I have been sent a fantastic nutrition article and I would like to share it with you all, http://outside.away.com/outside/bodywork/201001/diets-fitness-nutrition-wellness-intro.html?utm_source=Outside&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Dispatch. If you don’t have time to read it here is a rundown of what it is all about and my favourite quotes. The author, John Bradley, dedicated a year of his life to trying out 6 different nutrition plans. He gave himself 8 weeks on each plan and had regular visits with a doctor for health screening as well he kept a journal of how he felt while following each plan (something everyone should do when trying to figure out the foods their body agrees with most). The 6 nutrition plans he followed were: The Abs Diet, Paleo Diet for Athletes, The Mediterranean Prescription, The Okinawa Program, Nutritionist, and MyPyramid.gov. Find descriptions of each of these plans in the article.
My Favourite Quotes from the Article:
Eat as many vegetables as you can, plus healthier versions of most of the foods you already like, and find activities you enjoy. But don’t forget that sometimes health and happiness depend on big, festive meals and afternoon naps. If your pants get tight, eat less and exercise more. I can get behind that. JN’s thoughts: This is one of the best statements I have ever read… It keeps things really simple and addresses the fact that you should spend more time doing the activities you love and the importance of happiness in the pursuit of the body you are looking for.
It (mypyramid.gov) forces you to pay attention to everything you eat. You realize quickly how hard it is to get in sufficient produce and how quickly calories, fats, sodium, and cholesterol add up. JN’s thoughts: Again tracking what you put into your body is a great wake up call to even the healthiest person. Spend 2 weeks recording when and what you eat and drink (even if it is a pop and a piece of pizza at 3am) and how you feel after you eat. You will likely begin to see patterns and what needs to be fixed and if you can’t find the patterns talk to an expert.
Bradley’s Conclusions: What did I learn in the end? Lean protein, good fats, healthy carbs. More specifically: modestly sized meals consisting of lots of produce, a bit of lean meat now and then, and grains that haven’t been bleached and pulverized into submission. Also, olive oil is good, and snack on nuts and dates. JN’s thoughts: Eating doesn’t have to be complicated, read the above sentence again. What am I going to have for dinner? Pick a vegetable or two, choose a lean piece of meat, and find some whole grains… and if you want dessert have a piece of fruit. The above sentence also reminds me of one of my favourite sayings: eat organic, you know like your grandparents did.
A last bit of advice: Once you’ve settled on a nutritional approach, cheat. Every now and then, eat whatever you want and wash it down with what’s on tap. Knowing you can do this will make it easier to eat well the rest of the time. That’s it. It may not be completely scientific, but I bet it’s closer than anything you’ve tried. I also bet it will work. JN’s thoughts: Instead of calling it cheating let’s call it an exception to the above rules, because there are always exceptions to the rule and this includes food and drink. However, be careful these exceptions don’t turn into new rules!
As Bradley says no one nutrition plan will work for every individual, just as no one fitness program will work for every individual, so try a few nutrition and fitness plans and see what works best for you. If you are stuck for ideas on both send me an email and I will help create a solution that works for you.
Josh Neumann, BHK, PTS, TSCC-1
jneumann@stayfitanywhere.com
Monday and Thursday #FitTips at www.twitter.com/stayfitanywhere
