5 Nutrition Tips from My Reward Fitness

We’re a few weeks into this #2015STRONG initiative and I’m (surprise, surprise) finding plenty of struggles along the way.  I think this is ultimately a good sign though, because it’s a lifestyle I want to adopt, not an extreme all or nothing approach that ends up lasting for a short amount of time.  I’m also as stubborn as a mule and am known to refrain from asking for help, even when deep down I know that it’s needed.  This is why it’s so amazing having Meray just a text message away.  She was able to point me in the direction of some amazing nutrition tips that are simple, yet effective and I’m feeling re-energized this week!  Here are a few of my favourites:

1. Always eat a healthy breakfast. Your brain needs glucose for energy. Starving yourself will cause you to be “brain-dead”. Another theory suggests that eating breakfast can increase satiety (reduce hunger) for the remainder of the day. A study done in the University of Nottingham found that those who skipped breakfast were more resistant to insulin, which increased their risk of diabetes. You want to make sure that your breakfast has a minimum of 20g of protein and healthy complex carbs. An example of this is egg whites and oatmeal, or a couple of eggs with mutli-grain toast.

2. Meal Prep! Cook your meals in advance and always have food on hand. This will help keep you accountable to staying on track, and will prevent you from binge-eating when you are hungry. People who don’t meal prep often eat “quick and easy” foods that tend to be unhealthy. I encourage my clients to meal prep 2x a week, and make enough for a few days. This will save you time and money during the rest of the week.

3. Drink lots of water. Did you know that roughly 60% of your body is made of water?! Drinking adequate amounts of water maintains the body’s fluid balance which helps transport nutrients in your body, improve digestion, and regulate body temperature. Another perk to drinking water is it makes you feel full, which helps you consume fewer calories.

4. Don’t be scared of fats! There are so many health benefits to eating “good fats”. Good fats are unrefined animal fats, fish fats, some plant-based fats, olive, nuts and tropical oils. Some healthy fats include avocados, nuts, coconut oil, salmon, and meat. By increasing healthy fats in your diet, you can lose fat by improving your metabolism, balancing your hormones (ie. thyroid), and by decreasing cravings. Please note that increasing healthy fats in your diet will promote fat loss if you decrease your carbohydrate income.

5. Be creative with your meals.  Eating healthy should be your lifestyle, and therefore should not be a burden or considered a “diet”. You can eat healthy, and still enjoy your food. Try new recipes, and experiment with different herbs and recipes. There are so many healthy substitutions for cooking, for example: cauliflower can replace flour, almond milk can replace milk, coconut oil can replace butter, and banana or apple sauce can replace sugar.

For more nutrition tips from Meray of My Reward Fitness, check out her latest post here.  AND if you’re in need of some meal planning tips (like I always am), my girl To Vogue Or Bust is sharing some advice on the blog today.  If you sign up for the #2015STRONG e-newsletter, we’ve also got a FREE 4 Week Wellness Plan you can download and print.  It’s all about pen and paper when organizing life, amiright?!  Enjoy my darlings and happy Wednesday!