Nutrition

I think you will like this blog! I have just been checking out some weight loss sites online. It is a popular topic, always has been and always will be! For me defining nutrition is easy – it is what we eat (I like to keep things simple).

Statistics indicate that as are global population we are growing, upward but also, and more importantly, outward .There is absolutely no reason why we cannot remain the same weight from when we were 24 until 54 or 64 years of age. A large percentage of us struggle to maintain a weight range, this is due to two reasons; we exercise less as we get older and/ or we continue eating the same or more.

The exercise part is discussed more frequently; the nutrition side is talked about far less. I suffer from a very common affliction that many of you may relate to, I love eating! I swam for many years as a youngster and honed my eating skills over that period. I no longer manage the 15km – 20km a day in the pool but could probably still eat a similar amount of calories.

As I said at the beginning I like to keep it simple. I am going to share some simple eating guidelines I use to personally maintain my eating habits. See what you think.

Dan’s top ten nutrition tips

1. Breakfast is vital. It gets your metabolism kick started for the day.

2. The only diet that will work is one you can maintain for the rest of your life. Can you see yourself living on soup or fruit drinks for the rest of your life? No ? Then in the long term it will not work!

3. Don’t let yourself get hungry. Snack throughout the day (fruit is a great snack), don’t let yourself get too hungry or too full. This helps you maintain a constant metabolism and most importantly makes it easier for you to control your appetite. When do you normally over eat? Yup – when you are famished!

4. Don’t buy treats and store them at home. You will only be tempted. Keep the good stuff at home, if you really want a treat go out and get it.

5. Shop regularly. I shop every one or two days. That way I use plenty of fresh and unprocessed produce to cook with. It helps me stay clear of processed foods that might have lots of added salt for storage etc. Better yet I never end up with a ton of groceries to carry home and less wastage.

6. Drink plenty of water. It is oh so good for you and keeps your body in balance.

7. Have your evening meal as early as possible. I am not advocating a time but the more time between eating and going to bed the better, it allows time for digestion and it gives you an opportunity to ‘use’ the meal rather than storing it. You will probably get to sleep quicker as well.

8. Share these tips with the people you live with. If they eat well it makes it easier for you to main good eating habits.

9. Moderation is important. Eating well all the time can be very hard. You may slip in some areas but by following most of these tips most of the time you can be successful.

10. Exercise. Our bodies were built for movement. It is a whole different topic but always need to be considered when looking at nutrition for better living.

Hopefully you will find these tips useful. Send me your feedback or let me know if you have some useful nutrition tips!

Dan