Hey Cedar Falls: You Are What You Eat

Part 1:  You Are What You Eat

We’ve all heard the old adage, and it rings true today as much as it ever did.  As you can see, I may have taken the saying a little too seriously, as I tried to eat this iron plate. Here I will outline some simple yet effective strategies to help you make good consumption decisions throughout these holiday weeks.

First, Never Skip Breakfast.

I cannot stress this enough.

Regardless of your schedule, you need to find time to get something in your stomach early in the day. If you’re really pressed for time, protein shakes are not only a great option, but an incredibly healthy one as well. It will take you less than a minute to grab a shaker, fill it with water, toss in some protein, shake it up and drink it. This is a great option, as it will boost your metabolism more than any other nutrient.

Complex carbohydrates are also a great option, although not as good as the lean protein. Complex carbohydrates are harder for the body to digest, so they will stay in your system longer, keeping your metabolism busy and your body full. Oatmeal is the perfect addition of complex carbs into your breakfast; you can even add a small scoop into your protein shake.

When surrounded by sugar cookies, it can be hard to eat well during the holidays. What are your fitness challenges? Tell us in the comments.

Next, Drink Up!

Sixty-four ounces of water per day is the recommended amount, and you need even more if you’re adding a workout regime into your daily routine. Studies have shown that drinking cold water, opposed to room temperature, will also help burn more calories. Constant hydration will also help you stay full, longer. Dehydration can mimic a feeling of hunger, so make sure you’ve had enough water before you start reaching for snacks.

Those are, in my opinion, the two most important aspects of a healthy diet. A few more tweaks that you can make to your daily diet are eating more frequently and not eating carbohydrates too close to bed time.

Eat More Small Meals

By eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day, you are constantly stoking the fire (your metabolism), allowing it to burn freely. When we eat less frequently, our body decides to store more of the food we take in as it has learned the next meal may not come for some time.

The best course of action is to pre-make your extra meals so they’re ready to be eaten immediately.  Even just one or two containers with a lean protein and complex carbohydrates or vegetables can make a tremendous difference. If you’re unable to make the smaller meals ahead of time, healthy snack options would be something like nuts or fruit. However, be careful with the fruit intake.  Too much fructose (the natural sugars in fruits) can hinder a healthy diet. 

It's All in the Timing

Timing is another important aspect of the healthy diet. Some people don’t believe in this as much, but let’s put things in perspective. If I were to eat a huge meal for breakfast, what is the likelihood that I will burn most of those calories off throughout my day? The chances are pretty good, depending on what your typical day looks like. In contrast, if I ate that same meal right before I went to bed, how likely is it that I will burn off those calories in my sleep? 

As nice as it would be to burn massive amounts of calories just by sleeping, the reality of it just isn’t there. Try to avoid carbohydrates late in the day, aside from vegetables. A common practice is to cut off carbs five hours before bedtime; this will prevent too many excess calories from being stored during less active hours of the day.

Keep it Simple

While I could go more in depth with each aspect of dieting, or even add more tidbits of information, keeping it simple for now is the best way to approach the subject, especially during the hectic holidays.

Try to implement these practices little by little every day. It takes roughly 21 days to build a habit, so shoot for that as a good short term goal. Another important thing to remember is that you won’t be able to do these things perfectly every day, and that’s ok!  If the goal is a better, healthier, more energetic you, these steps will set you well on the path to all of those goals. 

Check back next week for part two of Patch's advice on keeping fit through the holidays.