Here is a handout that we pass out to our new 101 members of PDXstrength, but we thought it would be useful if we shared it to all of our members. Nutrition is a key component to reaching your health and fitness goals. We hope these tips are useful and help you along your fitness journey.
Adequately fueling your body is so important! This is a journey of curiosity. You will not get it perfect on the first try. For a more detailed and holistic approach, please check out The 10 Principles of Intuitive Eating.
Here are some ideas to consider experimenting with:
o Drinking half your body weight in ounces. (If you weigh 200 lbs., drink 100 ounces of water). Try having a water bottle with you all the time.
o Trying to include protein, carbs, and fat with most meals to help you feel energetic and satisfied.
o Eating breakfast most days.
o Working towards limiting alcohol to 2 drinks a week or less.
o Experimenting with increasing the amount of fresh foods you eat (fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts/seeds, etc).
o Paying attention (without judgment) to how you feel on days when sugar intake is higher
o No more “fat free” products or products you think you should eat because they are low calorie, processed alternatives.
o Trying to increase the amount of organic and local foods you eat. Maybe that means checking out a farmer’s market.
MEAL IDEAS & TIMING
Pre-workout meals/snacks: this depends on the individual and how soon you can eat prior to your workout.
Find what works for you and stick with it.
It is helpful to consume some carbohydrate and protein before and after workouts.
Fats are a huge part of a balanced diet. They are satisfying and make foods (including veggies) taste good. Fats slow down the transit of the carbohydrates and protein through the stomach. In addition, many vitamins are fat-soluble and require some fat to be absorbed by the body!
Carbs and protein are ideal sources of fuel for long duration, high intensity workouts because the body processes these nutrients at a faster rate than that of fats. Try saving the fats for other opportunities throughout the day.
| Pre workout | Post workout snacks: try and consume at least an hour or less after the workout |
| Fruit
Oatmeal Quinoa Rice Lean turkey Sushi Chicken RX bar (or other protein bar) Almond butter on toast Granola Yogurt |
Fruit + egg/whey powder
(We sell SFH protein- it’s awesome!) Banana + almond butter Lean deli meat + bread Jerky + dried fruit Eggs+ sweet potato (you can microwave!) Stir fry with noodles Smoked salmon + squash Mashed yam + chicken breast Apple + peanut butter Granola + Greek yogurt |
KICKING OUT NEGATIVITY
Our thoughts can feel so powerful at times, especially in regards to body image. What if we told you it doesn’t matter whether a thought is true, but rather far more important is whether it’s helpful?
Suppose I’m overweight and my mind says, “Better get to the gym and earn your weekend because you’ve been l-a-z-y!” This thought is not helpful; it does nothing but blame, disparage, and demoralize. It doesn’t inspire me to eat sensibly or exercise more in a fun, enjoyable setting. Rather, this thought makes me feel like a total LOSER!
You can waste a lot of time trying to decide whether your thoughts are true. This is dumb. Don’t do it. The more useful approach is to ask, “Is this thought helpful? Does it help me take action to create the life I want”? If it’s helpful, pay attention to it. If it’s not, acknowledge the thought and detach from it.
But what if that negative thought seems helpful and motivating? We agree, these thoughts appear useful in the short term. But often, harsh and cruel words eventually stop providing motivation and become obnoxious and hurtful.
Experiment with self-compassion. For example, I might say to myself, “Wow. I recognize that getting in shape is so tough. Though I appreciate the story that my mind is telling me, I am, in fact, not a lazy person and I care tremendously about my well-being.” For more on self-compassion, check out Kristin Neff’s TEDx talk.
Feel free to not pay attention to magazines, Facebook, Instagram, or other types of posts that make the negative thoughts louder. Is comparing yourself to a 0.01% body fat Insta-Celeb helpful? Hell no!!!
Hope you enjoyed this and feel free to contact us with nutrition questions and we will do our best to guide you in the right direction.
Written by Christie Choma