Learning How to Eat Healthy
Ready to eat healthy but don’t know where to start? Let’s break it down…
Knowing what to eat is confusing!
Nutrition is the hardest part of a health journey. Regardless of what your goal is (which is important to identify, but we'll get to that in a minute) it's a challenge to know what, and how much, to eat to achieve it.
**This is a good place for me to insert a side note that I am NOT a health professional, nutritionist, guru or anything like that. My advice is based on years of my own research, coupled with a sh*t-ton of trial and error. That said, I do know what I'm talking about, so let's dive in.**
Identifying your health goal
Before you can answer the what and how much questions, you have to first identify what you're trying to accomplish. I'm sure there's a saying out there about how you will not get anywhere if you don't even know where you're headed. To keep things simple, I'm going to focus only on weight goals. There are really three types of weight goals. You either want to:
1. Lose weight
2. Maintain weight
3. Gain weight (yes, there are people who do this on purpose. Shout out to my lifters!)
Most of us are going for option 1 or 2, though, so we'll stick with those. If you're happy with the way you look/feel, congratulations! That means that you've reached a point where food is your friend and your only goal is to keep extra weight off. Hooray! If you're not happy, then food can still be your buddy, but your goal is to be in a calorie deficit. That's a fancy term that just means to consume less calories than what's necessary to maintain your current weight. If that confuses you, no worries, we're going to get into more detail.
If your goal is to lose weight
First you have to calculate your calorie baseline (the calories needed to maintain your current weight). Step one, weigh yourself (not fun, I know). Next:
-Take your current weight and multiply it by 11
-Add 400 to that number (This is your maintenance number)
-Subtract 750
-TA-DA this is your daily weight-loss calorie goal!
Let me give you an example using my own weight of 140 lbs (really 138, but math is better with nice, round numbers).
-140 x 11 = 1,540
-1,540 + 400 = 1,940 (Maintenance number...this is beautiful!)
-1,940 - 750 =1,190 (Weight-loss calorie goal)
Now, I would round this up to 1,200, again, for the sake of having an easier number to work with.
If your goal is to maintain your weight
You would do the exact same steps as above, but stop once you find your maintenance number. For me, it would be 1,940 calories per day. I easily consume this much and then some on any given weekend
Track what you eat & drink
There are quite a few options for tracking your calorie consumption, and I will share a few with you. Before I do, though, I want you to keep an open mind. If you've read this far and you're already feeling exhausted, thinking ughhh just reading this is so much work. Nevermind! I need you to adjust your attitude. If this is your first time tracking what you put in your body, it will be cumbersome at first, but eventually you will be able to do this without the use of any trackers, apps, etc.
Let’s talk options…
Apps
If writing down (or typing) everything you eat sounds exhausting, you can also use portion control containers. They are basically colorful tupperware that you can use to actually measure your food before you put it on your plate.
Beachbody has a set that you can buy , along with a guidebook that will tell you how many servings of each container you should have in a day.
You can also get a similar product on Amazon or you can use a portion control plate, which is the same idea as the containers, just that you fill each section of the plate with the appropriate foods (veggies in the big section, carbs and fruit in the smaller sections, etc.) Follow the link to get one that is easy to use, and even has an option for you to adjust the plate to your desired weight. (If you're looking for on-the-go meal prep plates/containers, try these).
What you should be eating
This is a topic that deserves a post all on its own (and I will likely get on that right after I wrap this one up) but it's important to remember that not all calories are created equal. It's not enough to meet your daily calorie goal, you also have to have balance throughout your meals to get the results you want. You could easily have 3 donuts, eat nothing else all day and say, "Hey I stayed under 1,200 calories!" ...this should really go without saying, but I'll say it just in case: It doesn't work that way.
Aim to have a little bit of everything throughout the day, and ideally at each meal: veggies, proteins (meats), carbs, fruits, and sprinkle in some healthy fats.
Choose what works for you
Whether you decide to download an app, buy some tools to help you control your portions, or go the pen-and-paper journal route, the only way to meet your goal is to track what you consume. Even if you don't think you are gaining weight, mindlessly eating whatever is in front of you will lead to changes in your body, and you normally won't notice them until you're already unhappy with what you see in the mirror or how you feel. Pick something that is realistic for you and be conscious of what you are putting in your body. After all, you only get the one, so you have to treat it right.
