There is so much information out there when it comes to nutrition. From the latest fad diet, to the newest trending supplement on the market. But what are some things that your dietitian wants you to know?
Here it goes:
What you do consistently brings about the biggest changes.
Extremes do not work and we need to remember that small,sustainable changes are key when it comes to trying to make long lasting changes for our health.
Sleep is important.
Did you know that if we don’t get adequate sleep, it doesn’t just affect our mood and feeling of restfulness, but our hormones are also affected. Specifically our hunger and satiety hormones. After a bad night’s rest, it has been found that hunger hormone levels increase and satiety hormones decrease. Ever feel like you are more snacky after broken sleep? This may be the reason why
Increasing your overall fiber intake might just be your missing puzzle piece.
Fiber plays a crucial role in overall gut and digestive health. Adding more fiber to your diet will also help you stay fuller for longer because it balances the blood sugar response we get from a meal. We want to aim for about 25-30g of fiber per day. While foods such as fruit, vegetables and legumes contain fiber, wholegrains give us the best bang for buck. For example half a cup of oats contains about 5g of fiber. Try to include whole grain carbohydrates that contain more than 6g of fiber per 100g in your daily diet.
Don’t forget about movement.
Movement is not only for burning calories. It is so much more than that. From improving mental health to improving digestion. Movement is something we should do at least 3-5 days a week for optimal health.
Get to know the 80/20 guideline.
80% of the time, learn to make choices that honour your health, and the other 20% you can choose foods purely based on taste. There is space for all foods in our diet and we don’t have to restrict any foods permanently. At the end it comes down to moderation and being mindful around the foods we eat as opposed to labelling some foods as ‘bad’ and ‘good’.
By Mariella Sawyer,
Pro Triathlete & Registered Dietician