Eating for nutrition

We eat for taste and cater to convenience. We eat to be social and sometimes because we are bored. The reason for eating and what we eat, has become so distorted that almost two in three Australians are overweight or obese. That's epic....

The fundamental reason we should eat is for health. Whole foods contain the essential vitamins and minerals required for our body to function. They strengthen our immune system, help repair muscles, keep our hormones in check and the list goes on. A well balanced diet does not require external suppliments. Head over to the australian guide to healthy eating to see what a balanced diet looks like (notice the lack of processed foods): https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/australian-guide-healthy-eating

"Eat whole foods, mostly veggies and mind your portion size."

If your hoping to find a fad diet on that link, I'm sorry to disappoint you. The reality of the situation is that eating well is really, really simple. Eat whole foods, mostly veggies and mind your portion size. Now I know this concept isn't as cool as the lemon detox or paleo diet but I promise you it works. The fad diets you know and love are often recycled, re-branded diets from the past that resurface when health and fitness magazines need a revamp.

The secret is to start choosing meals based on health and nutrition value rather than taste and convenience. Muffins and lollies go out the window pretty quick when you start looking for nutritional value. Once you've mastered choosing nutritious meals turn your attention to portion control. Serving sizes these days are epic. We do not need as much food as you think, especially when you consider our sedentary lifestyles.

What I would like you to do is start becoming more aware about the food you eat. Start a food diary and record what you eat and drink each day. Then compare what you find with the australian guide to healthy eating. Now I'm not saying change your eating habits all at once in a single week. Choose one meal to focus on, whether it is adding some extra veggies to lunch or swapping the mars bar for a serve of nuts. Do this consistently over time and reap the health benifits!

Plan your success

What is your fitness goal? Is it to be able to run the city to surf, lose 10kg or bench press your bodyweight. No matter what your goal is, make sure you plan exactly how you are going to get there. It's a great start to know the destination, but if you don't know what road or turn off to take, how will you ever get there?

Start by visualising what you would like to acheive, then break it down into small managable steps. As an example, let's split losing 10kg over 26 weeks. That's less than 400 grams per week, pfft we can do that! I don't know about you, but losing 10kg in half a year sounds pretty damn awesome to me!

"No matter what your goal is, make sure you plan exactly how you are going to get there."

Let's keep the momentum going and set daily goals. What do I need to eat or do at the gym today to ensure I hit my weightloss target this week. Once you have those bite sized goals, write them clearly in big text on a piece of paper or white board. Display them somewhere impossible to miss. I have my goals displayed in my kitchen, but post-it notes next to your computer at work or the mirror where you brush your teeth are also great options.

Once you have completed your goal for the day, I want you to cross that bad boy off your list, literally. Use a thick marker to cross it off, erase it from the white board or scrunch up that post-it note and throw it in the bin with a bit of enthusiasm. The feeling of physically crossing something off your list is extremely rewarding and is a great way to celebrate a win.

Celebrate every single win no matter how big or small. Let your mind know that you are killing it, that today you did something positive for yourself. Our mind responds well to reward and positive reinforcement.

So plan your success. Visualise what you want to acheive and then break it down into small steps you know you can carry out on a daily basis. When you complete your tasks, celebrate! Shout it to the whole world and be proud, you are one step closer to where you want to be.

Staying Motivated

Motivation is just a feeling! Like any feeling, your motivation will fluctuate daily, if not hourly. You might start your day with a kale smoothie and a walk to the station, but end it with a Netflix binge and a tub of ice cream. So don't be upset if you 'lose motivation', because you are human and that is completely normal.

So how do we combat a feeling, how do we 'stay motivated'?

Make a plan, stick to it and make it easy for yourself! Let's use going to the gym as an example. The first step is to have a plan. Set a realistic goal of how many times you want to make it to the gym in a week (on that note, plan exactly what you will be doing at the gym on each day). 

"make a plan, stick to it and make it easy for yourself"

Great, you have a plan. Now step two, stick to it! Yes, this is where we have to exercise will power and discipline, both of which are heavily determined by emotion. So step three, make it easy for yourself. Take will power and motivation out of the equation by creating easy steps that make your plan foolproof. If you plan to exercise after work for example, take your gym clothes to work. That way you can go straight to the gym and not be tempted by the couch at home. If you plan train in the morning, go to sleep in your gym clothes so you can just wake up and go. Make your plan as easy to carry out as possible. The less obstacles you have, the more likely your are to perform that task.

If you make a plan and stick to it (by making it easy) you will completely bypass motivation and stay on track towards your goal. Over time, you will be able to create a habit where this plan is second nature and you don't even have to think about it. We are creatures of habit after all!