In the space of 15 minutes my newsfeed on Facebook, my email subscriptions and those who I follow blogs had given me 3 reasons to eat plant-based, 5 reasons to steer clear of gluten yet not all grains and 2 reasons to why eating meat is sustainable to both your body and the environment.
With so much noise its hard to really seek nutritional truth, but what is nutritional truth? What may work for your best friend, could in fact cause severe inflammation for you. Eating meat, and only meat can certainly drop pounds, but will it help your digestion? Running of leaves, fruits and seeds can make your skin glow, but will it be calorie dense enough for your exercise program?
These are all issues we face when trying to find our own food structure. I have found myself in a position of this title, I eat mostly plants, with eggs but rarely grains unless they are gluten free (quinoa, spelt) and I steer clear of dairy. This works for me. Me, and only me. I have a dozen scientific reasons as to why this does, but when mentoring a client I know that their lifestyle, physique and gut is not the same as mine.. So where do you start?
1. Vitamins and Minerals – Nobody with any common sense will dispute the importance of both of these. They are what helps clean, clear, rebuild and nourish our systems. With out optimal levels we can start to develop disease and illness. What does this mean? As mum always said ‘eat your veggies!’ No matter what you recognise yourself as (Paleo, Vegan, Lactose free, Gluten free) you should always have a serve of veggies at your plate. I can hear all the fructose-malabsorbtion folk ready to rumble.. Yes some fruits and some veggies may not be great for some but that doesn’t exclude all. The day someone tells me they are allergic to spinach, I’m retiring.
2. Proteins – The building block for our muscles. Without adequate protein, your body will start to disintegrate. Especially if your trying to get gains in the gym. You can find high protein in both animals and plants, however don’t be fooled vegos you need twice as much legumes, tofu or hemp compared to meat in order to meet your daily requirements. So if your lifting, I recommend adding plant based proteins both pre and post!
3. Fats – Thank god low-fat is starting to disappear in the weight loss industry. Fats helps bind cells, lower hunger, boost cognitive brain function and most plant based fats have other amazing contributions such as keeping elasticity in your skin, healthy white eyes, strong hair and nails. Adequate fat levels also help us sleep, so if your tossing and turning at night try some nuts or seeds just before bed! Luckily you can find good fats in any type of ‘diet’. Try to stick to (what I like to call) real fats. That is something that has grown from the earth, swam or breathed. Raw dairy, avocados, coconuts, animal fat, fish etc.
4. Carbohydrates – Man, I love these bad boys however they do not love me! As a strict vegan for 2 years, I lived of carbs. Grain, grain, grain! However, I didn’t go to the bathroom very often nor did I ever feel full. My blood sugar dropped very quickly, and I would often have what felt like hyperglycaemia. The good news is I found away to keep them in my diet without dealing with the negatives. Post training is a must. Glycogen is depleted and science shows that what ever is consumed within 2-3 hours is more likely to be utilised by your muscles rather than stored as fat cells. As well as post training I always try to a) eat wholegrain and b) gluten free. Carbs such as brown rice, quinoa, spelt work wonders and without the gluten it lowers your bodies inflammation. Really its a win win.
So, where does this leave us? Diet wise it has to, ALWAYS, be intuitive. Listen to your body and what it needs and what it rejects. If a large steak with nuts works for you mentally, digestively and physically great! If its green vegetables with coconut and spelt, fantastic! Don’t ever let someone tell you that they know more about your body than you do. You always know whats best for you… Its just whether you’ll listen.
H xx
