramer, A. F. (2008). Be smart, exercise your heart: exercise effects on brain and cognition. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 9(1), 58-65. https://www.nature.com/articles/nrn2298

Leppo, M. L., Leicht, J. D., & Hirth, V. A. (2018). Acute effects of aerobic exercise on anxiety reduction in young adults. American Journal of Health Education, 49(2), 78-84. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19325037.2017.1405366

Pontifex, M. B., Saliba, B. J., Raine, L. B., Picchietti, D. L., Hillman, C. H., & Johnson, C. R. (2019). Exercise improves behavioral, neurocognitive, and scholastic performance in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of pediatric psychology, 44(3), 340-354. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30445643/

Voss, M. W., Heo, S., Prakash, R. S., vanPatter, M., Erickson, K. I., Alves, H., … & Kramer, A. F. (2013). The influence of aerobic fitness on cerebral white matter integrity and cognitive function in older adults: results of a one

Health October 6, 2022

How to Prevent Tech Neck and Use Your Phone Comfortably

Feeling like your neck hurts? Your screen may to blame. Specifically, your phone. Based on a 2019 study, on average, people spend about 3 hours and 15 minutes on their phones, pick up their phone 58 times a day, and cannot spend go longer than 1 hour and 43 minutes without touching their phones. These numbers have likely increased since 2019 due to COVID-19.

Unfortunately, the amount of time spent on our phones has physical impacts. Neck Pain, eye strain, and cramped hands are a few of the all-too-common problems from excessive phone use. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce your discomfort through the following phone ergonomics tips:

Hold your Phone Higher to Stop Tech Neck

Many of us tilt our head forward and down when viewing our phones, resulting in discomfort over time, known as “Tech Neck.” To prevent unnecessary strain on your neck, keep your shoulders relaxed and use your arms to lift your phone higher to view your screen. That way, you can maintain a neutral neck position by having your head directly above your shoulders and your chin parallel to the floor.

Switch Up Your hands and Relax Your Grip

It’s common to use our thumb or one hand when on our phones. Instead, alternate hands and/or use both hands when holding your phone, and switch between your fingers and thumbs to scroll and type.

Also, to relax your hand when holding your phone, integrate a grip accessory on the back of your device, such as a strap or other attachment. Keep your wrists in a straight, neutral position when on your phone, as angling your wrists causes more strain.

Talk Hands Free

Do you ever find yourself on the phone for long periods of time, either cradling your phone between your ear and neck or holding your phone up with your arm? To take calls with ease, put your phone on speaker or use a headset/earbuds. This will help you maintain neutral neck posture and frees up your hands.

Take Breaks

Lastly, along good posture, make sure to take breaks! Staying in the same position for extended periods of time, no matter how good your posture, is not healthy. If you’re using your phone for more than 15 – 20 minutes, put it down and walk around, get water, use the bathroom – do something to change up your position. Your body is meant to move!

These tips are simple and will help you combat discomfort associated with the phone. If these sounds like a lot, try incorporating one recommendation at a time. With some practice, you can use your technology comfortably and get rid of tech neck!

Lifestyle March 10, 2022

How Your Diet Can Help Manage Anxiety

Tweaking your diet is an easy lifestyle change that you can make to help with anxiety.

Does diet impact mental health? Are there certain foods to calm anxiety? These are questions that many people who have anxiety are increasingly asking as they learn more and more about the link between diet and wellness. It turns out that researchers have been asking the same question. Learning how to balance nutrition may help some people better balance their mood. Take a look at the main things to know about eating a diet to help manage anxiety.

What Does Your Diet Have to Do with Your Mood?

Many people are surprised to learn that diet does, in fact, impact mood. There are many diet-related factors that can trigger anxiety. Poor hydration is one of them. Studies have found that even mild dehydration can impact mood,

Low blood sugar is one factor that often triggers anxiety. Low blood sugar, called hypoglycemia, is most usually caused by diet or exercise habits. When your blood sugar drops below 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), your body increases its production of epinephrine, which makes your palms sweat and your heart race. This can make you feel anxious.

Another factor that might be related to anxiety is your gut health. An understanding of how diet impacts mood starts in the gut. Many people assume that the “mind” and “stomach” are two separate things. Discoveries in research are proving just how misguided this viewpoint really is.

“The gut-brain axis is also very important, since a large percentage (about 95%) of serotonin receptors are found in the lining of the gut,” according to information provided by Harvard Health. While we think of serotonin as being a “brain” chemical, the truth is that what happens in our gut ultimately determines how much natural serotonin we have to work with. This is important because serotonin levels can directly impact our experiences with anxiety and depression.

Most people know serotonin as a “happiness hormone.” In fact, many common antidepressant medications are designed to increase serotonin levels. Serotonin is a chemical messenger that helps stabilize mood in both direct and indirect ways. Some of the areas of wellness influenced by serotonin include:

Mood
Cognition
Reward centers
Learning
Memory
Sleep patterns

One of the best ways to naturally increase serotonin levels is to fortify the gut against unhealthy bacteria. The gut can become overtaken by bad bacteria due to illness, poor diet, and the use of antibiotic medication. We can undo this problem by increasing the levels of healthy bacteria in the gut.

Healthy gut bacteria levels are built up by eating probiotics and prebiotics. While probiotics contain the “good bacteria” that the gut needs to fight off harmful bacteria linked with illness, prebiotics feed good bacteria to allow them to proliferate. Examples of probiotics that people can easily eat include yogurt, kombucha, and sauerkraut. Prebiotic fibers are found naturally in legumes, vegetables, berries, oats, bananas, onions, and wheat bran. Of course, building up good bacteria in the gut is only part of the picture when it comes to reducing anxiety through diet. Food type, quality, and frequency can also impact mood.

What Are the Best Foods to Calm Anxiety?

There are two ways to look at an anti-anxiety diet. The first is to focus on specific foods that have been proven to reduce anxiety. The second is to look at essential vitamins and minerals found in foods that have been proven to reduce anxiety. Take a look at some “best bets” when it comes to nourishing your mental health.

Magnesium

Beefing up your magnesium intake may be one of the best ways to holistically approach anxiety. One study published in 2012 links low-magnesium diets with increased anxiety. Luckily, magnesium is relatively easy to get just by eating everyday staples like leafy greens, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.

Zinc

A 2013 study found that higher zinc intake helped reduce signs of anxiety. The reason why researchers think zinc is so beneficial for “bringing the calm” comes down to its impact on something called the vagus nerve that transports soothing messages between the brain and body. Zinc is readily found in many common foods like fish, pine nuts, peanuts, cashews, almonds, peas, shiitake mushrooms, sweet corn, and beet greens.

Vitamin B

A 2019 study found that vitamin B can positively impact mood for people at risk for depression and anxiety. While B vitamins have many different positive effects on the body, their ability to support the adrenal glands is credited with why they help stabilize mood. Salmon, leafy greens, milk, egg, beef, oysters, and legumes are all vitamin-B superstars.

Bananas

Everyone should know about the power of bananas for improving mood. Yes, the banana contains several key elements needed for natural food-induced happiness. Bananas are bursting with an amino acid called tryptophan that’s associated with mood. However, the natural carbohydrates in bananas make it easier for the brain to absorb tryptophan. In addition, the abundant levels of vitamin B6 in bananas then help to convert tryptophan to serotonin.

Fatty Fish

Fish is one of the most powerful “mood foods” out there. That’s because fish contains omega-3 fatty acids that can only be obtained through diet because they aren’t produced naturally by the body. Salmon and albacore are the two superstars for omega-3 fatty acids. In studies, supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids has been associated with improved outcomes for people with psychiatric disorders.

Chocolate

This one almost feels like a gift! Yes, dark chocolate is excellent for mental health. However, it should be said that focusing on small portions of quality dark chocolate that don’t contain fillers like sugar and artificial flavoring is essential for retaining the “brain benefits” of dark chocolate. How does dark chocolate help to improve mood? First, the sugar in dark chocolate may create an “instant” mood improvement because the brain can use it as a pick-me-up fuel source. In addition, dark chocolate has a natural “feel good” concoction made of caffeine, theobromine, and N-acylethanolamine. What’s more, dark chocolate serves up natural compounds called flavonoids that are known to increase blood flow to the brain. Researchers have found that supplementation with cocoa is linked with acute cognitive effects.

Oats

Yes, an ordinary bowl of oats can be extraordinary for your mood! This whole-grain breakfast option serves as a great source of fiber. The link between fiber intake and mood is often overlooked. However, fiber’s role in slowing the digestion of carbs allows for a more gradual release of sugar in your bloodstream. This results in stable energy levels that can facilitate a stable mood. Many people describe the feeling of becoming overly hungry as being “hangry.” For some people, this personality “crash” that happens can result in a racing pulse, mood swings, irritability, and anxiety. One study shows that people who consume 1.5 grams to 6 grams of fiber at breakfast experience better mood with higher energy levels due to stabilized blood sugar levels. Yes, that means a timeless, filling favorite like overnight oats can be the secret to a high-energy day without the familiar anxiety and emotional volatility of a post-breakfast crash.

What Role Does Antioxidants Play in Anxiety?

Antioxidants may play a significant role in naturally addressing anxiety symptoms. The influence of antioxidant consumption on mood is so powerful that researchers involved in a 2012 study looking at the role of antioxidants in generalized anxiety disorder and depression found that antioxidant supplement therapy is helpful for patients with stress-induced psychiatric disorders. What foods have the highest amounts of antioxidants? The list of the best antioxidant foods includes small red beans, strawberries, raspberries, artichokes, cranberries, black beans, pecans, blackberries, and most apple varieties. Leafy greens are the true champions in this category.

Are There Any Foods to Avoid With Anxiety?

Generally, any food choices that spike blood sugar to facilitate a “crash” would be considered poor choices for someone looking to manage anxiety using diet. This can include things like energy drinks, fruit juices, refined carbohydrates, and processed meats. Sugary drinks and refined carbs can be so bad for mood because they trigger the body’s release of insulin to help absorb excess glucose. This creates feelings of “highs” and “lows” that can leave you feeling irritable and anxious.

Finding Mood Balance Through a Balanced Plate: A Good Plan Is the Brain’s Best Friend

First, a healthier menu is never intended to replace the guidance of a trained psychiatric professional. Never assume that it’s safe to discontinue medication just because you’re switching to an anxiety-focused diet. However, focusing on feel-good foods packed with the natural vitamins and minerals known to fight anxiety can be a great way to supplement other forms of self-care.

Preparation is everything when you have anxiety. For many people using food “therapeutically” to manage anxiety, meal prep is the easiest way to stay on track. Meal delivery that covers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks ensures the right balance for mentally feeling your best every day! It’s important to plan to have access to regular healthy meals to avoid the trap of reaching for “convenient” foods when it’s time to stop your busy day to eat.

Dietary Goals August 27, 2021

Understanding Gentle Nutrition in Intuitive Eating

Many of us have been there before— trying out another fad diet, feeling restricted and unsatisfied, and finally giving up and feeling guilty, only to start the cycle over again. Nutrition is one of the most important aspects of health. We need to fuel our bodies to function our best, but dieting doesn’t always leave us feeling that way. Intuitive eating teaches us to let go of restrictions and rules and listen to what our bodies and minds need. It helps us build a healthy and positive relationship with food and our bodies. Gentle nutrition is the final step in intuitive eating. It focuses on taking care of our bodies and minds and feeling satisfied while eating a balanced diet that gives us all the nutrition we need.

Nutrition should be a lifelong commitment, not a fad. To build these lifestyle changes, they need to be not only healthy but also sustainable. The fact is food is meant to be enjoyed and is not just there for survival. We need a balance. So, how can we be sure we’re supplying our bodies proper nutrients in adequate amounts without counting, measuring, or obsessing? Cue gentle nutrition. Here are some ways to better understand gentle nutrition and how to get started.

Understand Your Food

Before we can eat intuitively and make healthy dietary choices without needing to read labels, we need to have at least a basic understanding of our food choices. For example, whole grains are excellent sources of complex carbohydrates, while white bread is a simple carbohydrate that is not as rich in fiber and micronutrients. Take note of some healthy sources of fats and good protein sources, understand antioxidants, and so on. Learn about fiber and probiotics. You don’t need to get into the details, but you should have a general idea of what different categories of foods have to offer. Once you understand that, it’s easier to eat a balanced diet without paying attention to the nutrition label. Try our Balanced Meal Plan to make meals easier for you. We do the macro calculations, and you sit back and enjoy your food!

Take Note of How Foods Make You Feel

With intuitive eating, we try to let go of the idea that there are good and bad foods. As soon as you set limits on yourself, labeling foods as “bad” or off-limits, you start to feel restricted and fall into the pattern of dieting. Take notes of how you feel after eating your meals. It helps to write it down— what did you eat, and how did you feel afterward? You can use a food diary. This makes it easy to identify whether certain foods make you feel bad or good afterward. Everybody is different, and that is why no one diet works for everyone. You might have some intolerances or allergies that make you bloated or sick. Some foods might make you feel sluggish and heavy, while others give you energy and make you feel good. Write it all down until you notice patterns. That way, you’re not eliminating or restricting foods because someone told you to, but because you know they don’t make you feel good, and you don’t want them. You may still choose to treat yourself, and that’s fine! The reasons behind your food choices should always be positive and come from a place of self-care. You can still avoid certain foods or choose to eat plant-based, keto, or sugar-free, but your “why” is what makes the difference between dieting and gentle nutrition.

Differentiate Between Being Full and Satisfied

A big part of intuitive eating is tuning into your hunger cues and honoring them. If you’re hungry, eat. However, sometimes we eat a full meal, and while we no longer feel the physical hunger, we still aren’t satisfied. Intuitive eating focuses on both feelings because we don’t eat to simply be full— we also eat for enjoyment.Honor your cravings and eat in a way that leaves you satisfied both physically and mentally. When we don’t honor cravings, feelings of restriction start to pour in, and we don’t want that. If you eat a bowl of veggies but feel unhappy and want some pasta, then go for it! Pay attention to your food, try not to multitask while eating, and truly enjoy the experience of mealtime. This will also tremendously help with understanding and listening to your body and what it needs.

Zoom Out

Stop stressing about each meal and trying to balance out every plate with enough carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats. Look at the bigger picture. You can reflect on your food choices at the end of the day— did I eat a balanced diet today? Put all the meals together. Maybe your breakfast was primarily carbohydrates, but your dinner had lots of protein and veggies. As long as you feel good, that’s what matters. You may even wish to assess weeks at a time so that it feels less intimidating. Nobody’s perfect and intuitive eating embraces that. The goal of gentle nutrition is to eat a balanced diet overall, which means you don’t need to stress over each thing you eat but rather look at the big picture.

Prepare and Plan

Although intuitive eating focuses on listening to your body, sometimes the easiest way to start with any lifestyle change is to plan and prepare. Have a rough idea of what meals you’d like to eat throughout the week or month, or at least what ingredients you want to have in your kitchen. Not only will this help you stay organized and save you time, but it will also help you plan balanced meals. When you go to the grocery store, try to cover all your bases— fruits, veggies, carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats. That way, you have everything you need to make your nutritious meals. If you don’t have enough ingredients, eating intuitively while balancing meals can be tricky and intimidating.

Try New Things

The easiest way to eat a balanced diet and ensure you’re getting all the nutrients you need is to diversify your grocery list. Every week, or however often you go grocery shopping, pick out a fruit or vegetable that you haven’t had in a while (or maybe ever). Not only will this allow you to get creative in the kitchen, but eating a variety of produce helps you get all the different vitamins and minerals that you need. Try to pick a variety of colors when you choose fruits and veggies, as the colors often correlate with different antioxidants and micronutrients. Eating the rainbow will brighten up your plate and is a fun way to ensure you’re getting a broad list of micronutrients. Aim for at least three colors on your plate. Try to incorporate different sources of protein, as well. Instead of having chicken every night, get creative and make a plant-based dinner with tofu or chickpeas. Our Plant-Based Meals can inspire you to try some new foods you may not have had before.

Cook At Home More

While we don’t want to restrict anything, it’s a known fact that homemade meals are generally healthier than eating out constantly. You shouldn’t be afraid to eat at a restaurant with friends, but you should get to know your kitchen well. When time and your schedule allows, cooking can help build a healthy relationship with food because you can put love, time, and creativity into everything you eat. The why of intuitive eating and gentle nutrition is the most important part— if you’re doing something to care for your body and mental health versus having the mentality of restricting and guilt, then you’re on the right track.

Add to Your Favorite Meals

Instead of restricting, switch your mindset to adding. What can I add to this meal to make it even more nutritious while still tasting delicious? If you don’t like the taste of your new dish, feel free to stick to the original. Remember, it’s all about balance. One chocolate ice cream dessert won’t change anything, but if you can make it with bananas or avocado instead of heavy cream and still love the taste— why not? Get adventurous and find your love for cooking and improvising in the kitchen. Add some green peas to your mac and cheese, blend some spinach into your morning smoothies, or add some nuts and seeds to your muffins for some added omega-3 fats and protein.

Be Easy on Yourself

Remember that eating intuitively should make you feel good and improve your relationship with food. The principle itself is called “gentle” nutrition. You shouldn’t feel guilty for eating that piece of chocolate cake, eating white bread instead of whole wheat, or not having any protein in your dinner. The point of gentle nutrition is to guide you to a balanced diet and to help you let go of any negative feelings towards food. This is the final step in intuitive eating for a reason— if you’re stuck in a “diet” mentality and haven’t fully fixed any negative relationship with food you may have, focusing on nutrition can be a step backward.

Sources:
https://colleenchristensennutrition.com/getting-started-with-gentle-nutrition/
https://karalydon.com/intuitive-eating/practice-gentle-nutrition-intuitive-eating/
https://nourishrx.com/6-strategies-for-embracing-gentle-nutrition/
https://www.rachaelhartleynutrition.com/blog/how-to-practice-gentle-nutrition-in-intuitive-eating

Dietary Goals August 20, 2021

What We All Need to Know About the Eating Habits of Olympians

How do you eat like a champion? From watching the Olympics in Tokyo, many people are feeling inspired by the endurance displayed by the world’s top athletes to begin fueling their own bodies a bit differently. For top-tier athletes, diet is closely tied with peak performance. The truth is that the “average person” doesn’t necessarily need the same caloric intake as athletes who spend hours training each day. For instance, the 12,000 calories that Michael Phelps consumed during training leading up to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing would do more harm than good for nearly everyone else. It’s not uncommon for Olympic athletes to consume double or triple the number of calories recommended for “ordinary” people during peak training periods.

While it’s easy to get caught up on the number of calories top-level athletes take in, the lesson is really found in the types of calories these athletes consume. There are plenty of eating tips that everyday people can borrow from Olympians for peak life performance. Let’s explore what we can learn from how Olympians eat.

Keeping Your Eye on the Prize Starts on the Plate: Modeling Your Diet After Olympians

You may know Laurie Hernandez as an Olympic gold medalist for the U.S. gymnastics teams. Laurie is also a big advocate of sharing tips for healthy eating. After competing in the Olympics for the first time at age 16, Laurie became committed to ensuring that she was fueling her body properly. This commitment to staying fueled both on and off the mat helped the gymnast become the youngest celebrity ever to win a top place on “Dancing with the Stars.” She recently shared a sample menu of her eating habits on a typical day with USADA. Here’s a look:

Breakfast: Breakfast for Laurie typically includes a protein-rich mix of scrambled eggs, turkey and cheese. Something like a keto egg scramble fits in nicely with this type of plan. If she’s in a rush, she’ll choose some fruit or yogurt on the go. She’s also a fan of sitting down with a warm bowl of oatmeal on slower mornings. The one thing that Laurie has every morning is almond milk. In fact, the athlete swears by using almond milk in her coffee and cereal in place of regular milk.
Lunch: The middle meal of the day is usually a sandwich with grilled chicken or turkey. On days when she’s eating lighter because she’s headed to the gym, she’ll opt for a salad that contains fruit, meat and nuts to create a light, quick way to get a balanced meal without feeling overly full.
Dinner: For dinner, Laurie peppers in a mix of carbs, protein and vegetables. Her favorite dinnertime proteins are grilled chicken and salmon. Her carbs of choice are quinoa and brown rice.
Snacks: Yes, this Olympian does snack! However, don’t picture this top-level athlete shoving her hand into a bag of chips each night just yet. Laurie uses snacks to fill in any gaps her meals may have left to get various nutrient requirements in her diet. That means that her snacks are always intentional and meaningful. A typical snack for Laurie might include nuts, berries and bananas. Interestingly, she prefers fresh, whole foods over things like protein bars because she doesn’t like the uncertainty of the ingredients in prepackaged, mass-produced snacks. Laurie is a fan of homemade granolas that might include honey or chocolate chips for some wholesome sweetness.

The one meal tip that is true every single day for Laurie is that she never skips meals. The athlete recognizes the need to give the body complete, balanced nutrition that rests on her ability to plan ahead for each meal period of the day. While Laurie doesn’t track calories, she is consistent with having appropriate portions of nutrient-rich foods every day.

What Do You Need in Your Diet When Training Like an Athlete?

Let’s start with protein. Olympic athletes live for protein. However, anyone who works out or trains regularly should also prioritize a protein-rich diet. Just how much protein do you need when training? The answer can vary based on how you’re training. According to the USADA, this is how much protein is needed for various types of training:

Endurance: 1.2 to 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
Strength (Muscle Gain): 1.6 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
Strength (Muscle Maintenance): 1.6 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
Weight Restricted: 1.8 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

Next, it’s time to focus on fat. It’s recommended that athletes consume 20 percent to 35 percent of their calories from fat. Some sources of healthy fat that are recommended in the official USADA guidelines include dairy products, cooked meats, fish, nuts and avocados.

It’s also recommended that athletes use their diets to promote gut health. To achieve proper gut balance for optimal health and performance, athletes can consume foods rich in probiotics. Getting the right balance of healthy bacteria in the gut via probiotics helps prevent illness and boost the body’s natural immune system. The easiest way to get probiotics in your diet is simply by eating yogurt. However, probiotics are also found abundantly in fermented foods like miso or keifer.

Hydration is also a big part of the Olympic diet. As you may know, 60 percent of body weight is water! When we train vigorously, we lose fluid at a rapid pace through our sweat and breath. It’s essential to replenish the water that is lost throughout a training session to ensure that we don’t decrease blood circulation in a way that leads to poor performance, tiredness and injury. Here’s a look at the hydration protocol outlined by the USADA:

Athletes should drink 7 ounces to 12 ounces of cold water before working out.
Drinking should not be restricted during workouts. Drinking 4 ounces to 8 ounces of a cold fluid is recommended every 15 to 20 minutes.
Athletes should not wait to drink until they feel thirsty because dehydration begins before thirst forms.
Beverages with caffeine, alcohol and excessive carbs should be avoided.

What If You Want to Eat Like an Olympian Without Training?

You may be simply looking for some diet tips from Olympians even though you don’t necessarily need the hundreds or thousands of extra calories per day that are required when you’re in the midst of intense training. Many of the tips offered by top-level athletes still stand. The big point to walk away with for “ordinary people” looking for Olympic-level nutrition is that balance and consistency are the keys. The one thing that all Olympic athletes have in common is that they are never “surprised” by mealtimes. They know that being caught hungry at the last minute can lead to cravings that throw their eating plans off balance. If you’re wondering how to create a balanced meal plan, the goal is to keep a constant rotation of interesting and tasty vegetables, fruits, healthy grains and lean proteins on hand.

One thing that’s notable about Olympians is that they don’t shy away from snacking! While snacking has a bad reputation in popular culture, athletes view snacks as essential tools for making up for any nutritional gaps in their meals while also providing fuel between meals. When you plan to eat healthy, appetizing snacks, these foods can become “fuel boosters” that contribute to a healthy diet instead of sources of temptation that leave you feeling lethargic due to wonky blood sugar.

The final thing to remember is that it’s not necessary to always eat like you’re in training mode if you’re not an Olympian. Many nutritionists recommend using something called the 80/20 rule when planning your diet:

Following the 80/20 rule, you can “freestyle” your food plans 20 percent of the time as long as you’re sticking to a balanced, disciplined food plan 80 percent of the time.

An easy way to stick to the 80/20 rules is to have all of your meals planned out for Monday through Friday using a meal prep service before allowing yourself to enjoy time out with friends on the weekends. Planning ahead will help you avoid decision fatigue, which can sabotage your Olympic eating goals.

Just remember: Olympians don’t become Olympians without a plan. The easiest way to gear up for better mental and physical performance is to make a solid, no-fuss plan for healthy meals and snacks that allows you to be a champion of life!

Fitness July 22, 2021

Here’s How Quickly We Become “Unfit” If We Drop Our Exercise Routines

Think peak fitness is yours to keep forever? Think again! It’s common for fitness levels to plummet after just a few short weeks of inactivity. No, it’s not your imagination if you swear that you feel and look different after taking a week off from the gym. Your body may have reverted significantly during that brief window. Why is it so easy to become unfit? Blame entropy.

Our bodies need to be in constant motion to maintain fitness levels. If we “slack off” for any amount of time, our bodies are quick to become “deconditioned.” Even people who have been training for years can see significant decreases in fitness if they take just a few weeks off. That doesn’t mean that you should never take a day off from training. However, you should be aware of the role that consistency plays in helping you to enjoy prolonged fitness without the need to start from scratch every time life gets busy. The good news is that knowing why our bodies want to get back to a very unfit base can help us build routines that promote sustained fitness. Take a look at everything you ever wanted to know about why it’s so easy to get unfit!

First, Here’s How We Get Fit

Everything that we put our bodies through helps us to adapt, toughen up and become more tolerant. That’s why an exercise that seems complicated one week may be downright breezy the next. Our bodies are working towards higher and higher fitness levels while we’re consistent with exercise. If we’re adding in healthy meals full of complete nutrition for feeding our muscles with lean proteins, leafy greens and healthy grains, we often see even better results because we have the energy to get through our workouts without battling cravings.

How Does Fitness Fall Apart?

Even fitness that feels like it’s peaking at higher levels can go bust. Pursuing a fit life doesn’t leave any room for resting on your laurels because your body needs to stay in motion to keep that fitness momentum. Just ask science.

A person who builds up strength and fitness over a long period of time can experience reduced fitness in just a few weeks of no training. One study examined the effects of de-conditioning on a female master athlete after an injury. In that study, it took just four weeks of de-training for the participant to experience a significant decrease in fitness, as evidenced by a reduction of VO2max scores of 25.7 percent. VO2 max scores represent the maximum volume of oxygen that your body can use during exercise. This score is frequently used to measure cardiovascular fitness in athletes.

The simple reason is that the body doesn’t have a need to stay fit once the stress of training is lifted. The average person can expect to see their cardiorespiratory fitness return to pre-training levels in just eight weeks. Yes, that means that months or years of hard work will put you right back where you started in terms of the amount of oxygen your body uses during physical activity. We also know that blood, and plasma volumes can dip by as much as 12 percent within four weeks of a person ending their training routine. Those declines are simply due to the reduction in stress being placed on the heart and muscles. When researchers looked at 21 runners who participated in the 2016 Boston Marathon, they found that four weeks of using reduced routines caused cardio fitness levels to drop significantly. However, researchers noted that maintaining a decreased routine helped the runners avoid even larger drops in fitness. Let that be a lesson that something is better than nothing if you’re trying to maintain some level of cardio fitness during a period where things like time restraints or life obstacles are making it difficult to work out at full capacity.

What About Muscle Strength?

According to researchers, athletes will begin to lose muscle strength in just three weeks if they aren’t working out! That means that just a month away from your fitness routine can create a very noticeable difference in muscle strength and appearance. The big deal about losing muscle strength is that muscles are very important for overall health and leanness. Muscles burn more calories than fat, even outside the gym. That’s true even when you’re simply sitting on the couch watching television. As a result, a person with higher muscle mass will typically burn more calories than a person with lower muscle mass throughout the course of an average day. When muscles are allowed to atrophy, this opens the door for sudden weight gain.

Why Don’t Our Bodies Just Stay Fit?

The human body is smart. It’s not in the business of maintaining all kinds of “expensive” muscle just so that you can look good. In truth, our bodies will default to the easiest baseline when we don’t put them through the wringer in training. If it’s just about preserving calories for survival, the body doesn’t “care” about putting energy into cardiovascular performance or lean muscle. The default is to build fat that doesn’t burn off as many calories as lean muscle. This is why keeping muscle on takes so much work. Of course, the catch to this is that it becomes much easier to stay inactive once we are inactive. When we decrease in fitness, we have less energy. All it takes is an excuse like being too busy, not wanting to drive to the gym or saying that we’ll go tomorrow to get even deeper into the cycle of reverse fitness.

How to Maintain Fitness

The best way to stay fit is to never fall off the fitness wagon. Once you understand how easily your body will revert back to your pre-training performance level and appearance, it’s hard to ever want to let yourself slide backward. Here are some tips for how to preserve fitness:

#1 Customize a meal plan that fuels your body based on the workouts you’re doing. You’re more likely to give up on a fitness routine if you feel hungry, deprived or weak. You may also sabotage all of the hard work you’ve done by grabbing for comfort foods at the end of a long day. The best way to combat this is by using meal prep to ensure that a balanced, proportioned and satisfying meal is always waiting at every mealtime of the day.

# 2 Remember that doing something is better than nothing. As researchers point out, athletes were able to avoid considerable dips in fitness by keeping up with some level of training. This created much better outcomes than if they had stopped running “cold turkey.”

#3 Adjust your diet based on your fitness levels. If you’re eating more calories when you’re training hard, don’t forget to adjust your diet for the times when you’re not as active. It’s not necessary to eat like you’re training when you’re not training. When your muscles aren’t burning those extra calories, you may be more likely to put on fat instead. Focus on healthy meals that are the right size based on your daily intake needs.

#4 Create fitness plans that actually work for your life. If you find yourself constantly committing to rigorous workout plans that you abandon after a few weeks, this may be a sign that you’re taking on too much all at once. A better approach may be to design a fitness plan that’s more sustainable for your lifestyle. You may find that doing workouts that you enjoy helps you to avoid the need to constantly “start from scratch” after your fitness levels reset with every lapse.

The bottom line is that it’s not a matter of you against your body. Yes, your body wants to get back to baseline. However, consistency that’s powered with a positive mindset can help you to enjoy long-term fitness.

Don’t Forget to Get Support

One of the reasons why so many people fail to maintain fitness after achieving it is that they don’t have support! It’s very easy to fall into a four-week funk that sets our fitness level back to zero when we don’t have support. To boost your chances of staying consistent, things like a trainer, fitness class or workout buddy should all be considered. If you’re constantly getting off track with eating properly for fitness, consider signing up for a meal prep service that delivers balanced, tasty meals that you select right to your door. In fact, researchers are very clear about the fact that nutrition has the most significant impact on fitness.

For people focused on getting fit, it’s essential to know about the benefits of improving diet and exercise at the same time. In one study designed to measure methods for improving health, researchers found that only participants in the group that received simultaneous nutrition and exercise counseling reached their goals when compared to participants in the nutrition-only and exercise-only groups.

Final Thoughts on Avoiding Fitness Entropy

The only real guard against reverse fitness is consistency! Making it as straightforward as possible to fit the right diet and exercise into your life is as close to a “hack” as anyone can get. Of course, the freedom to look and feel your best is the best inspiration for staying on track!

Dietary Goals January 9, 2021

Reverse Dieting: Eat More & Keep the Weight Off?

Our bodies thrive off food. So what if there was a way we could give our bodies more of what they want while still keeping our slimmed-down shape? Pssst… there is…

How often are we told that in order to slim down we must cut calories and increase exercise? Well, while this fact is true 90 percent of the time, it is not the only way to stay trim.

Many times, we continue to diet well past what our bodies can handle, causing a plateau or no progress. So, we decide to slash more calories or up to our exercise routine… but still nothing. Nada. Zip. Zero progress.

It’s times like these that call for a Reverse Diet.

Understanding Reverse Dieting

You may have heard this buzzword flying around a lot lately. But what exactly does it mean? A Reverse Diet is the process of slowly going from a low-calorie (or dieting) state back to maintenance calories. If you have recently finished a diet cycle, aren’t seeing any more results, or accidentally under-eating, a Reverse Diet is for you.

Reverse dieting is basically the opposite of dieting. During a diet, calories are slowly reduced over time to elicit fat loss. The body no longer stores excess food during a diet. However, with a Reverse Diet, calories are slowly increased back to maintenance, or an adequate intake to keep the body running optimally.

To clarify, bodies don’t run optimally during a cutting/diet phase. And if you continue to eat low calories beyond 12- 16+ weeks, you’ll likely force your metabolism to a screeching halt. This is known as Metabolic Adaptation.

Also known as an extreme plateau, we may no longer see fat loss on low calories if we are metabolically adapted. After dieting for a while, slowly dial-up to maintenance calories to avoid Metabolic Adaptation and let the body restore health.

How to Reverse Diet

Before you can begin a Reverse Diet, it’s important to know where you are at. Take 1-2 weeks to track your current calorie intake, using a log like Cronometer or MyFitnessPal. Once you know where you’re at, it’s time to figure out where you need to be.

While both Cronomete and MyFitnessPal will calculate your calories, here’s a quick tool to help calculate your maintenance calories: https://www.mindpumpmedia.com/macronutrient-calculator.

If you’re nowhere near maintenance, consider starting with a 20% increase in calories. Then slowly increase by about 100 calories every 2-3 weeks. As you get closer to the estimated maintenance calories, the more conservative you will want to be to avoid gaining excess body fat. Consider only adding about 50 calories every 2-3 weeks at this point. For example:

Current Average Calories: 1,000 calories per day
Estimated Maintenance Calories: 2,000 – 2,200 calories per day

For this Reverse Diet, focus on hitting protein and calorie goals first. Let fats and carbs fall where they may filling in the rest of your calories after protein.

Jan 1st: 20% increase from 1,000 calories = 1,200 calories
Jan 15th: +100 calories = 1,300 calories
Feb 1st: +100 calories = 1,400 calories
Feb 15th: +100 calories = 1,500 calories
March 1st: +100 calories = 1,600 calories
March 15th: +100 calories = 1,700 calories
April 1st: +100 calories = 1,800 calories
April 15th: +100 calories = 1,900 calories
May 1st: +50 calories = 1,950 calories

…and so on.

A reverse might only take 3-6 months, but it could take as long as 12-18+ months. It took a while to drop weight by cutting calories, and it may take twice as long to earn all those calories again. But it will be well worth it!

As well, understand you shouldn’t instantly drop calories again once you’ve completed a reverse. Spend a minimum of 3-6 months (if not more) at maintenance before worrying about changing up your food goals and intake. This will ensure your body feels safe and comfortable enough to drop weight again.

**Just because it’s “time” to consider an adjustment doesn’t mean you have to. There is literally no such thing as “too slow” — If the scale or body comp is bouncing around, feel free to hang tight an extra week or two.**

What to Expect on a Reverse Diet

A reverse diet can produce 3 potential outcomes: weight loss, weight gain, or no change in scale weight/body composition.

Weight Loss: It’s almost as if our body is SO hyped it’s finally being fed it stops “clinging” to every morsel of food we’re giving it.
Weight Gain: a common and necessary outcome in order to restore health and metabolism especially after extensive dieting.
No Change: in this outcome, you are able to go from NO food to ALL the food. And almost all biofeedback (gym performance, recovery, mood, sleep quality, etc) gets better with more food.

You can achieve the body you want without killing yourself. But it requires taking care of your body, hormones, and health and being smart about your nutrition. Spending the majority of your time living at maintenance calories is non-negotiable for feeling your best and staying as healthy as possible.

Common Concerns on a Reverse Diet

When starting a Reverse Diet for the first time, many individuals have concerns regarding how to cope with eating more food. Here are the most common experiences Reverse Dieters have when first starting their journey back to maintenance:

Excessive Hunger

Hunger is a good sign! It’s the green light to keep adding more food. Your metabolism is basically telling you to keep doing what you’re doing.

BUT, many things can affect hunger. Make sure that you’re eating enough fiber, drinking enough fluids, sleeping 7-8 hours at night, and that you’re consuming well-rounded healthy meals. Dropping the ball on any of the above will likely leave you hungry. If all are in check, then keep adding calories!

Necessary Exercise

If you’re already active, exercising more would defeat the purpose of eating more food. Stick to your usual routine and see your performance in the gym begin to skyrocket.

If you are not working out regularly, then you may certainly find a workout routine to start. The body was made to move, and exercise provides so many mental and physical benefits. Just like with the Reverse Diet, start out slow and build your way to 3-4 times a week.

Appropriate Calories

Knowing when you’re at maintenance (and when to stop adding calories) can be tricky. So pay attention to your body.

You are likely at maintenance calories when you feel good inside and outside the gym. Your energy and mood are great, sleep is uninterrupted, and you’re no longer dealing with cravings all the time.

If the scale starts to slide up as you near estimated maintenance, you MAY be reaching a caloric threshold. This means your body is at maximum efficiency at this number of calories. But you also may NOT be at maintenance here.

It’s not uncommon for someone to need to surpass this threshold and actually GAIN 5-20+ lbs in order to restore health. If this is happening to you, hang around that caloric threshold for a few more weeks to notice any changes in mood, sleep, energy, etc. before ramping up calories again. If you’re still feeling sluggish, hangry, and more it’s time to keep bumping up calories and expect to see the scale creep up with it.

The Reverse Diet can be just as daunting as a traditional diet… especially when going in without a plan. Luckily, now you have one! Follow the tips above to finally eat more and keep the weight off. And if you need some extra accountability and help, our Balanced Meal Prep delivery options can help support your calorie goal of the week. Just tap your goal and how many days a week we can provide you with delicious healthy meals to support your Reverse Diet journey!

Dietary Goals December 8, 2020

New Year’s Goals: How to Make Them Last All Year Long

A new year is on the horizon, and with it comes many lofty goals and aspirations from people all around the world. But what separates those who succeed from those who don’t? It’s all in the plan…

As December comes to a close, many of us reflect on the previous year to set goals for the approaching year. And, man, what a year it was! We’ve been put through the wringer over and over again… and what once started out as a year full of hope and resolutions has turned into a circus act of staying sane and employed.

We are so ready for a new year.

A fresh start. A clean slate to pursue our self-improvement and actualization. That’s what our New Year’s Resolutions are for! According to a ComRes poll, 71% of New Year’s resolutions revolve around weight loss and fitness. A close second (47%), and falling under a similar category, many resolutions focus on improving physical health and better nutrition. Learning new skills and hobbies, practicing self-care, and spending more time with family and friends follow at approximately 15% each.

Unfortunately, many resolutions are set up for inevitable disappointment and eventual burn-out. Especially when faced with obstacles like what we saw in 2020. On average, 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by the second week of February.

There are many causes of these resolution failures. All of these reasons, however, fall under the same 5 categories. Read below to uncover what your resolution weakness is to combat and finally succeed!

1. GOAL SETTING

How you frame your resolution matters. When making resolutions, people often frame them using negative language. “Stop eating junk food” isn’t as effective as “Choose healthy meals” Thinking about avoiding behaviors inevitably leads us to think of those behaviors, creating a craving for something lost. BUT, when we frame resolutions positively allows our action-oriented thoughts lead us to the desired outcome.

New Year's Resolutions — Click here to download

Another common pitfall of goal setting is which goals to focus on. While we all want to improve all areas of our lives, taking on too much at once can be daunting. The best way to combat this is to create one to two goals for different areas of your life, then rank them in order of importance or simplicity.

Focus on the top priority goal to keep your resolution achievable. However, by setting goals in all areas of your life, you’re bound to see a ripple effect in every area as you work towards one.

2. MAKING THE PLAN

Resolutions that aren’t written down are destined to fail quickly. So write them out, making a list of some things you would do to achieve that goal, and noting any obstacles that might stand in your way. Writing these aspirations down makes your goals real and helps prepare you to reach them. But, don’t just write these goals on a sticky note and forget about it.

Keep your list of New Year’s goals in a place where you will see them regularly, so you can review your progress and recommit on a consistent basis. Examples include taping your goals to your bathroom mirror, fridge, or screensavers.

This stage is critical for success. Not only does it allow you to reflect on an effective strategy but also prepares you for the obstacles sure to come your way. This way when things get difficult, you can deploy the strategies you wrote down to stay on the path toward success.

3. MEASURING PROGRESS

How can you know if you’re on the right track to achieving your goals if you have no way to measure them? In order to stick to those New Year’s resolutions, you need to be able to see you’re on the right track in a consistent way. The best way to do that is to set measurable goals.

New Year's Check-Ins — Click here to download

For example, if your goal is to choose healthier meals, set a number of meals per week that will be “healthy.” Write down something like, “I’ll meal prep a healthy dinner 5 times a week.”

This way you’ll have something to check off daily. And eventually, you can build off those achievements, adding more meals the more consistently you hit your goals.

As well, consider keeping a resolution journal. Here you can write about your successes and struggles. This is an excellent way to measure progress as well as make any adjustments to get you back on track.

4. EXECUTING THE PLAN

Trying to do too much too quickly is another common reason why so many New Year’s resolutions don’t make it past February. Dramatically slashing calories, overdoing it at the gym, or radically altering your normal behavior are just a few of the ways to make reaching your goal exponentially harder. Instead, focus on taking small simple steps toward your goal.

For example, if you are trying to eat healthier, start by replacing the common “junk food” items in your house with more nutritious foods. You can even choose from our a la cart menu to start! While it may seem slow, these small changes make it easier to create and stick to new habits as well as increase the likelihood of long-term, sustainable success.

Another strategy for keeping your New Year’s resolution is to not make the exact same resolution as last year. After trying and failing, success may be harder to come by. However, if you do choose to reach for the same goals, spend some time evaluating your previous strategies.

Ask yourself questions like which strategies worked best, least, and what else prevented your success can help mitigate frustrations. As well, when evaluating these goals, write down the reasons you are working toward this goal again. Coming back to your “why” during stressful or undermotivated times is crucial to keep you moving forward.

5. THE REWARD

Finally, the pay off! The thrill and reward of accomplishing something we’ve worked so hard for are critical in keeping us reaching for new goals in the future. Just make sure your reward doesn’t make it harder to accomplish any of your other goals. If one of your financial goals is to cut back on debt, rewarding yourself for better nutrition choices with an extravagant trip may not be the best reward choice.

New Year's Reflections — Click here to download

If you haven’t quite reached your goal yet, don’t fret. Those unhealthy habits that you are trying to change probably took years to develop, so how can you expect to change them in just a matter of days, weeks, or months?

It may take longer than you would like to achieve your goals, but this is not a race. Self-improvement is a marathon. Once you have made the commitment to changing a behavior, it is something that you will continue to work on for the rest of your life.

SOME FINAL TIPS

Get Support From Your Friends and Family

While you’ve probably heard this advice before, you may not have thought to do it like this before. When writing down your goals, think of someone who may have a similar goal (or who has already accomplished this goal). Explain what and why you have this goal to that friend or family member when asking them for help.

Having a solid support system can help you stay motivated. For additional support, join a group or class that shares your goal. When facing challenges like those found in our New Year’s Resolutions, together is always better.

Renew Your Motivation

During the first days of a New Year’s resolution, it’s easy to feel confident and highly motivated. There is no real discomfort or temptation associated with changing your behavior, and making this change might seem all too easy at first glance. But…

After dealing with the reality of dragging yourself to the gym at 6 a.m. or racking your brain for meal ideas, motivation will probably start to dwindle. When you face such moments, look back on what you’ve written down. What’s your why? What strategies did you plan to use in such moments?

Just Keep Swimming

Encountering setbacks are the most common reasons why people give up on their New Year’s resolutions. If you suddenly relapse into a bad habit, it’s not a failure. Instead, view them as learning opportunities. If you are keeping a resolution journal, write down when the struggle occurred and what might have triggered it. By understanding the challenges you face, you will be better prepared to deal with them in the future. Click here for a downloadable PDF to help you start planning, preparing, and executing your New Year’s Resolutions in the coming year!

Dietary Goals November 8, 2020

Stuff the Turkey, Not Your Stomach: 10 Tips for Eating Healthier This Thanksgiving

Overstuffed is only good when we’re talking about the turkey… not our stomachs. Follow these 10 tips to eating healthier and lighter during this feast-worthy holiday.

Festive gatherings filled with friends, family, and food. That’s what often comes to mind when thinking of Thanksgiving day. But, for some, this day carries a lot of anxiety.

“How will I maintain my healthy lifestyle throughout the holidays?”
“There are never any healthy meals at dinner. I just shouldn’t go this year…”
“What’s the use? My diet is ruined, I might as well just eat whatever I want.”

Pssst… we have a secret for you: THANKSGIVING DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY! Okay, sorry. That was a bit aggressive. But, it’s true! With the right game plan, you can conquer this holiday guilt-free and without restrictions. Thanksgiving won’t derail your health goals, and we’ll show you how.

Why We Fall Off the Wagon Every Thanksgiving
Millions of Americans will gain a pound over the holidays, despite a well-thought-out diet plan held throughout the year. The reason these diets fail around Thanksgiving is that they address the wrong problem. It’s not your willpower.

It’s the environmental cues we surround ourselves with that trigger our appetite and food habits. Thanksgiving, especially, combines some of the worst environmental cues for overeating. There is plenty of food easily accessible, lots of company to share the moment, and an increasing amount of variety. Your willpower is easily overwhelmed by all of these cues to eat.

How to Combat the Holiday Food Guilt
When it comes to sticking to your nutrition plan and keeping the holidays as healthy as possible, it’s important to alter the environmental cues around you. Now, this doesn’t mean avoiding get-togethers with family and friends or restricting yourself by any means. All we encourage you to do this holiday is to follow these 10 guidelines as best you can:

1. Keep It Squeaky Clean Leading Up Dinner

Thanksgiving week can often be filled with tumultuous treats and recipe sampling leading up to the big day. But, it’s important to keep food quality high during this time. Focus on crushing protein and veggie-heavy meals throughout the week as well as the day of.

While many individuals skip meals on Thanksgiving day in preparation for the feast, sticking to small, satisfying meals will help curb your appetite for dinnertime. Start your day with eggs and toast or a bowl of whole-grain cereal and low-fat milk to avoid overindulging later that day.

2. Offer Up Your Cooking Skills

Walking into someone else’s party without your own food is asking for hidden calories. Instead, offer to meal prep for the occasion, bringing healthy side dishes filled with veggies, fruits, or proteins. These types of foods are always lacking around this holiday, so switch it up and provide a healthy option for you and others! This also gives you the opportunity to make some smart swaps with foods traditionally high in calories.

For example, mashed potatoes! While we love these tasty spuds, the appeal is more about the lush, smooth texture than any standout flavor… as well as a vehicle for gravy. However, you can swap out the mashed taters with pureed cauliflower instead. This cruciferous vegetable has six times the Vitamin C, twice the fiber, and fewer calories than the standard spud.

Not a master chef? We can help! Choose from any of our a la carte options to ensure there’s a healthy, tasty side dish ready for you at dinner.

3. Fill Up on Fiber & Water

Eating a nutritious meal with protein and fiber before you arrive takes the edge off your appetite and allows you to be more discriminating in your food and beverage choices. However, it doesn’t have to stop there. Try to fill half your plate with non-starchy veggies come feast time.

This may include brussels sprouts, green beans, carrots, bell peppers, or a green salad. Aim to make your plate as colorful as possible. As well, sipping on water throughout the day will curb cravings and keep you full in-between meals!

4. Limit the Bubbly

These fun gatherings often call for a splash of liquid courage. But this doesn’t have to derail your healthy eating habits. Alcohol can lower blood sugar and those alcohol calories that can add up quickly.

If you do have alcohol this Thanksgiving, have it with food. Also, set a goal to minimize any boozy drinks to about 2-3 servings. In between drinks, sip on some refreshing La Croix, Zevia, Kombucha, or water.

5. Stick to Your Routine

Just because it’s a holiday doesn’t mean your routine has to change. Crush some breakfast, hit a workout, or take a time-out to recharge from family and friends. If you love journaling in the morning or taking a mid-afternoon walk, DO IT! Consistency is key to keeping your healthy habits alive and well during the holiday.

As well, try to keep your food routine the same, if not similar. Eat close to your usual times to keep your blood sugar steady. If your meal is served later than normal, eat a small snack at your usual mealtime and eat a little less when dinner is served.

6. Police Your Portions

Thanksgiving tables are bountiful and beautiful displays of traditional family favorites. But before you let Aunt Irma stack your plate high with “a little bit of everything,” scout the buffet table to decide what you really want to treat yourself to. Then select reasonable-sized portions of foods you cannot live without.

If you are still hungry after your first plate, head back for seconds to sample a bit more. Start conservative and add as your stomach sees fit.

7. Feast on Your Favorites

No food is on the naughty list. Don’t waste your calories on foods that you can have all year long. Choose the dishes you really love and can’t get any other time of year. Fill half your plate with small portions of holiday favorites and the other half with healthy veggie options.

Or if appetizers are your thing, grab a plate and fill up. No sense saving yourself for the main meal if turkey and trimmings leave you cold. Don’t feel obligated to eat specific foods, regardless if they’re deemed “bad” or “good.”

8. Get Physical… Physical

Getting physical and staying active means many things to many people. But when it comes to the holiday season, especially Thanksgiving, fitness doesn’t have to be so strict. Make it a family adventure! Take the kids for a walk early in the day or after dinner. It is a wonderful way to get some physical activity in a fun and social way.

While you may burn off the calories from your future meal, there are other benefits to being active. Exercising before a meal puts you in a positive mindset with an eye toward health, and exercising afterward can help banish that uncomfortably full feeling. Find which option works best for you and your schedule!

9. Savor It Slowly

Ever sit down for a delicious meal only for it to be over in the blink of an eye? You weren’t able to truly appreciate everything that went into the meal. This often leaves you unsatisfied and over-stuffed.

Eating slowly, putting your fork down between bites, and tasting each mouthful is one of the easiest ways to enjoy your meal and feel satisfied. Choosing whole grains, fruits, vegetables, broth-based soups, salads, and other foods with lots of water and fiber will also add to the feeling of fullness.

10. Enjoy the Day with Friends and Family

Thanksgiving is not just about the delicious bounty of food. It’s a time to celebrate relationships with family and friends. The main event should be socializing and spending quality time together. Even if you slip up during this time, you can easily get right back to healthy eating with your next meal.

The most important thing about this holiday is being able to enjoy it with loved ones instead of stressing over what the scale might say the next day. Remember Thanksgiving is a holi-DAY, not a holi-WEEK or holi-YEAR. Become aware of your environment and adjust your habits to conquer the day successfully!