Eating for a fit and healthy body

Having a fit body is not just about exercise (though it's important!) but has a lot to do with what we eat. The diet industry is a multi-billion dollar business as is the one for health supplements so attests to this. As a result, people seem to look for the latest trick or secret. It's really no "secret" at all. In fact, nutrition is not nearly as complex as most people think it is. Here's a thought to ponder: your nutrition is the most powerful tool to change your body composition. And as you might have heard before... "you CAN'T outwork a bad diet!" This means no matter how hard you work out, how many crunches you do, how much cardio you do, you will never get the results you desire without a proper balanced diet. This is true for both building up muscle and decreasing body fat. So with this in mind, let's go over some basic rules you need to get down first in order to enjoy the physical health and look you desire: -Know your goal: is it getting stronger or more fit? Losing weight? There's no wrong answer here!

-Know your total calorie intake for the day: yes, that means you have to count them. I use pen and paper but there are amazing apps for your phone or tools like a FitBit that will help you do it. You NEED to know your starting point!

-Develop your MACRO percentages for the calories: What? What's a macro??

A macro is basically a macronutrient. They are the building blocks for your body and therefore for your day-in-day-out health. They're easy to find since all food labels have them printed on them (Hint: start REGULARLY reading the labels of what you eat so you know the composition and check out online for fresh fruit and vegetables). They consist of protein- necessary for muscle growth and maintenance, carbohydrates- the 'fuel' your body uses to create energy and fat- the lubricant like oil in a car engine.

Once you have figured out your calories and know where to look to find your macros, a good rule of thumb in terms of your daily balance is this: Protein range should be 10-35% of total calories. Carbohydrate range should be 45-65% of total calories. Fat range should be 20-35% of total calories. This is a HUGE topic but for today, there is no need for super low carb diets or keto diets - the body needs clean fresh foods. Starting with the Canada Food Guide will help you get started. If you want to shed body fat, then you just got to keep things simple and control your calorie intake with the right macro percentages. Then it becomes a matter of burning more calories than you consume. I'll share more about this in future but if you'd like to know more, reach out to me and we can chat about it.