Drink milk; don’t drink milk; fat makes you fat; fat doesn’t make you fat; eat whole wheat; eat whole grain; don’t eat at night-sound familiar? The nutrition reports that bombard us everyday are enough to make our heads spin. Even though I’ve spent countless hours earning numerous degrees and certifications, there are times when I spin my wheels trying to make sense of the latest craze. I would like to take some time and hopefully shed some light on the nutrition chaos that inundates us sometimes on a daily basis.
You must stay away from all “bad” foods. How often do you start yet another diet promising yourself you will ward off all evil foods? The truth is, after a few days of obsessing about the foods you swore off, you find yourself locked in a closet somewhere licking the crumbs at the bottom of the cookie bag! Ok, maybe not to this extreme (or maybe it is-LOL!!!!). Then you beat yourself up, comment how you have no willpower and start yet another diet in the morning.
When you follow an overly restrictive lifestyle and I use the word lifestyle here because it applies not only to nutrition, it is inevitable that failure occurs. The parameters are too tight-there is virtually no room for success. First banish the word perfect from your nutrition vocabulary. Perfect doesn’t exist but balance does. A balanced diet is eating healthy clean foods 80-90% of the time and then treats (according to portion size!) can easily fit into your lifestyle the other 10-20% of the time!! This is balance!!! When sitting down to enjoy your clean food and treats, enjoy them. Sit down; pay attention to the taste and texture; savor every bite and then when you’re done walk away truly satisfied. Eating cookies in a closet can’t ever be as satisfying as sitting down with your kids enjoying a cookie from a batch of freshly baked ones!!!! Look for more on debunking nutrition chaos next month!!!!
by Jennifer Minihan Local Mom and Body Builder, Dip.C.N. HC AADP
