Us Moms have a lot going on…
You’re taking care of everyone around you and sometimes your own health and wellbeing takes a backseat.
If you're in a health rut, if your energy is in slump or if you're looking to up-level your nutrition game, I have some tips to share in honor of National Nutrition Month.
What kind nutrition professional (PhD, RD here) would I be if I didn’t impart some nutrition-related wisdom this month?
Look, it’s not rocket science and some of this will sound familiar.
But, sometimes we can use a few gentle reminders.
Here are my four general nutrition tips to consider if you’re looking to get out of a health rut or to level up your nutrition.
These are in no particular order, and you do NOT need to tackle them all at once…pick and choose what resonates with you and take it from there.
1. Build your meals around protein
Protein has lots of important roles, but here are just a few…
§ Adequate protein help maintain {and build} muscle.
§ Bundling protein with carbs helps to blunt the blood sugar spike (= better hormone management).
§ Helps us stay full after a meal.
The recommended range is 0.8-1.5 grams of protein per kg body weight {divide your body weight in pounds by 2.2 to get kg and multiple by 0.8-1.5 for the recommended range in total grams of protein per day).
If you’re physically active or reducing your overall caloric intake to drop some lbs, consuming protein at the top end of the range (~1.5 grams of protein per kg body weight) will help to maintain muscle mass.
Grab my e-course for lots of quick and easy ways to meet your protein needs AND ditch the dinnertime scramble (reply to this email and I’ll share a discount count too).
2. Eat your veggies {and fruits}
You’ve heard this before, but we all could use a reminder: aim for at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily and bonus points for tasting the rainbow {and I’m not talking about skittles}.
A few easy ways to add fruits and veggies to your plate:
§ Experiment with different fruits and vegetables {get the family involved too}.
§ Try roasting veggies {squash, zucchini, broccoli, asparagus, brussel sprouts, etc…} with a spray of olive oil and a dash of salt or other seasoning mix.
§ Combine leftover veggies from dinner the night before into scrambled eggs or an omelet the next day.
§ Try different types of salads, instead of the standard lettuce-based salads. For example, try broccoli slaw or coleslaw mix as the base. There are tons of pre-packaged salads out there too.
§ Make a big batch of veggie soup for dinner and portion into single serving containers for your lunches. There are tons of veggie soup recipes on the web…you probably already have a few saved to your phone ;-).
§ Make a yogurt parfait by layering Greek yogurt, berries and a sprinkle of shaved almonds or crunchy granola. This is a quick and easy protein-packed meal or snack.
Getting adequate fruit and veggies also helps to increase the fiber in our diet (see below).
3. Got fiber?
Fiber helps to keep us “regular”💩but it has lots of other health benefits:
§ Help us to feel full after a meal
§ Assists in regulating cholesterol levels by binding it and getting rid of it 💩.
§ Feeds the “good” bacteria in our gut.
§ Helps to limit the spike in blood sugar after consuming certain foods and drinks.
The recommended fiber intake for women is ~25 grams per day {and ~38 grams per day for men}.
If you consume lots of fruits and veggies, you’ll be well on your way to getting the recommended amount of fiber.
Here are a few other ways to increase fiber in your diet:
§ Look for cereals and bread with whole grain as the first ingredient. If gluten is an issue, there are lots of whole grains without gluten (for example oats, brown rice and quinoa…technically a seed not a grain).
§ Add lentils, chickpeas or other beans to soups, stews or salads.
§ Start off with a breakfast of oatmeal or overnight oats (mix it with milk and add fresh or frozen blueberries).
4. Drink water
Water is key when we’re increasing our fiber intake.
It helps to convert the fiber into a gel-like substance and slows digestion, keeping us fuller longer after a meal.
High fiber diet + lack of water = constipation.
More befits of consuming water…
§ Helps to prevent dehydration and the crummy symptoms that go along with it {headache, dizziness, fatigue, etc...}.
§ Helps reduce bloating that occurs due to water retention.
§ Keeps our metabolism humming, since our internal “engine” (cellular processes) requires water.
Here are some tips to make this SO easy.
§ Put your water bottle somewhere you’ll see it first thing in the morning as a trigger to drink (e.g., on your nightstand or next to your coffee maker)
§ If you dislike the taste or get bored of drinking water, play around with temperature (ice cold, room temp, warm) or consider adding a flavoring (there are millions of calorie free versions on the market).
§ Fill a water bottle and keep next to you when you work, when you’re in your car, etc…
Ditch the “all or nothing” mentality
When we make a plan to do something, we think we have to be “all in” or “not in at all”. If we’re not following the plan perfectly we think we’re “off the rails” or that we “fell off the wagon”. And when we don’t follow the plan perfectly we give up.
Maybe you’ve heard yourself say, “I’ll just start again tomorrow, or I’ll just start again next week or on Monday, or maybe you’ve said in the past, “I’ll just start on January 1st”!
This happens because we have a human brain! Our survival brain wants to do what’s easy, it wants to seek pleasure and avoid pain.
When we fall into absolutes, we sometimes feel stuck and that feeling doesn’t drive actions that will move us forward.
Let’s consider an alternative approach…
Let’s meet ourselves where we’re at right now and work towards being consistent not perfect.
Let’s think big picture, what we over time rather than what we do in one moment in time.
Being resilient {getting up we fall down} and being consistent {looking at the big picture rather than hyper-focusing on the negatives} is the path to forward progress!
What was the most helpful tip and what will you implement? Email me (Tracey@TraceySmithLifeCoach.com) and let me know!
If you’re in a health rut and want to feel better…if you’re tired of thinking about it, tired of not having time to make it happen, or just…tired…let’s chat!
Email me or click the link below to schedule your free 1-on-1.
Be well friends!
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