lemme get a snack
I’m coming off a fun girls weekend with my friends from home . . . . and it got me thinking about something very important - snacks! 😛
Over the years I’ve noticed that oftentimes when ladies gather, they eat food suited for rabbits. Veggie trays, chips and dips, and other cute treats are nibbled on throughout the day.
And while I love a good charcuterie board just as much as the next gal, a snack is not a meal.
Even if you choose “clean,” protein-rich, low calorie snacks . . . . they’re still not fueling you properly. Yogurt is not a meal, a protein bar is not a meal, fruit is certainly not a meal.
I’m not saying there’s anything inherently wrong with snacking, and sometimes a meat stick in your purse can really save you! But if you’re snacking all day every day, it could be negatively impacting your fitness.
If your constant snacking is:
leading you to binge later in the day because you’re SO HUNGRY
putting you in a caloric surplus because you’re going overboard on the nibblers
making you a hangry, miserable human at the end of the day because you’re malnourished
You need to eat more MEALS.
Again, snacks have a time and place and I’m not discouraging them completely. But if snacks make up the bulk of your diet, I highly encourage you to start eating well-balanced, nutrient-dense meals throughout the day. Your energy, mood, and social circle will thank you.
YOU ARE THE SUM OF YOUR DECISIONS
In the grand scheme of life, it’s the small, seemingly inconsequential decisions that often hold the greatest power. Every choice we make, from the mundane to the monumental, contributes to the way our life plays out. We are the sum of our decisions.
I think most of us realize the power of the big decisions we make - our jobs, where we live, who we attach ourselves to, etc. But what about the small ones? Every day we make hundreds of decisions that affect our trajectory.
Every day most of us have the choice to:
eat nutritious, nourishing foods or eat junk that makes us feel like crap
sit on our butts or move our bodies
order takeout or cook at home
scroll IG or get to the gym
. . . . . . these are just a few that are specific to fitness! There are so many more choices we’re faced with on a daily basis.
If you want to change anything about your life - how you feel, look, perform, etc. - you have to change your ways. You can’t expect to continue making the same decisions you always have and suddenly get different results.
Is it easy to make healthy choices all the time? Absolutely not. And am I saying you have to make the healthy choice 100% of the time? No! I don’t even think that’s possible. Just remember that you are a culmination of the choices you make. So if you’re ALWAYS letting yourself off the hook or making excuses for yourself, you’ll continue down the same path. And maybe you’re ok with that. . . but if not, start paying attention to the decisions you make every day.
It’s the little things that add up.
Small changes = big results!
IF I FOLLOW THE 80/20 RULE, I’LL BE GOOD RIGHT?
You've likely heard about the 80/20 rule when it comes to health and fitness. According to this rule, as long as you stay consistent 80% of the time, you can still make progress towards your goals.
While staying consistent can mean different things for different people, let's focus on the basics. The things most people need to be nailing to reach their goals:
Working out 3-5 days/week
Getting 7,000-10,000 steps per day
Eating about 1g of protein per pound of body weight per day
Sleeping 7-9 hours a night (sometimes this is not possible with little ones in the house)
Drinking enough water
If we're following the 80/20 rule, we're achieving these basics 80% of the time.
If there are 30 days in a month, 80% consistent means you'd be on point at least 24 of those 30 days. That's . . . . a lot of days.
My point here isn't to make you feel bad if you're not being 80% consistent. My point is that 80% might be more than you think. So if you feel like you're consistent 80% of the time and not seeing the results you desire, you might need to take a closer look at your consistency rate.
You can still make progress at lower consistencies, it will just take longer. And for some, that might be totally fine! Just make sure you're honest with yourself about where you are and where you want to be.
STOP TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT QUICKLY
When many people embark on their fitness journey, their goal is to lose weight ASAP. And while we love the motivation and eagerness to get started. . . . we also have some bad news. Losing weight quickly rarely works :(
Research shows that somewhere between 75%-90% of people that take weight off quickly put it right back on. Oftentimes if you go in too hot, drastically reducing your caloric intake and/or increasing your energy expenditure you will indeed drop weight quickly. The issue is that most people can't sustain these dramatic changes for long and as soon as that motivation wears off and your behavior goes back to "normal," so does your weight.
Losing weight quickly can also lead to muscle loss, low energy, and nutritional deficiencies. Your body needs to be fueled to feel and perform it's best!
Your weight does not define you or your overall health. There is no shame in wanting to drop some lbs, but the number on the scale is not the only indicator that you're kicking @ss. Your strength gains, sleep, energy levels, and so many other factors are important players as well.
Maintaining a healthy weight over time is achieved through balanced nutrition, consistent training, and a lifestyle you can maintain and enjoy.
So consider ditching the quick fixes and find a more methodical approach to wellness. It's the only thing that works in the long run!
5 COMMON NUTRITION MYTHS DEBUNKED
1. Foods labeled "natural" are healthier
Unfortunately, there are practically zero regulations that prevent manufacturers from labeling their products as “natural.” Do not assume that this label is accurate or that it equates to "healthy.” If you want to be guaranteed that your product is unadulterated, then buy organic. This label requires products to meet a very clear set of guidelines.
2. Egg yolks are to be avoided
Egg yolks have more protein, healthy fats, and vitamins than egg whites. More importantly, the myth that eating yolks will raise your cholesterol is completely unfounded. While egg yolks do contain cholesterol, there is no connection between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol. In fact, your body needs dietary cholesterol to function properly. So, eat your yolks!
3. Fat free and sugar free products are a good way to cut calories
The short version as to why this isn't true is simple.: when manufacturers remove natural fats and sugars from foods they almost always replace them with chemicals and other processed garbage. Junk food is junk food, and it's important to know that diet soda or sugar free cookies are not doing your body any favors. Golden rule: the less processed food you put in your body, the better.
4. Fruits and vegetables are interchangeable
Fruits are a part of a healthy, nutritious diet if consumed in reasonable portions, but generally speaking, vegetables pack a much larger punch in terms of nutritional value. Many of your favorite fruits (bananas, apples, grapes) are loaded with sugar and over doing it on fruit can lead to excess fat storage. Ultimately, sugar IS sugar, no matter what the source. Veggies, especially greens, reign supreme over fruits and should be prioritized much higher in your diet.
5. Soy products are safe and healthy
Soy should not be a mainstay in a healthy diet because it contains endocrine system (hormone) disruptors. While excessive amounts of soy can cause a variety of problems, the most common side effect is abnormal estrogen levels. On top of that soy is 99% Genetically Modified and contaminated by more pesticides than almost any other food.