5 Nutritional Tips for a Better Lifestyle

It is impossible to out-train a bad diet!

Have you decided to take the plunge and lead a happier and healthier lifestyle with the help of a health and fitness coach? Alternatively, you may be on track with your exercise routine but you have found that you have plateaued. This is a very common problem, and one that our sports nutrition coach can assist you with. You need to remember those age old words – you cannot out-train a bad diet! It is essential that your nutritional needs are met and that what you are eating is helping and not hindering your progress. It might be that you are eating what you consider to be healthy, but you might be surprised to find that it may not be. Some combinations of food just do not work well together. And some foods that claim to be healthy simply  are not. As a health coach, I have put together some nutritional tips to make sure that your lifestyle complements your exercise routine.

5 Nutritional Tips for a Better Lifestyle

There are numerous tips and tricks that your nutritionist can help you with to ensure that you are on your way to living a healthier lifestyle. It is important to make sure that you eat the right number of calories for your activity levels in order that you can balance the energy used with the energy consumed. If you eat or drink more than your body requires you will not be able to lose the weight you wish to lose. Of course, what is in those calories also matters. Eating a wide variety of different foods, so that you are receiving all the nutrients that you need is so important. Here are 5 basic tips to help you start off your healthy lifestyle journey.

Eat lots of fruit and vegetables

Fruit and vegetables are a fantastic source of vitamins and minerals, including essentials such as folate, vitamin C and potassium. Fruit and vegetables are usually low in fat and calories and are a good source of fibre, meaning they will fill you up and keep you fuller for longer.  They are low in saturated fat, salt and sugar and contribute to a successful and healthy lifestyle. They are a great way to improve your health, and by becoming a little creative in the kitchen the possibilities are endless. Speak to our nutritionist in our Aberdeen studios for great tips and ideas to help you get started.

Eat more fish (or algae for those on a plant-based diet)

Eating a variety of different fish will contribute towards a healthy balanced diet, and our Aberdeen based health coach recommends that you eat two portions a week, including one portion of oily fish (salmon, trout, herring, sardines etc). Fish is packed with essential vitamins, minerals and protein and is very low in fat, and is a healthy alternative to eating red meat. Oily fish is bursting with vitamin D and omega 3 which helps to keep your heart fit and healthy. Adding fish to your diet is also effortless as it is one of the easiest proteins to prepare – and it tastes delicious and is very versatile and you will be able to find a recipe that you love with ease.. Be aware not to consume too much fish though, as many scientific studies suggest that microplastics found these days in the ocean can be quite unhealthy for humans to consume in large quantities. The same can be said of consuming too much mercury, which is also found in fish. A plant-based alternative to fish is algae.

Algae contains high levels of Calcium, Iron Vitamins A, C, and K, however most importantly it’s a natural source of iodine, which is missing in mostly all foods. It’s essential for humans to help a healthy functioning thyroid gland. Among other things, it helps to regulate our metabolism.

Cut down on saturated fat and sugar

There are two main types of fat – saturated and unsaturated. It is best to avoid saturated fat as this can increase levels of cholesterol which can  lead to developing heart disease  and  strokes. Try to choose vegetable oils and spreads in place of butter or lard when cooking and choose lean cuts of meat or trim off the fat to ensure that your intake of saturated fats is low. Any consumption of meat produces further cholesterol in our bodies so it is advisable to eat it as minimally as possible.  So if you insist on eating meat, do so minimally. A healthy heart is a happy heart and it prefers as little cholesterol as possible .

Take care to avoid regularly consuming foods that are high in sugar content  as this is one of the main factors in contributing to obesity, heart disease and tooth decay. In particular, you require being  careful of ‘free sugars’ that have been added to store bought food and drinks to make them sweeter or which can be found naturally in honey. These are a lot worse for your health than the sugar which is found naturally in fruit, and you need to be able to monitor how much you are consuming.. Our nutritionist in Aberdeen recommends that you also should avoid sugary drinks as these contain massive amounts of invisible calories. It is possible that you may be consuming extra calories without even realising that this is the case.

Drink a good amount of water daily

Not only is water essential for us to survive, but it also has exceptional benefits for those who are looking to have and maintain a healthy and happy lifestyle. Drinking enough water assists in keeping the correct balance of fluids in the body, maintaining your body temperature and transporting those all important nutrients to where they need to be. Water also helps to lubricate your joints, and if you become dehydrated then it can reduce their shock absorbing ability and lead to joint pain, which you do not wish to happen if you are training. Drinking enough fluids is also extremely important for when you are exercising as it not only enhances your performance, but it also makes sure that you do not  become dehydrated. Our health and fitness coach recommends drinking water rather than sweetened juices or fizzy drinks when you feel thirsty when training and in your daily life.

Do not skip breakfast

You might think that skipping breakfast could be a good way to keep calories at bay, and that it does not matter if you do not feel hungry until lunchtime? Our sports nutrition coach knows that this is one of the worst mistakes that you can make when trying to get on track and develop a healthy lifestyle plan. “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” is not just an old adage – having a well-balanced breakfast makes sure that you start your day well and that you do not overeat at your next meal to compensate for the lack of a good breakfast. A nutritionally complete breakfast also ensures that you have enough energy throughout the morning, too, especially if you are in training with one of our coaches here in our Aberdeen studios. Our health and fitness coaches will work with you to understand what motivates you and what your end goals are in terms of your nutritional requirements. Every person is different and unique, and as qualified sports nutrition coaches, we will help guide you towards acquiring better, healthier eating and drinking habits to ensure  you feel your best, both while training and in your daily life.