Nutrition Basics

I've been coaching clients privately in person and online for over a year now. So far, the main thing I have learned about the way people think about nutrition can be summed up in one word... confusion.

With other health topics it can be much more straightforward. For example, I think it is safe to say that all Americans know that smoking is not a healthy habit. The vast majority of people would tell you that exercising is healthy and walking more would probably be a good idea. Too much alcohol is unhealthy. But with nutrition, people generally know they should eat healthier, but how to eat healthier is a whole other monster. Ask 10 people what a healthy diet looks like, and you'll get 10 different answers.

I don't claim to know the one right way to eat a healthy diet. And that is part of the problem. There is no one perfect way. Everyone is different, has different preferences, lives in different cultures, backgrounds, even areas of the country. All these things and more affect what food we put on our plate. Even in my corner of Nebraska, people that live 40 miles away from the nearest grocery store may not have the same options as someone that lives one mile away. That same person will also probably not eat at restaurants as much as a downtown apartment dweller. It also varies state to state- I think it's safe to say that Nebraskans eat more beef than Californians.

To find a healthy diet for you, my recommendation would be to zoom out. Instead of looking at specific foods you should be eating or avoiding, do 4 things...

1. Log what you eat on an app

   1. You don't have to do this forever, but you won't know what your nutritional picture is like unless you log it and look at the numbers.

2. Stay within a calorie range that makes sense for your body weight and goals

   1. This doesn't mean you have to hit a perfect number every day. If you are close on average to the number of calories your body needs without gaining weight, it will be happy.

3. Consume enough protein, not too much fat, and not too many carbs.

4. Avoid ultra-processed food and aim for more whole real food (like fruits, veggies, lean meat, and whole grains)

Coaching people toward better nutrition is super fulfilling because I get this sense that people have no idea what they should be eating. I think this is largely because of diet culture, societal pressures, cultural differences, what you were fed as a child, social media influencers, sensational news articles, junk food sellers, and MORE. With all these different messages, it's hard to know what is actually healthy. I'm here to tell you that there is no perfect diet, no exact way you should eat. But there are some general guidelines that can vastly improve your health. By consuming the right number of calories and macros, and eating mostly whole, not ultra-processed food will get you there.

I've just published a new "Nutrition Basics" online course on the elvfitco.com/programs website. If you would like to learn more about calories, macronutrients (protein, fat, carbs), and food journaling, this is a fantastic course to get you started. It's completely self-paced and online. You'll learn how to food journal, and with the help of some calculators and formulas I'll provide for you, you'll find out how many of each macro and how many calories you should be consuming per day. It will get you started, and you can take it from there!

If you need more personalized one-on-one coaching, I have options through email or in person. Just reach out! Katiefarrellyoga@gmail.com

As always, if you have a question about health, nutrition, or anything else... comment below! Or email me :)