Tiered? Stressed? Bad digestion? Questions, which are all too common in the land of, weight loss. I have been a fitness coach for several years now, and the common denominators between clients are not as simple as bad food vs good food. Many people will express lack of sleep, highly stressful work and family life and feelings of bloating and stomach cramps. All of these are extremely crucial when trying to find good health and more often than not ‘diets’ increase these issues.
Vegetarians and vegans that I have come across, or even those who have attempted either and failed, have always forgotten that despite the title you still have to restore your body with essential vitamins and minerals. Mostly, people can only see ‘no meat and dairy’ as bread, crackers, oreos and alcohol! Unfortunately this is all too common, and today I will discuss how you can achieve great strength, vitality and energy through a plant-based diet, which is not limiting to starchy hi-GI foods.
Protein – the building block for our bodies. Protein assists the body by rebuilding and repairing torn muscles (very important for those of us who are highly active). It allows our bodies to build new cells, maintain tissue and synthesize new proteins (amino acids) that make it possible for you to perform basic bodily functions. It allows our hair, skin and nails to become stronger via protein keratin and our red blood cells contain hemoglobin a protein compound that helps carry oxygen through out our body!
I’m sure you have been asked “Where do you get your protein from?!” before, and yes this infuriates me too. However, it is important to maintain a healthy level of protein in your diet, you can do this by incorporating foods such as legumes, beans, phey protein, hemp protein, quinoa, spirulina or brown-rice protein. The average person should have .7grams of protein to every 2.2kg of body weight.
Fats – Contrary to what the past 20 or so years have told us, fat is – in my opinion – the essential macronutrient when tackling weight loss and healthy body composition. Society has been swept with a wave of ‘fat-free’ products declaring a war on fat. Consequently we as a society are fatter than we have ever been! By allowing our bodies adequate in take of essential fats, we help regulate our blood sugar level and thus minimizing insulin dependency. Insulin, the main hormone secreted from the pancreas, is what is released into our blood when we take in glucose (carbohydrate) and helps assist this to proper storage. When we over load our systems with glucose, which is turned into glycogen, and we don’t counter balance that with exercise it can only go into fat storage.
Fat not only allows healthy blood sugar levels, it is also needed so your body can absorb the fat soluble Vitamins A, S, E, K and prevent deficiencies of these vitamins. Best of all, a lifestyle that consists of higher fat intake allows our stomachs to keep fuller for longer helping prevent hunger soon after eating.
Now, this next statement may seem completely crazy but I dare you to undertake the challenge… Start your day with nuts, seeds, avocado or coconut oil instead of grains and fruits! This will help set your body up for the rest of your day, minimizing 4pm sweet cravings, stabilizing insulin spikes and giving a greater sense of satisfaction.
Carbohydrate – Ah, carbs. Who doesn’t love them? I know I certainly do, and guess what.. that’s ok! Carbohydrates are an extremely important macronutrient for our bodies to run efficiently. Carbs (fruits, grains, vegetables, chickpeas etc) carry glucose into our systems, which then turns to glycogen. Glycogen is our main source of fuel and energy, and is the main source that cells use to function. However, do not be fooled by the two types – complex and simple carbohydrates, there is a big difference between the two.
The simpler a carbohydrate is (sugars, candy) the easier it becomes for the body to get, the faster it enters the blood stream, and the faster insulin spikes in the body to deal with the sugar called glucose. This then leads to a very quick blood drop, which makes you feel hungry again. This starts a long cycle of satisfying your hunger with yet another simple carbohydrate. The more glucose than is needed for the cells to function and use up means that it gets stored and becomes fat.
All is not lost though; utilize complex carbohydrates when your body is requiring them, for example after a long run, or during a game of sport. You can find complex carbohydrates in foods such as fruit, vegetables, whole meal grains i.e. brown rice, quinoa, rye bread and sweet potatoes.
So where does this leave us? Try increasing fats and proteins, and watch certain carbohydrates. I like to structure my food on the basis of 40/40/20: 40% Fats and Proteins and 20% Carbohydrates. I have found that I no longer feel as though I am going to faint at 4pm, and my energy level during training, and every day activity has increased ten-fold. My digestion has improved, and sleep has never felt so good!
H xx
