Eat to nourish and fuel your body

When it comes to nutrition there is a great deal of conflicting information on the internet and in books recommending many different diets or ways to eat: Keto, Paleo, Vegetarian, Vegan, Carnivore etc. These are not guidelines for the general population but rather strategies, and they work differently from one person to the next. These eating strategies replaced the old school method of calorie counting to lose weight which is also misleading since all calories are not equal. Our body processes and uses a medium apple very differently than it does a 100-calorie processed snack even if the package states “low calorie” or “low fat”.

Precision nutrition is an exciting new field that is gaining momentum, and there are already a few companies providing services. In the very near future, you will be able to take a blood test, read some algorithms and accurately get meal plans personalized just for you.

In the meantime, there are some simple guidelines that generally everyone agrees on:

• Eat whole foods – Food you find on the perimeter of the grocery store
• Limit processed food – Food found in the middle of stores and on displays
• Cut out or cut down on added sugar – beverages are a great place to start
• Read the ingredients – If you can’t pronounce or haven’t heard of them put it back

If you are currently eating mostly processed and fast food, start replacing certain meals or days with whole food prepared at home. There are a lot of free recipes available online and many are quick to prepare.

If you start with these guidelines and eat mindfully with the purpose to nourish and fuel your body, you will find that you have less cravings for processed foods and sugar and feel better with more energy.