Proper Nutrition….Challenging, But Necessary
Nutrition tends to be an evil word when related to weight loss. I have been personal training and working with a variety of people for 20 years and this has always been a sticking point to long term weight management success.
We here at Florida Sports Docs understand proper nutrition is a very challenging part of changing your life around. Believe it or not exercising is generally the easiest part of beginning a healthier lifestyle. We know this sounds counterintuitive because exercise for someone who has never done it or it’s been many years since a work out may seem daunting, but it isn’t as encompassing as nutrition. What I have noticed and learned over many years of training is that exercise requires anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour, four to five times a week…that leaves 23 hours of the day to deal with eating properly! There are also so many factors that influence us to eat the way we do. How do we improve? I recommend baby steps to make this a positive, life long successful venture. I think the first step is keeping a nutritional journal. I know these are a pain, but there are many great apps out there for your smart phone that can make the process much easier (Calories Count & Diet Tracker by Myfitnesspal, Food Diary and Calorie Tracker by Mynetdiary inc.). Initially, keep track of what you eat for 7 days. Many apps will break down the amount of protein, carbohydrates, fats and caloric intake you ingest each meal and day. This gives you a great look at not only what you eat (fruits, veggies, processed foods) but, what your macro-nutrient intake looks like. This information provides valuable insight into what and where you need to make changes.
I also encourage my clients to add a category to their journal, feelings! What do I mean by feelings?
I ask my clients to express how they are feeling when they when they make food choices… sad, happy, rushed, stressed, bored or upset? All of these feelings play a huge roll in our food choices and how much we eat throughout the day. If you over- indulge, write down how you were feeling at that moment. If you don’t address the mental component as part of your weight loss strategy, you’re technically on a diet. Diets are temporary and almost always fail in the long run (Adkins, South Beach)! The mental picture provides you and your trainer with valuable information and is often the missing piece of the puzzle that a typical diet plan does not address. Addressing the mental part to your eating habits will help guide important changes required for life long success in eating healthier and keeping unwanted pounds off your body.
At FSD we suggest baby steps! Many diet failures come from trying to make too many changes at once. Taking small steps allows you to develop good eating habits that can be maintained without getting too overwhelmed. Chipping away at your challenges and setting attainable goals leads to longer lasting rewards.
As you reach each of your goals, they inspire continued long term success.
Come and join our inspired team here at Florida Sports Docs. We will be your weight management partner!! sportsdocsfl.com