Help! What do I eat?!

Help! What do I eat?!

So you’ve hired a trainer, or are thinking about hiring a trainer in hopes to reach your health and fitness goals. Did you know that exercise is only 20% of what gets you to your desired results? Yes, 20%! The other 80% comes from your diet. I’m not talking about a crash course diet or cleanse people go on hoping to lose 20 pounds overnight. Fasting and cleanses are great to jump start a healthy lifestyle, or done a few times a year but not for sustainable results.

Your trainer or training program is going to get you moving to build your cardiovascular health, building muscle and a strong core for healthy limbs, and body recomposition to build that sexy body everybody desires. They will push you past your predisposed limits, hold you accountable, and guide you in making the best decisions for your health.

Now, let’s get to what you should eat. You can eat whatever you want, it’s your body and your choice. The end results are on you and not on your trainer or a training program. Pretty harsh? It is, because it’s up to you and no one is going to walk behind you to slap the food out of your hand to tell you not to eat it. You have to decide you’re fed up with how you feel about your health and fitness abilities.

Your trainer or Wellness Coach will help you create a nutrition plan that will fit your dietary and fitness needs. For example, If your goal is to lose weight and tone up, you will lower your carbohydrate intake and up your protein by following a lower calorie nutrition plan.

Tracking your calories is the first step in being successful with an overall fitness plan of diet and exercise. Going over by just as little as 100 calories can damper your success, so tracking is vital. My Fitness Pal is a free tool that can help you on keeping track of the food you eat. Your trainer or coach can help you better if you share your food logs with them, so you can both discuss what is going well or needs to change. Once you get the calorie tracking down, then you can focus on hitting your daily protein intake to build muscle that will burn fat and shape your body. (No, women don’t bulk up like men with weight lifting.)

Okay, let’s talk about what choices you can make. I personally like paying someone to make my meals because I’m so busy, and meal prepping can be a drag. If you love to cook, set a day to cook your meals for the week. If you’re anything like me, you’ll forget your pre made meal at home and have to resort to fast food.

Yes, that fried chicken sandwich is so delicious, with a side of fries, and lemonade. Like I said, it’s your choice, but you have now eaten most of your allotted calories for the day and no where near your needed protein intake. You have loaded up on carbs and fats and feel sluggish, and an hour later you’re hungry again. Choosing a grilled chicken sandwich with no or just half the bun, a side salad (hold the dressing!) and a water or unsweetened tea will leave you feeling satisfied, energetic, and have room to eat again later. You have also given your body the vitamins it needs through your better choices.

Listen to your body, if you’ve hit your calorie intake for the day and still feel hungry, go ahead and drink some water and have a light healthy snack like an apple and almond butter (1 tablespoon only). Keep a food journal of how you felt that day, or what struggles you faced and discuss them with your trainer or coach.

You got this champ!