Jamie Norton RD LDN – Nutrition Coach
Eat Plenty of Fruits and Veggies!
The great benefit of fruits and vegetables is that they contain many nutrients to keep us healthy! Have you ever heard the expression “Eat the Rainbow?” It literally means that you should be eating fruits and vegetables of different color varieties because each one provides different health benefits!
Red – Heart health
Orange/Yellow – Supports healthy eyesight and cancer prevention
Green – Blood and bone health
Blue/Purple – Memory and Brain Function
White – Supports a healthy immune system
Get Enough Protein!
It is recommended that protein should be a component of every meal and snack you eat. Protein not only provides satiety but also supports muscle growth and repair. Choose leaner protein sources such as turkey/chicken breast, beef (90% or greater lean), white fish, egg whites, and low-fat dairy.
Drink water
Water! Water! Water! Start sipping water from the time you wake up to ensure proper hydration throughout the day. Why is water so important? First of all, the body is made up of ~70% water!
Secondly, listed below are different functions that water plays a role with:
| * Helps create saliva * Regulates body temperature *Protects your tissues, spinal cord, and joints *Helps maximize physical performance *Helps excrete waste through perspiration, urination, and defecation *Prevent Constipation *Helps with nutrient absorption *Fights off illness | *Boost energy *Keeps skin bright * Aids in cognitive function * Mood Improvement * Prevents overall dehydration Improve blood oxygen circulation * Helps you lose weight * Aids indigestion |
I think those are enough reasons to get anyone to improve their water intake!
How much do you need? A good place to start is to drink half your body weight in ounces.
Take your body weight and divide by 2. The answer is the amount of water in ounces.
Ex): 150# person / 2 = 75ounces of water
Adequate sleep
Sleep is the time when the body needs to restore itself. Try to aim for at least 6 hours of sleep each night. If you have trouble sleeping, try to turn off electronics 1 hour before going to bed and do something calming to help you get ready for bed. This could be reading or maybe meditation.
Decrease Stress
Try to find ways to cope with the stress that doesn’t involve food. Stress can lead to inflammation and chronic illness so it is best to learn coping mechanisms to deal with our stressors. Some ideas include: reading a book, coloring, playing a game, exercising, taking up a new hobby, or hanging out with your friends/family.
Plan!!
With any successful nutrition journey, planning meals and snacks is crucial to keep consistent. The more consistent you are with good eating habits, the more you will see the results you want.
“Fail to plan and plan to fail”
You can find free printable meal planner templates on the Internet to help keep you organized!
Are you looking for additional support? I’m here to help!
Please reach out to Nutrition@CrossFitTorque.com to schedule a ‘No Snack Intro’
