Three Pillars for Nutritional Success
As we step firmly ahead into the tail end of 2022 and the strong side of 2023, many of us are looking for some clear guidance on how we can continue, or begin, to build our healthiest body possible. Your healthiest body possible is only to be defined by YOU. But, there are some key pillars that can guide most of us – without taking up too much brain bandwidth.
Number 1: Be clear on your values and goals
It sounds powerfully simple, and it is just that – powerful. Taking the time at the beginning of any health journey – to outline what it is exactly that you want to achieve – is key in deciding on how you measure your progress and the likelihood of achieving said goal. For instance, if you want to lose 8 pounds, it’s important you know what the time frame for this is, does it have to be 8 pounds? Could we set a ranged target (e.g. 7-9 pounds lost)? From here, you can start to set your expectations and get a clearer idea of how your measurements should be moving across the timeline.
This is where your values come in. When setting your goals, make a note of your values as they pertain to your health, family life and social life. This is necessary because your goals and the journey to your goals have to remain aligned to your values or the journey could be unnecessarily challenging. For instance; if we value ‘waking up and playing with the kids’ or ‘feeling awesome when I go to my gym class’ – but your pursuit of losing 8 pounds has tanked your energy reserves and you’re waking up feeling empty – you know straight away that this is not a protocol that is going to work for the long haul – and it needs to be addressed. A reassessment of what you want to achieve, or how you are approaching your nutrition should fix the issue.
Number 2: Prime your hunger
One of the most effective ways to help yourself out when you’re out and about making meal decisions, is to take the moment in the day where you do have more control – and utilise that meal to make the rest of the day a little easier.
If this meal is breakfast; aiming to have a breakfast with a moderate amount of protein, fats and fibres (carbohydrates too!) can help satiate you for a longer period of time. Even if your first meal is lunch – you can take the same formulae and apply it to your lunch, or build a protein dense snack that you can have in the morning such as; eggs, salmon, biltong or a protein shake! You’ll hear this a lot, but staying on top of your hydration is another easy win. Invest in an awesome water bottle that you can’t wait to drink, and aim for 1.5-3litres a day (building from where your current water intake is at the moment.) These tips will mean you can make eating decisions throughout the rest of the day that come from a mind that isn’t screaming ‘feeeeeddd meeeeee’.
Number 3: Accountability / check in with yourself
In order to make sure that your protocol is; working, effective and nurturing your health (not just your results) – it’s important you check-in with yourself. This may look like; a conversation in your own head each week about how you are feeling, whether you feel better or worse than the week before, if you feel more or less confident in of yourself. Perhaps journaling these answers will be the right method for you or even taking voice notes. This self-reflective time can feel redundant – because it’s not weighing food or deciding the perfect macro-split. I would petition you – that this self-reflection can be hugely effective in spotting early doors the things that we discussed earlier; are you making good progress towards your goals, is your journey towards your goals something that is aligned with your values and is this something that is sustainable or do you need to make an adjustment.
You can also use a friend or family member to support you with these check-ins. A coffee chat over how you are feeling and how the programme is going can be another way to prompt you to reflect on all of these important areas.
One of the things that we hear a lot from our members, is that they find the accountability of taking on a challenge with other people, or under the guidance of a coach – really helpful. Having a group of peers that understand the wins and obstacles that you face, with trusted mentorship that help refine what you need to focus on – can give you a huge advantage in making this journey successful.
Want to take FULL CONTROL of your nutrition in 2023? Our next Nutrition Accelerator ‘NEW YEAR SHRED’ is launching 9th January, from our gym in Crowborough.
