Written by: Cortney Welch BS, CSCS
I will spare the information overload and try not to write a book about nutrition for this month’s blog; they have those elsewhere. However, as always, I will include many resources at the end of this blog with recommendations, nutrition guidelines, recipes, and contact information for a great local registered dietician! Since the subject of nutrition is so vast, I want to dive into a few tips for everyone to have access to for their daily diet. When I say diet, I don’t mean the fad diets that are the most popular or restrictive food sourcing of any sort. I mean diet, defined as the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats. (1)
Daily, whatever you consume makes up your diet. There is no one right way to eat or one magical food source that is a cure for all things health-related. If you want to dive further into your diet, we always recommend that you track everything you eat and drink for a week. Keeping a food log is a great way to bring awareness to different trends or eating patterns. From there, you can assess if further help is needed or if you need more of a specific nutrient. If you are wondering if there are changes you can make to improve, the answer is always yes. No one is perfect, and there is always room for improvement. As a personal trainer, it is out of my scope to tell you precisely what you should or shouldn’t eat, so I will do the next best thing: to guide you in the right direction and provide you access to resources.
While researching, all sources led me to National Nutrition Month® (a campaign by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) (2) This website has many resources available. They are all included in this blog for easy access to you. While it can be overwhelming to read all of the information provided, my recommendation is to pick just one thing that you feel you can achieve to have more success in the long run. For example, if you know you aren’t drinking enough water or hydrating adequately, drink one more cup or bottle of water than you usually would and be consistent! Consistency, as I mentioned in my first blog about habit building, is critical to seeing and feeling changes within your body. Another example may be that you don’t consume enough fruits or vegetables in a day. Pick one meal of your day to which you can add just one more fruit or vegetable and then go from there. Choose a variety of colorful foods, and make sure you enjoy eating them! Nobody is going to force you to eat broccoli. If you don’t enjoy eating broccoli, choose another leafy green as a replacement. Suppose you still don’t know where to begin or are having severe issues with your daily eating routine. In that case, I recommend you seek advice from a registered dietitian. (3)
The most common pieces of advice that I found surrounding better health and nutrition included shopping for S.O.U.L. (sustainable, organic, unrefined, and locally grown) foods. (4) Eating locally grown foods helps the environment and the consumer. Cooking at home versus eating all of your meals as takeout was another standard piece of advice for bettering your health. If you must eat out at a restaurant, I encourage you to search for local farm-to-table restaurants to consume the best of the best. I also found a great website with cookbooks and recipes readily available. (5) Almost all recipes are free and accessible online, except for some. I love to utilize cookbooks when I am unmotivated or need fresh and new meal ideas. Another trick I often use is asking my Google Home device what I should make with x,y, and z ingredients. For example, I get hungry and want to cook a quick meal with random ingredients in my fridge and pantry. In that case, I will say, “Hey Google or Hey Siri, give me a 30-minute recipe or a one-pan recipe using sweet potatoes, ground turkey, and zucchini.” Let technology do the work for you when you get stuck on deciding! Finally, if you are a podcast enthusiast, I discovered Fresh Focus Podcast, which has several short 10-20 minute listens on simple nutrition tips. (6)
To wrap things up, remember, you don’t have to be a chef to cook a tasty and healthy meal. Please keep it simple and use what you have on hand. You will eat junk food if you buy and keep it at home. Still, suppose you only keep a variety of grains, protein sources, fruits, and vegetables in your possession. In that case, you will be more likely to make better choices. Don’t hesitate to ask for help or advice; we are here for you! Find that person or ask one of our trainers if you need an accountability partner. Proper nutrition is vital to longevity and a happier, healthier you!
Resources/References
- Dictionary.com
- https://www.eatright.org/about-national-nutrition-month
- Rachel Hicks RDN, LDN, RYT email: rachel@thrive2wellness.com phone: 207-217-0917 Instagram: @rachel_hicks_rd
- https://www.rockysnyder.com/embracing-the-green-plate-the-benefits-of-sustainable-organic-unrefined-and-local-foods/
- https://www.nutrition.va.gov/Recipes.asp
- https://freshfocus.transistor.fm/episodes
- Book recommendations from Rachel: For athletic nutrition (Peak By: Dr. Marc Bubbs) For Women’s health (Roar and Next level By: Dr. Stacey Sims) (Women, food and Hormones by: Dr. Sara Gottfried)
- Cook book recommendations: The Blue Zone Kitchen (plant-based) By Dan Buetner; The Well Plated (Healthy, Easy Meals) By: Erin Clarke; Anything by Danielle Walker (autoimmune cooking)
