Food and eating can be one of the most daunting talks to have with a client. We all have our perceptions of what we should be eating, how much we should be eating, and what is “healthy” to be eating. Like everything else in life, this runs along a continuum for most people, unless there is an underlying condition that can make it unique. Let us dive into the belly of it this discussion and see where it all comes out.
What the hell should I even eat?
Well, first we can look at what you like to eat now. Shouldn’t we look at what we actually like to eat and see what we can gain, or lose, from that selection? It makes no sense to me to throw out someones complete diet. You can find any thread to pull on and see where it goes.
“So you like potato chips?’
‘Hell yeah I do!”
“Cool. Well, have you ever had these tortilla chips with seeds and whole grains with some guacamole? No? Awesome, let’s see how you like these.”
See how easy that was? It’s not the food; it’s the person we need to work with and look at. The food choices are just a secondary thought when trying to start giving nutritional advice. Just because a person may like an “unhealthy” food, does it mean that there are no other options for them in the same category.
Ok, cool. So how much do I eat?
This is where working with a professional comes in to play. When you sit down to work with either a Nutrition Coach, RD, or even a trainer, you will dig a little deeper into the pieces needed to start building a starting place. Whether you eat a lot, or eat a little bit, your body still has a set number of calories it requires throughout the day to keep on trucking. Your age, weight, and height, all play into this number, as well as how active you are throughout the day. You won’t need as many calories on a day where you are just hanging out, as compared to a day that you’re working out hard. We want to know where we need to take you, and honestly, how long it may take us to get you even to your metabolic set-point. Once this has been attained, and you feel good about it, then we can look at either a deficit for weight-loss, or a surplus for weight-gain.
So you mean I can’t just start at my calorie requirement?
No, no you can not. I mean, you could, but if you just start eating tons of calories and your body is just coming out of “Starvation” mode, it’s going to store a bunch of it because the body is really good at not eating itself. We have to stoke the fire of metabolism slowly, allowing the body to acclimate to what you are giving to it. While this may not be what you want to hear, it’s honestly what will be best for you. It should be a journey, not the fast race that we all seem to be conditioned to go on these days.
Well, how do I start?
A couple of ways to start this journey will work great.
- Track 3 Days of your Intake. Don’t worry about the macros, just what you ate, drank, and snacked on. Don’t forget the creamer!
- Talk to a professional.
For tracking your intake, look at all of your intake. Any cream in your coffee? Any little candies throughout the day? It can all add up, but don’t take it as a negative. It’s an awesome way to start to recognize patterns, see how little additions can add up, and just see what you tend to like when you eat and snack.
Nutrition, and your diet, can definitely take some getting used to when you are trying to change it around. Stop thinking you have to change absolutely everything, especially when you haven’t even started to recognize, and track, what you are currently doing. If you’re looking for help, head over to our Nutrition Page and take the first step in your journey.
Talk to you soon-
Kent