Bullet Points on Basic Nutrition

I recently gave a talk to a youth sports team on basic nutrition and these are the main points that all people should know regarding healthy nutrition. These are the most important items to focus on when improving your nutrition.

We all have a good idea of what’s healthy and what’s not. You should stay away from the obvious junk foods like fast food, sugary drinks, and desserts. They should only be consumed on occasion if at all. Very healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, and lean meats can be eaten multiple times a day.

Basic Nutrition

Protein

• Needed for tissue repair which includes muscle.
• Some tend to shy away from protein, in general. Be sure to eat a quality source of protein with most meals.
• 4 calories per gram
• Can be used for energy

Carbohydrates

• Primary source of energy
• Can range from very good to very bad carbs:
•         Best: Veggies
•         Better: Fruit
•         Good: Brown rice, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, quinoa, some beans.
•         Mediocre: Wheat bread, wheat tortilla, corn tortilla.
•         Worse: Wheat pasta, white rice, wheat crackers.
•         Worst: White bread, white flour pasta, crackers, white tortillas, pretzels, anything white flour and/or heavily processed.
•         Horrible: (rarely consume): Pastries, soda, energy drinks, candy. Known junk food.
• Main culprit in obesity – sugar. CUT SUGAR
• 4 calories per gram

Fat

• Fat doesn’t necessarily make you fat.
• Used for many cell functions including hormone, nerve, brain, and many other basic functions.
• Don’t cut too low, eat good fats
• Nuts, olive or coconut oil, a little fat from lean meat, avocados.
• Can be used as an energy source

Vitamins

• Needed to aid the cellular process.
• Vitamins = energy sometimes due to increase in cell efficiency.
• Each one plays an important role in certain processes – immune, energy, hormonal, antioxidants
• Antioxidants – help get rid of toxins. Veggies and many fruits. Get more fiber and antioxidants – will also help lean out legs.

Calories

• How much energy you burn and/or consume
• Your body burns calories all day including sleeping.
• No need to obsess over calories.
• Use concepts instead like: Cut out sugar. Cut out white flour products. Replace complex carbs with veggies. No gluten (ie. bread, pasta, crackers, etc.)

Eat Breakfast!

• WILL increase your metabolism
• Notice you will have more energy. Will be hungrier in the morning, but that’s a good thing.
• Eat real food: Fruit, nuts, eggs, greek yogurt, lean meat, almond butter.
• Stay away from cereal, waffles, pancakes, toast, sausage.
• First thing you eat sets the tone of the day.

You may not always be able to control dinners, but lunches and snacks you typically can.

Lunches

• Salad with lean meat or chicken with fruit
• Sandwich on whole grain bread with veggies
• Bowls – brown rice, chicken, veggies, salsa, avocado.
• Meat/cheese/fruit
• Any combination of fruit veggies and meat or protein source

Snacks

• Fruit and nuts, fruit and almond butter
• Veggies and almond butter
• Greek yogurt
• Good protein bars
• Hard boiled eggs
• Protein shakes

Unhealthy Foods

• Sugar
• Processed Foods
• White flour processed foods

•         Bread
•         Tortillas
•         Crackers
•         Cereals
•         Whole grain is better. Best are veggies, brown rice, or sweet potatoes.

• Trans-fats
•         In many processed foods. High in fast food
• High Cholesterol
•         Need cholesterol, but not as much as the typical American eats.
• The obvious
•         Fast food, etc.

Healthy Foods

• Veggies
• Lean Meat
• Nuts
• Fruit
• Greek Yogurt
• Good complex carbs: Brown rice, sweet potatoes, quinoa.

A Sample Healthy Day

• BKF: Berries, Nuts, Lean meat or eggs or Greek yogurt or cottage cheese.
• Snack: Veggies, cheese, lean meat.
• Lunch: Salad with chicken, fruit. Vinaigrette dressing
• Snack: Fruit, nuts, Greek yogurt
• Dinner: Lean meat, lots of veggies, small to moderate amount of brown rice, sweet potatoes or other better/good carbs.

Portion sizes can be adjusted accordingly, but generally if you eat to what I consider healthy you will become leaner in addition to having more energy and stamina.

Most significant points

• Cut out sugar
• Eat 5-6 smaller meals per day
• Eat a good Breakfast
• Eat less processed foods especially processed carbs
• Increase vegetable intake
• Have a significant protein source with most meals

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