One of the requested blog topics was nutrition tips. Nutrition tips are so hard to give because nutrition is so individualized. Different fitness goals require different approaches to nutrition. Even among people who have similar nutrition goals, there are so many different approaches that can work. Each individual also has their own unique emotional relationship with food, so there isn’t a single “one-size-fits-all” approach.
That being said, most people who ask me about nutrition want to lose weight or be leaner. So how do we lose weight? There are three components to weight loss backed by science: Eat less, move more and increase your base metabolic rate. The first two are fairly self-explanatory, but the third can get complex. Having more lean muscle makes you more metabolically active, and increasing fat burning hormones like testosterone and growth hormone also play a role. Additionally, not eating enough can actually lower your metabolism! Because the third point is fairly complex, and since moving more isn’t necessarily about nutrition, let’s focus on eating less.
Before I give our first tip, I want to go over some basic realities we face in our lives. In western society we are inundated with calorie dense foods that are only a click away from being delivered to our door. Additionally, food isn’t just fuel- there is a huge social component and sharing food is a part of bonding with your close-knit community. It’s integral in relationship development. It’s important we set ourselves up for success and recognize this social component of food.
One insightful tip I heard years ago is to “Only eat when you are hungry and stop eating when you are full.” We’ll get into this more next week, but the challenge with the first part of this tip is that it doesn’t account for routine and schedule. Most of us would find it hard to skip lunch at noon, but then eat a meal when we feel hungry at 2pm. Yes, many of us eat because it’s time to, and not because we are hungry. It’s important to realize that, but I like the routine and habits that can be developed with consistent meal times. This means we are going to focus on the second part of the tip – stop eating when you are full. When we eat slower, we are better able to gauge when we are actually full, and can stop eating just before we feel full, not when we are stuffed. So here’s our tip for this week- Put your spoon or fork down after each bite, chew thoroughly, and THEN pick up your spoon or fork to take your next bite. This approach makes it more likely that you will stop eating when you feel full. Additionally, it works great when you eat out or go to parties and eat more calorie dense foods. If we overeat at a restaurant, the total caloric consumption can be huge, and a slow eating approach helps limit this while also not inhibiting the social component. You can go anywhere and order anything!
It’s simple and only one step, but when it comes to nutrition success, habits are key! Focus on eating slow and utilizing this tip for the next month and then evaluate where you are at. Let this become a habit and then consider trying to build another habit if necessary!