Nutrition 101
Alright, so here’s the thing… I could educate you about how many grams of protein, carbs, and fat you need in a day. I could show you what a serving of nuts looks like and scare the s*** out of you. I could tell you about the science behind it all, but that’s part of the problem, isn’t it?
We’re so fixated on controlling our environments, our bodies, our appearance that we’ve completely dissociated from ourselves. We’re not listening. We aren’t computers. Our bodies don’t process calories as numbers. Each person’s body digests, metabolizes, absorbs food differently. Our desires to manipulate what we look like have caused us to completely lose communication with our bodies. In an effort to be like someone else, we’ve lost who we are.
So, in an effort to reset, and bring us back to who we are as individuals and how we process the nutrition we put into our bodies I’ve come up with a few basic nutrition notes that have really resonated with me and my clients.
“Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.” - Michael Pollan
See something in the ingredient list that makes you think, “the f***?” …Don’t eat it. Your body is probably going to think the same thing and not know what to do with it and there goes your health.
80/20 Rule. Generally, yeah, you want to eat healthy, but don’t overthink A L L the time. You’re at a birthday and want to have some cake? For god’s sake, just have the piece of cake. It’s not the little “here and then’s” that are are going hurt you in the long run, it’s those daily “not so great” habits that will.
Eat meals slowly. It takes approximately 20 min for your body to recognize it’s full. If before the next bite of food, you’re thinking, “Oh god, I’m going to be so full.” Put the utensil D O W N. Save your meal, it’s not going anywhere. Enjoy it another time.
Eat in a relaxed state. That generally means sitting D O W N. When your body is stressed it won’t metabolize food the same way. Chill out. Enjoy your meal.
Drink plenty of water. I know, this one is annoying, but it’s true. Sometimes we are just thirsty. Drink your water throughout the day people.
Your body is smart. Had a “fun-filled” weekend and thinking you need a reset? Planning on maybe just, not eating. Doing a juice cleanse? S T O P. Your body is doing what it needs to do to manage the “damage control,” don’t make it harder on it to do its job. Treat it well and give it the nutrients and energy it needs to work. Don’t deplete it.
Want to eat, but know you’re not hungry? Take a moment to sit in that uncomfortable place and listen to what your body is really asking for. Maybe it’s a pick-me-up, a quick dance. Maybe it’s bored with whatever you’re currently doing, and needs a change of pace.
There you have it. It’s not super complicated. However, it may feel complicated if you’ve been on and off diets and trends for years now, watching “what I eat in a day” videos. Your body might hold a bit of a grudge and may make it hard on you to understand it at first, after all, you haven’t been listening to it for a while now. Give it time. Be patient. Be curious. Listen. After a while, you’ll be friends again and it’ll share everything you need to know with you. I get it though, understanding what your body is trying to tell you is hard as f*** at first. If you think trying to figure out what the opposite sex is trying to say to you is difficult…
Still confused and don’t know where or how to start? That’s what I’m here for. Wink. Wink.
xo - Azul
ABOUT:
Hi, I’m Azul Corajoria, an Integrative Health Coach, Personal Trainer & Yoga Instructor. I support my clients in making step-by-step changes so that they can live a healthy and balanced life. By recognizing the interdependent roles of mindset, nutrition, and movement I educate and hold my clients accountable for achieving their health goals through lifestyle and behavior adjustments with an emphasis on self-care. Together, we navigate the contradictory world of nutrition through intuitive eating, practice mindful movement, and implement small mindset and lifestyle shifts that empower them to be their best selves in the easiest way possible.
