Nutrition Advice from a Semi Pro

I recently asked an old college friend of mine for some advice on the foods I should be eating, setting up my macros, and a few other general nutrition questions. I thought I would share her response with everyone on the forum. This is what she had to say.

xtineannes says:

So I pulled together some helpful nutrition guidelines for you below. Please let me know if you have questions. I chose to focus on nutrition only as this is a lot to take in. Your outcome is truly based on 75% nutrition and 25% exercise.

Nutritional guidelines for starters:

Fruit – Try to incorporate low sugar fruits such as berries and citrus - if higher in sugar like apples and bananas, choose small ones and you still can make them part of your meals/snacks. Fruit should be something you incorporate into your morning meals especially to get your glycogen levels up and fuel your day. Serving size examples would be 1/2 grapefruit, one small orange or one clementine, 8 medium strawberries, ½ cup blueberries, 12 blackberries, etc.

Veggies - these are your complex carbs. Try to have veggies with every meal - the greener, the better - steamed or hearty salad greens like spinach or red lettuce, even romaine or kale and broccoli (my personal fave). A cup of steamed veggies is one serving, and two cups salad greens is one serving. Ditch the store bought salad dressing and spritz extra virgin olive oil and/or use just plain balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar instead. Lemon wedges too for the juice!

Protein - egg whites and chicken, lean ground turkey or good white fish like halibut, orange roughy, salmon. A typical protein serving is 4 egg whites or 3-4 oz cooked meat. Powdered whey protein is also incredible mixed in with oats, or a drink for a snack. Level-1 Whey Protein (I use this and consider it best), Pure Choice or Solgar are all great!

Healthy fats - natural pb or almond butter (a serving is 1 tbsp - great snack with a small apple), pistachios (20 equals a serving), and almonds (these are a super food and 2 tbsp is a serving), for example. Avocado, olive oil and other nuts and nut butters are also great for you! I would also suggest a daily Omega supplement to get your omega 3-6-9’s in.

Healthy carbs (more complex carbs, but more traditional in the sense of what we think carbs are) - sweet potatoes, old fashioned/steel cut oatmeal (1/3 cup dry measure is serving - great with tbsp pb or berries or cinnamon or whey protein), quinoa (this little seed is amazing and packed with nutrients, its even a whole protein - 1/2 cup cooked is one serving). If you would like to incorporate grains like bread, use sparingly and try Ezekiel bread – it’s sprouted and multi-grain, which is the best form. Also consider open face sandwiches – one slice vs two.

Try to incorporate a protein, complex carb, and healthy fat in each meal – your macronutrients (carbs, proteins, healthy fats) – in the ratio of 40% carbs to 30% fats to 30% protein. Try also to eat 5, maybe 6 small meals each day. If you can't, no biggie; just a suggestion and this can work either way.
Also, for quick snacks when you can’t have a full meal, consider carrying almonds with you, or another nut, and even protein bars like Quest Bars or Cliff Builder Bars are two good choices that I've found I can use in a pinch or emergency. Key word emergency. I try to eat all natural, whole foods and meals as best I can.

As for nutrition, this is only a guide, and certainly not the only things you can consume - but, it will certainly speed up the process and get you well on your way to your goals. It truly is 75% nutrition, 25% exercise.

SUPER FOODS (not all inclusive, but a good list that I utilize a great deal):
Wild Salmon
Orange Roughy
Halibut
Tuna
Turkey - ground or nitrite free deli cuts
Chicken
Egg whites
Berries
Apples
Natural PB or dehydrated PB
Hummus
Almonds
Pistachios
Flaxseed - ground
Steel Cut Oats
Quinoa - white or dark
Green Tea
Sweet Potato
Balsamic Vinegar
Bell Peppers
Beets
Zucchini
Celery
Kale
Spinach
Broccoli
Asparagus
Avocado

Liquid Intake – no soda – none. Coffee is OK, but eliminate any creamer or artificial sweetener and try using almond milk if you must. Need a sweetener? Stevia. Green tea and water will do your body so well - aim for drinking at least 3 liters of water each day. Your body will be able to cleanse and detox daily, and the green tea is an added boost which will help your body adjust and dial in to these new habits.

I hope this helps. I'd be happy to answer any other questions you might have about nutrition.

Also, if you slip up, it’s never the end of the world. Record it, and forget it. It doesn’t mean you have to lose an entire day of health just because you had a cookie.

And, when you’re tempted by something you know you shouldn’t have, just take a step back and look at it and say to yourself, “is this helping me achieve my goals?”. If the answer is no, you know what to do, and you can live without it.

Much luv,
Xtine