We are bombarded with books on diets and health, each one claiming to have the answer to what we should eat and how we should live. You may have tried many of these programs and found success with some and failure with others. You may have even given up trying to find the right one for you and have just gone back to eating foods that give you pleasure-healthy or not.
The optimal diet is not just any one type of diet or fad diet. It is a diet that works best for you-to accommodate your life style, activity level, health needs, genetic potential, and health goals.
Eating isn’t just a part of our life; it is our life. We need to make healthy eating a way of life. This may mean that it will take some thought about our eating habits. Do we eat to soothe our emotional needs? Do we eat to mitigate stress? Do we eat in certain ways because of our ethnic background? Do we like to cook or would we rather eat out? Do we allot enough time to prepare foods? These are all important questions to ask ourselves as we begin to make changes in our diets to meet our health goals. We may make a commitment to a healthier way of eating, but find that we can’t honor our goals if we are inclined to subvert our goals.
Eating well is a choice.
Try eating well-balanced and portioned high quality meals. Add exercise to the mix and you're set for a super plan to manage your weight and feel great.
What do we eat?
We can come close to an optimum diet for ourselves if we just follow some simple guidelines. Healthy eating is really fairly simple:
Key 1
Eat a variety of fresh foods that are organically grown. Choose seasonal foods. Eat protein. Healthy carbs, and some good fats each day. And condiments that boost flavor and nutrition such as sea vegetables, nutritional yeasts, herbs, and spices.
Key 2
In order to eat for your activity level, lifestyle, and health goals, adjust the ratios of the macronutrients to meet your needs. This means more protein, less protein, more carbs than protein, higher fats, less fat, etc. Also adjust the calories if you are trying to lose weight or are actively involved in an exercise training programs.
Key 3
First thing in the morning, consume lemon water and have a quality source of protein for your first meal of the day.
Key 4
Find true enjoyment in eating and preparing wholesome foods.
Key 5
Drink lots water.
Key 6
Avoid the following foods:
- Processed foods
- Preservatives
- Additives
- GMO containing Foods
- Simple sugars
Foods to choose from:
Our food choices are endless, but meals need to be simple, delicious, and nutritious!
Protein: Organic grass-fed beef, lamb, free-range turkey, chicken, cage-free eggs, dairy, fish
Carbohydrates: Whole grain (wheat, oats, rye, barley, spelt, kamut, brown rice, quinoa)
Legumes: Beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, cashews
Vegetables: all types
Fats: Avocado, olive and olive oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, grapeseed oil, macadamia nut oil, raw nuts and seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds
We need optimal nutrition to achieve optimal health.
- Protein: 2-3 serving per day
- Vegetables: 5 serving per day
- Fruit: 2 serving per day
- Nuts and seeds: 1 serving per day
- Whole grain: 1 serving per day
- Beans/legume: 1 serving per day
- Starchy vegetable (carrots, yams, potatoes, beets, squash): 1 serving per day
- Oil: 4 tsp per day (olive, etc)
- Water: Drink as many ounces of water every day as are equal to half your body weight in pounds (e.g., body weight of 100 lbs = 50 oz of water per day)