Let me repeat that…YOU BECOME WHAT YOU EAT! I think the gravity of it may have slipped by some people. No, this doesn’t mean if you eat fat you will be fat. It goes deeper than that. I’m talking about food quality.
Yes, you actually become what you eat
The food you eat is broken down, digested, and the nutrients get used to building new cells all over your body. Our body makes billions of new cells every day and the fuel has to come from somewhere…our food!
On a moment-to-moment basis, we are creating our future body. The next time you eat something, ask yourself…”Would I be OK with building a new body from this food?
Aim for the best quality you can find/afford, and eat well at least 80% of the time. For the 10-20% of the time when you indulge, still choose quality in your treats!
Keep reading for tips on how to accomplish these things.
You are also HOW you eat!
By this, I mean the timing, portions, choices, habits, and mindset that go into preparing and consuming the ingredients that fuel your body.
In our Fuel Your Body For Success workshop, you will learn the difference between real food and food type products, calorie counting, portion sizing, metabolic typing, and creating a meal plan customized to your lifestyle.
I write at length about this in my book The Fitness Curveball. But, I chose this topic today because getting back from vacation has been a great reminder of how food choices have a direct impact on our health, fitness, and well-being.
I’ve just returned from almost 3 weeks of vacation, plus a work trip, and my body is in recovery mode. The vacation was definitely a good time, but I indulged much more and was less active than I normally would be. There were multiple daily cocktails and a large meal each night, combined with a lot of relaxing and lounging on the beach. Yes, it was hard work 😉
While much of this food was high quality (BC produce and fruit in the summer are out of this world), many items weren’t. I also consumed a number of things which I only consume on a rare basis (processed meat, candy, cookies, baking, etc.).
After having reviewed thousands of food logs from clients, I can honestly say that my vacation indulgences were probably better than many people’s regular weekly food choices.
However, I still noticed a dramatic impact on my overall functioning. This includes my sleep, digestion, energy levels, mental clarity, and exercise performance.
What does this mean for you?
It means that if you are struggling with any of the above issues, or the ability to lose weight (fat), then dialing in your nutrition is a way to make a tremendous difference. And get past the barriers you’ve been faced with.
When I left from vacation for my business trip, I made a concerted effort to get back into my regular eating and activity routine. Even these past few days have produced a great improvement in overall function.
Not that I’m surprised, but this experience is always a great reminder that “the process” works. It’s the same story I see with clients in our studio and in my online coaching program.
The simple things we do each day already (eat, move, sleep) make the biggest difference when they are dialed in correctly. Keep in mind that this doesn’t mean eating some crazy restrictive or horribly tasting diet.
In fact, dialing in your nutrition habits with a focus on food quality will lead to a wide variety of healthy, tasty, and performance-producing options.
Nutrition is much more simple than most people think
I guarantee you already know most of the things you need to do. But, if you aren’t getting the results you want, I would bet you aren’t actually implementing the things you know.
This usually comes from ingrained habits that we take for granted and that are holding us back from the results we desire. Alternately, we may think things are going “OK”, but aren’t aware that a few simple changes can open up an entirely new level of performance in our life.
Here’s a quick example:
Many of our eating habits are based on ingrained, but often erroneous beliefs about what’s “Right”. People might think nothing of having a healthy salad or vegetable stir-fry for lunch or dinner. But they would think you were crazy if you suggested it for breakfast.
Have you ever thought about why that is?
For breakfast, people typically think of coffee, cereal, toast, bacon, eggs, pancakes, muffins, bagels, etc. Depending on the quality and preparation of these items, some may be OK. However, navigating these waters is often confusing for people (and something we help clients deal with).
If we can make a simple mindset shift about eating vegetables at breakfast, we can make a tremendous difference in our health, without much confusion. Let’s face it, it’s pretty hard to choose low-quality fresh vegetables and fruit.
Sure, you can always go local and organic, but fresh vegetables are a pretty good choice over most of the typical breakfast items I mentioned. Hey, you may even decide to add some of those into the mix too. 🙂
So what are my biggest tips for transforming your nutrition and food quality?
Choose the highest quality items possible
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Learn where your food comes from and what was done to it before it got to you (not as much work as you think)
Learn how to prepare food that retains nutrient quality and tastes great
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You don’t need to be a gourmet chef. A few “go-to” meals will make a huge difference)
Eat vegetables at every major meal (yes, that includes breakfast)!
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The most simple way is to just add some raw veg on the side with what you normally have
Cut back on the processed, packaged foods, and anything that has a mascot or celebrity spokesperson
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We used to call them “non-foods”, but in the Trump era, they are now known as “Fake Foods” (since they have very little substance or nutrient value, but a lot of “fluff” in the way of empty calories and chemicals and preservatives).
Aim for quality over quantity
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You will often find that you will feel more sustenance and won’t feel the need to eat as much when the quality of your food is higher
Getting back to the basics helped me remember the power of quality food, basic movement, and a good night’s sleep.
It will work for you too! If you need some advice regarding your diet, my team and I would love to help, simply book your FREE Success Coaching Session with FRESH!
Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, for more health and fitness tips and tutorials.
We share the lifestyle we love!
Comments
Nice perspectives on the subject of healthy eating.
Thanks Danwil!
I’ve heard about this but didn’t really get it. You explained it very well.
Thanks for commenting Fransic!
I agree with his 100 percent
Thanks Jimmy!
I couldn’t agree more. I am so proud I have found a way to eat more healthy.
Awesome Sonia! Thanks for commenting!
This is an interesting perspective. I think that too much of a ‘good’ thing is bad, but certainly not ‘some’ of it. I used to avoid certain foods due to anorexia nervosa and the fear of gaining weight. Now, I try and eat everything, with moderation being applied to foods that maybe aren’t as healthy as fruit and vegetables. Even then, too much fruit and veg can promote unwanted bloating in some people, me specifically. So I even moderate those.
Yes, too much fruit and veg can promote unwanted bloating in some people but only for a short period of time. When your bowels get used to eating raw, the bloating will pass. This is my personal experience. Thanks for engaging and good luck!
I find this article to be well-thought out with great tips on improving our eating habits. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
And thank you Stephanie for being part of it!
Great post and solid information. I know when my diet is poor – I feel it. Interesting ideas behind the why we are what we eat.
Thanks for engaging Debbie!
Ive been wanting to eat more mindfully and this post helps alot. Thank you.
And thank you too Amber for commenting!
I just tried a new recipe that I think it is ingenious, egg burritos with broccoli, tomato, and bacon. (I use turkey bacon.) I had to change my eating habits, and this was one step towards that. Thanks for adding to the inspiration to eat healthy!
That is a great recipe Julie! It’s even better if the eggs and turkey are pasture raised.
Often I think I have to change some of my eating habits. I hope I`ll find the time and energy to do this. Thank you for the reminder.
And thank you Olga for commenting and good luck!
Ah yyeessss! What we eat gets to drive the rest of our lives for us. For a person battling obesity, I am now much more careful on what I let inside my mouth and tummy!
Thank you for your informative and eye-opening article on “YOU BECOME WHAT YOU EAT (LITERALLY)!” Your message about the connection between our diet and our overall health and well-being is a reminder of the importance of being mindful about what we put into our bodies.
I appreciate how you have provided scientific evidence and examples to support your argument, as well as practical tips and advice for making healthier food choices. Your article has reminded me of the power of food as medicine, and how the nutrients and compounds in our diet can have a profound impact on our physical and mental health.
Your article has also highlighted some of the negative consequences of a poor diet, including increased risk for chronic diseases, poor mental health, and decreased energy and vitality. These are all important reminders of why it’s so important to make healthy eating a priority in our lives.
Overall, I found your article to be informative, insightful, and well-written. Thank you for sharing your expertise and reminding us of the importance of being mindful about what we eat.
Best regards,
http://www.csna.com.au
Thank you for commenting!