Approaching Nutrition From An Unintimidating Standpoint

It's only human to have the moments where you feel inspired to learn more about eating nutritious foods and incorporating balance into your routines until you...

1. Fall into a google search and read about caloric intakes you find unsustainable

2. Hop on social media and see unrealistic body expectations All. Over. (I'm talking face tune, body photoshopping, etc)

3. Try working with meal plans and find it hair wrenching to fit them into your lifestyles

It can feel straight up exhausting. You want to find a way to add more nutrients and balance to your life, AND you want to be able to go out and have a normal social life.

What can you do? What did I do?

*After I had tried countless "methods:" calorie counting, macro-tracking, food scaling, pre-planning what I would order, etc. I was left anxious, exhausted, and defeated.

For something as simple as eating "healthy," why was I over thinking ever bit of it?

Here's how I started my journey of food freedom while maintaining lean muscle mass:

1. Know Your Resting Metabolic Rate

- If you're reading this, chances are you might already know your RMR. If you don't, your resting metabolic rate, or RMR, is the amount of energy (calories) you burn everyday while at rest. Overall, this is about 65-80% of your daily expenditure, depending on the day.

- You can use a website to calculate your estimated RMR or manually get your test done. The latter is an expensive option where you can go get a DEXA scan for around $200 in which you complete a series of breath tests. This is the most accurate option.

- If you have a history of dieting or under-eating, your RMR may be significantly lower than the number an online test will provide as your metabolism adjusts to your body's needs.

- Your body is smart! Your body learns from past behaviors, like under-eating, and can adapt your metabolism down. For example, you try a fad diet where you eat 1200 calories a day. At first, you find success! But, overtime your body levels out, and you find you need to eat fewer calories (>1200) to continue weight-loss. This is not sustainable long-term without physical and mental trauma.

*Should your metabolic rate seem to be lower than what online tests suggest, it is recommended you talk with your physician about the proper steps for you to safely raise it.

2. Focus On Protein-Rich Foods

- In order to retain muscle (i.e the "toned" look many people want to have) studies show you need to eat at least .7-1 times your body weight.

For example, an adult weighing 150 pounds would need 105-150 grams of protein a day.

- To achieve this number, you should look at incorporating a protein into each meal. For the vegetarian and vegans out there: protein powder and collagen can be used as a supplement for extra grams.

- There's really no need to track your food intake here, as long as you approach each meal with a conscious effort to add some protein here and there.

3. Strength Train

- This step cannot be overstated. So much emphasis is put on nutrition, and while it is certainly key to feeling your best, strength training is also important.

- Without muscle on your body, no matter how you eat, you will not look muscular without muscle.

-Furthermore, muscle mass aids your metabolic rate (you burn more calories when you have muscle). This is a great gift muscle gives. Use it!

Overall:

1. Know your metabolic rate

2. Eat enough protein

3. Strength Train

If you have questions about my personal experience with RMR, or relate to troubles with a lowered metabolic rate, please feel free to reach out!