The Nutrition Top 5

The trends of health and wellness can be very confusing at times. Nutrition is often one of the most confusing aspects of wellness. Nutrition advice changes very frequently and controversy is common even among professionals. In my health coaching, I have found it is most productive to ensure the food you eat is simply clean. The following are my five guidelines for making healthy food choices. I have found these guidelines are effective in providing a healthy foundation for food consumption. These guidelines along with routine exercise have been shown to lead to weight management.

Drink more Water. Proper hydration is one of the most effective ways to increase your overall wellness. Drinking adequate daily volumes of water will lead to higher energy levels and help to increase your time spent asleep. Furthermore, drinking more water has been proven to increase metabolic activity. This metabolic increase ultimately will lead to burning more calories each day. My favorite tip is to establish a habit of drinking three glasses of water an hour before each meal.

Eat Whole Clean Foods. Look for foods that have not been processed and contain minimal ingredient lists. You should start to make a habit of reading ingredient lists on all food labels. I like to ask myself, can the food be found on a farm? Has the food undergone multiple changes to reach an edible state? Not all your food will go straight from harvest to table but you want a high percentage of your food consumption to be clean.

Fresh is Best. There is no denying the importance of fruits and vegetables in a balanced diet. Did you know not every vegetable is created equal? Look to select vibrant colored vegetables as they hold more vitamins and minerals. I always encourage my clients to be creative in the way they eat vegetables. Trying new combinations and fun ways of cooking vegetables can bring new rich flavors to your old favorites.

Do not fear Fats. Healthy fats are an important and vital part of balanced nutrition. Healthy fats help to curb appetite and provide essential physiological function. Avoid foods that are branded as low fat options. Often foods marketed to be low in fat are high in sugar and processed ingredients. I like to include healthy fats from legumes and fish in every diet plan.

Don’t Fall for a Fad. The nutrition industry is fueled by constantly changing diets and tricks. Be sure to avoid any nutrition information that has not been researched and proven. Keep in mind that foods can be marketed as a healthy food and still lack nutritional content. Every time you consider starting a diet talk to a healthcare professional first.

Were you successful with your fitness New Year resolution? Have you become burnt out with dieting and restricted eating? Traditional dieting adds an additional life stress. This additional stress results in detrimental cycles of weight loss and gain. Here is the good news – You can lose weight by making proven and sustainable lifestyle changes. Following a nutritional sound diet and bringing awareness to your eating patterns will drive sustained body transformation.

Be sure to sign up with our nutritionist Joshua today to start your journey to fuller health.

joshuav@columbiaathletic.com