3 Rules for Better Nutrition

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This month we are going to dive into nutrition!

Nutrition questions are by far the area I am asked about the most.

What should I eat to lose weight?
Should I get rid of carbs?
How do I consume more protein?

The truth is that there is no best diet for everyone and the context of each individual plays into what nutrition will be best for them.

This is why the fad diets we see online are often unsustainable and lead to plateaus or reversion to prior poor nutrition habits.

Engaging with the food you eat is a process of learning how your food can fuel your body and unlock higher levels of mental and physical performance.

In my coaching practice I focus on improving my clients vitality. Vitality is a state of physical strength with mental energy & focus.

Simply this means that when we are moving towards a state of higher vitality we are consistently refining our behaviors to focus on those that increase our physical and mental well-being.

Objective measures (weight loss, strength metrics, calorie burn) are byproducts of our efforts to improve vitality. They should not be the goal of your efforts.

The data collect is important to gauge an aspect of your progress, however, if the changes you make are not simultaneously improving your vitality they will not be sustainable long term.  

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3 Rules of Nutrition

1. Eat Real Food
2. Prioritize Protein
3. Be Consistent

Eat Real Food: Whole foods are simply the foods we get from nature. Whole foods are plant and animal products that cannot sit on a shelf for months or years on end and still be consumable. They are also mostly found on the outside isles of the grocery stores, not the center shelving aisle! If you can leave your prepared food sitting on the counter for days on end without it spoiling is it real food?

**Check out my whole food index below**

Prioritize Protein: Prioritizing protein will be a recurring topic in our discussion around nutrition. Protein is one of two essential macronutrients (fat being the other) and it serves as the building block for your entire body. Almost every time I review a client’s food log I find that they are dramatically under eating protein. Ideal protein intake will be between 0.8-1.2 grams/lb of lean body weight each day.

Here are a few of the (many) benefits of eating more protein:

• Appetite suppression
• Increased metabolism
• Increase in lean body mass​

​Be Consistent: Consistency is key to developing a robust understanding of how your body is responding to your nutrition changes. Often I see large shifts day to day in the types and quantity of food my clients are consuming. This creates difficulty in knowing what choices are beneficial and which ones are unhelpful. Aim to consume the same volume and types of food each day.

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Daily Reflection Questions

1. Did I prioritize protein at each meal?
2. How much of my meals were Whole Foods?
3. Were my nutrition choices consistent with my goals?

Sometimes the answers to these questions will not be ideal, and that is okay, it happens. If you strive to follow these rules you will develop a better sense of control over your nutrition, you will have less desire for poor-quality foods, and you will build the foundation for your journey to better health.

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Andrew Cataldo, CSCS OPEX CCP
Director - Performance Division 
E: [email protected]