EAT TO MOVE FIT - NUTRITION BASICS
What foods should you eat & how much of them?
Some dietary approaches do work better for some bodies but, overall, reducing body fat is usually a matter of being in a calorie deficit. Research shows almost any type of diet (keto, vegan, paleo, interment fasting) can work for weight management as long as it's sustainable. In general, a "real" foods approach is a great place to start. It's familiar, it offers a variety of nutritious choices, and is easy to find in most stores nowadays. Don't overthink things! Good nutrition isn't hard with a little planning and basic cooking skills.
As for how much you should eat, it's very individual. First, we all have a baseline of mandatory calories, called our BMR or basal metabolic rate. We need to ensure we get enough calories each day to meet our BMR, otherwise our body thinks it's in danger and conserves calories because lower metabolic needs (eventually shrinking your organs and brain!) .
Many restrictive diets ( & older approaches to dieting) can cause more damage than good so research all your options and consider talking to a registered dietician, especially if you have underlying health conditions.
Some dietary approaches do work better for some bodies but, overall, reducing body fat is usually a matter of being in a calorie deficit. Research shows almost any type of diet (keto, vegan, paleo, interment fasting) can work for weight management as long as it's sustainable. In general, a "real" foods approach is a great place to start. It's familiar, it offers a variety of nutritious choices, and is easy to find in most stores nowadays. Don't overthink things! Good nutrition isn't hard with a little planning and basic cooking skills.
As for how much you should eat, it's very individual. First, we all have a baseline of mandatory calories, called our BMR or basal metabolic rate. We need to ensure we get enough calories each day to meet our BMR, otherwise our body thinks it's in danger and conserves calories because lower metabolic needs (eventually shrinking your organs and brain!) .
Many restrictive diets ( & older approaches to dieting) can cause more damage than good so research all your options and consider talking to a registered dietician, especially if you have underlying health conditions.
Want to know your unique BMR? Click here.
So you can appreciate that caloric needs are based on age, gender, and body weight. What I eat, what your grandma eats, or your 3 year old eats (well, besides mac'n cheese) is going to differ greatly. And, sorry ladies, adult men usually get a bit more calories than women due to their greater height and muscle mass (and they also lose weight faster for this reason).
What are your current goals? How many calories do YOU need to maintain your current weight? or to lose weight?or even gain 20 pds of muscle? If you are happy with your size, you may not need to reduce calories. If you want to gain muscle mass you may need to increase your daily intake to have fuel to spare for add size. If you want to lose body fat then you will want to reduce calories by a safe amount to tap into your body fat (stored calories) without triggering the innate protective mechanisms that will increase hunger levels and reduce your metabolism. Most people who lose weight FAST gain it all back... and then some.
TIP: To ramp up your calorie burn without feeling shorted on food, you should really consider adding daily exercise for a winning combination. By moving more you'll burn off the difference instead of cut it from your plate. You'll get stronger, tone up and create (sexy) muscle definition, too! Just don't go too crazy - if you workout hard, you gonna be starving. After a hard workout, plan on eating lean protein, filling vegetables (yes even potatoes), and healthy grains so you can fuel your recovery and still manage your daily total calories.
What are your current goals? How many calories do YOU need to maintain your current weight? or to lose weight?or even gain 20 pds of muscle? If you are happy with your size, you may not need to reduce calories. If you want to gain muscle mass you may need to increase your daily intake to have fuel to spare for add size. If you want to lose body fat then you will want to reduce calories by a safe amount to tap into your body fat (stored calories) without triggering the innate protective mechanisms that will increase hunger levels and reduce your metabolism. Most people who lose weight FAST gain it all back... and then some.
TIP: To ramp up your calorie burn without feeling shorted on food, you should really consider adding daily exercise for a winning combination. By moving more you'll burn off the difference instead of cut it from your plate. You'll get stronger, tone up and create (sexy) muscle definition, too! Just don't go too crazy - if you workout hard, you gonna be starving. After a hard workout, plan on eating lean protein, filling vegetables (yes even potatoes), and healthy grains so you can fuel your recovery and still manage your daily total calories.
Calculate your daily calorie needs - or determine a safe deficit - by clicking here.
What's this "macros" stuff? Macronutrients! You can fine tune your calories by meeting a certain ratio of carbs, proteins, and fats. A better balance of each can often help improve exercise performance, recovery, and body composition due more balanced nutrient profile.
If you want to figure out your macros, here's a helpful tool from Precision Nutrition Calculator
You can reach your goal weight and still eat foods you enjoy, even tacos,
by determining your personal calorie needs and planning your meals, accordingly.
Nutrition apps have become a very popular way to track daily calories and manage customized macros. They are a great way to track your food intake for a few days, a week, or ongoing (especially when combined with a food scale).
Some have free services and others are subscriptions. I really love the ones with barcode scanners but be sure to compare the data as sometimes there are errors that need to be updated to reflect nutrition labels and serving sizes.
Click "recommendations" below to read about some of the latest favorites...
Some have free services and others are subscriptions. I really love the ones with barcode scanners but be sure to compare the data as sometimes there are errors that need to be updated to reflect nutrition labels and serving sizes.
Click "recommendations" below to read about some of the latest favorites...
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START WITH ONLY 1-2 CHANGES IN YOUR DAILY ROUTINE... For example, look at your beverages! Those can be surprising sources of extra calories due to sugar content. Sodas, coffee drinks, juices, coconut water, and even chain smoothies can be high carb/high calorie. Trade out those hidden calories for seltzer water or try a fruity kombucha (a much lower carb treat). Track your overall water consumption too -if you are hydrated you'll be less tempted to grab calories in drinks or random snacks. |
What snack is most challenging for you on a daily basis? Keep less of it on hand or assign it to certain days of the week (rather than every day). FE, my husband LOVES chips and salsa. He'll grab it when he gets home from work - partly because he walks through the kitchen. It's partly habit, partly reward, and partly hunger BUT if there aren't chips or salsa on hand, he doesn't eat those extra 100-200 calories that day. A popular guideline on food choices is "80/20". Eat 80% healthy and 20% less healthy - this offers some leeway to enjoy social events and the occasional treat without blowing your daily nutrition. |
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MOVE FIT WITH RICKI
PERSONAL TRAINING FOR EVERY BODY |