Nutrition plays a big role in our health. Fueling your body with the right foods combined with exercise can help you maintain weight and reduce the risk of certain diseases like cancer and heart disease.
Nutrition is not a diet or a fad.
I believe it’s something that is always evolving which makes being up-to-date on the latest research in this area very crucial.
When I work with a client, there are a few things I look at when developing their nutrition plan:
1. Age
This is an important factor because our metabolism slows down as we get older and our bodies don’t bounce back as quickly as they once did.
That being said, it doesn’t mean you should go hide in your home and never come out. As a matter of fact, you still have what it takes to be healthy, look better and even get stronger regardless of age.
What might be good for a 20-year-old to eat may look a lot different for someone in there 50s.
Remember, food plans are not a one size fits all and it needs to be tailored to each individual based on their health goals.
2. Weight
While I don’t tend to make a person’s weight the main focus when creating meal plans, knowing how much you weigh is actually important.
The extra weight you carry around normally means that your body needs more fuel in the form of carbohydrates, proteins or fats.
I only consider weight a major factor when I’m working with people that are considered clinically obese, overweight or have a competition where how much they weigh matters. Pictures plus more of our weight loss results.
3. Body Fat %
I feel your body fat percentage is more important than how much you weigh.
Did you know that one pound of muscle can burn up to four times the amount of calories as a pound of fat? A pound of fat burns eight calories a day.
There are several different ways to measure body fat including skin fold testing, water dunk testing and using a bod pod.
Once the percentage is determined, this gives me a more accurate picture of what your macronutrients and calories should be.
Those macronutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, fats, water, vitamins and minerals.
I combine this with how much you work out and the type of exercise to make sure you’re being properly fueled for that activity.
If you increase exercise without changing nutrition, all kinds of things can happen from metabolic damage to not recovering properly.
4. Sleep
Sleep is another important factor I look at when building nutrition plans for my clients. Studies show that most people need six to eight hours of shut-eye each night.
Going to sleep and waking up at different times is not healthy which is why it’s important to have a consistent sleeping pattern.
Even with great nutrition, you will not reach your full fitness potential if lacking in sleep.
I also take into consideration the type of foods you’re currently eating to having you make a list of the things you like or don’t like to eat.
I believe tracking your food is also a great way to help you see exactly what you’re consuming and what types of changes need to be made.
This is not an easy thing to do and you will hit a plateau, but with my help anyone can turn unhealthy eating habits into healthier ones.
Contact me for a free no obligation discussion about nutrition & health,
Scott