Beware of anything that makes no sense. Nutrition specific? Kind of — because people are always promising the world in this field, yet often have little to back it up. This is particularly true with supplements. And, as your mom always said, if it sound too good to be true, it is. There are no miracles pills, potions or foods out there. Stop looking.Eat a vegetable and/or fruit with each meal. Often people talk about certain fruits and veggies being “off limits” but that, well, makes no sense (see #1). There are NO bad veggies and fruits. Some are ‘A’ players and others more ancillary, but none are inherently “bad.” And we don’t care of these are organic or conventionally grown. We just want you to eat more. And we want you to eat ones that are darker in color, like berries & leafy greens like spinach and Swiss chard, etc.
Eat Breakfast. Daily. While intermittent fasting is getting popular with some, the majority of research and clients we work with would benefit from eating breakfast regularly. The key is a quality breakfast — making sure it has some protein, some veggies or fruit (see #2), and little to no added sugar. Research suggests the right fuel will give you more energy, improve your mental function, and will help you eat less overall during the day.
Include protein with each meal & snack. Protein helps fill you up, provides the amino acids you need to function and recover, and since there is not “storage” place for protein in your body, frequent feedings help provide what’s needed by your body regularly. It’s particularly important in the first meal of the day since you’ve been fasted for 7+ hours (see #3).
Start Every Day with 1 Glass of Water. Make it the first thing you put in your body. Ice cold water. No science. To me it’s mental — starting your day with something pure and cold water feels amazing after not eating or drinking for the last 7+ hours.
Drink 2 Cups of Water Before EACH Meal. Dr. Brenda Davy and her Team at VA Tech found that when people drank 2 cups of water before each meal, they ate less overall and lost more weight at the end of the 12 week study. Everything else was the same. Water helps fill you up.
Don’t Drink Your Calories. Piggybacking on #5 and #6, note that water is what’s suggested. Not soda, Sweet tea, fruit punches or anything else along those lines. Americans drink about 450 calories each day. Replace this single source of calories with water and it could mean nearly a 50 lb weight loss after 1 year. Seriously.
Think Fiber. Not Carbs. Carbohydrates get a bad wrap. From the very low carb diets, to the celebrities who go “gluten free” to lose weight. It’s not about carbs. It’s about quality. And focusing on fiber will help. Focus on whole grains – quinoa, barley, Farro and the like — and you’ll get loads of fiber and vitamins that are important for you. Aim for a minimum of 25 grams daily.
More is Not Better. Fiber is good. Around 25 grams is good like I said in #8 — it doesn’t mean if 25 is good, 100 is better. You won’t leave the bathroom and you’ll have no friends because when you’re around them, you’ll be too gassy, bloated and uncomfortable. Same with anything else we talk about. Protein is good. Water is good. Vitamins and minerals are necessary. Don’t be extreme.
Take Fish Oil. We aren’t huge supplement pushers, by any means. We do think fish oil would benefit everyone. We take it daily. Ella and Sophia take it regularly (they’re 3 yrs and 9 months, respectively). And, in fact, one study out of Harvard showed there are up to 96,000 deaths per year from low omega-3 intakes. We use, like and trust Nordic Naturals.
Men's Health
