Do you feel like you’re stuck, bored, and frustrated concerning your current way of eating, but don’t know how to change that?
You are not alone. It’s so easy to become locked into nutritional habits that are not only getting you nowhere but that are also unhealthy for your body, mind, and spirit.
It’s time to feel challenged to make an exodus from your old routine and to become inspired by starting new, exhilarating habits that will revolutionize your mundane diet.
- Dare Yourself to Eat and Enjoy Carbs Again
That’s right, you can free yourself from the diet myth that carbs are “bad” and make you fat. This is simply not true and here are the reasons why.
- Your body runs on carbs. Glucose is a carb and glucose is your body’s preferred fuel.
- Carbs can cause you to gain weight if you eat more than your body needs, but this is true of protein and fat as well. It’s about balance not elimination.
- People lose weight eating low carb because they are restricting calories in the process. Therefore, it isn’t the carbs that’s doing it, it’s eating less than your body needs to maintain itself.
- Some of the healthiest, longest living people on the planet eat diets rich in carbs.
So, be bold and step outside of your dietary comfort zone and eat some carbs without guilt. The only rule I ask people to follow is to make sure the majority of the carbs they’re eating come from whole food sources not refined and processed food choices.
- Recognize That You Are Unique and Have Personal Nutritional Needs
We all may be human but none of us are exactly alike. So why should your diet be just like Susan’s or Malick’s? Your personal nutrition should be as unique as you are.
Your diet should take into consideration all the factors that determine your nutritional needs, like your stats, your job, your exercise level, your current health, your family life, and ultimately your goals.
You are worthy and deserving of a plan that fits you and not some cookie cutter diet published in Glamour magazine. Your diet should be dynamic and change as you change or as your goals change.
- Fuel Your Exercise, Feel Energized
Many people believe the notion that to lose weight you have to eat less and exercise more. This leads people to eating very little while exercising a lot, which isn’t a healthy approach. After a few weeks of this, most people feel fatigued, famished, and frustrated.
Your body needs energy even when it’s at rest to fuel the vital processes that keep you alive. It needs even more energy when you are using your muscles to perform a task and while consuming less energy than your body requires does cause your body to tap into its fat reserves, there has to be balance.
Most people should never be in an energy deficit less than 20% from the energy it takes to maintain their current weight. And exercise needs to be factored into this equation.
By eating in a way that fuels your workouts, you’ll feel energized, renewed, and motivated to push your fitness to new levels.
- Feel Invigorated by Eating More Plants
While the macronutrients protein, carbs, and fat build and fuel your body, it’s the micronutrients that determine how efficiently and optimally it all works.
Micronutrients are simply all the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other compounds that your body needs to function. Where are most of these found? Plants!
The more plants and variety of plants you eat, the greater the amount of micronutrients your body will have at its disposal. Since these are so vital for immunity, hormone production, neurotransmitter regulation, and even minute processes on the cellular level, they greatly determine our positive health outcomes.
The more nutritious your diet, the more invigorated you’ll feel because your body is getting everything that it needs for a healthy body and a sound mind.
When you visit the grocery store, always go to the produce section first and load up your cart.
- Be Inspired by Trying New Foods and Recipes
The last key to feeling exhilarated about your diet is to always keep it creative by trying new foods and recipes.
This world is a big place and so full of great foods, recipes, and flavors. Furthermore, it has never been easier to try spices and recipes from many other cultures and countries. There are literally millions of recipes online and even the most exotic spices can be found on websites like Amazon.
Who knows? Chimichurri sauce could be life altering or perhaps kimchi could awaken taste buds you never knew you had. While it’s easy for such creatures of habit to get stuck in eating the same things day in and day out, challenge yourself try bold new foods and recipes.
By escaping the old and mundane and being willing to embrace new ways of approaching your unique nutrition, you’ll be exhilarated by an enlightened way to reach your goals.
Ted Kallmyer, BA, M.Ed., Certified Nutrition Expert & Coach is the author of HealthyEater.com and The Macro Solution. His energized approach to weight loss and fitness coaching focuses on the unique needs of each client as he challenges them to feel exhilarated through discovering exciting new ways of eating healthy and still enjoying the foods they love, all the while achieving their fitness goals. Ted provides personal coaching services and resources through his website and is a sought-after media guest. For more information visit www.healthyeater.com.
