I often get asked by patients what they should be eating, so I’ve put together a simple plan and guideline below for those just starting out or looking to further optimize their diet!
Eat mainly a “whole-food, minimally-processed” diet in an appropriate amount for a healthy body weight.
Think Quality (types of food) AND Quantity (calories).
This means sticking to foods you typically have to cook and prepare yourself and don’t come pre-prepared (in wrappers, fast food, frozen meals, etc.).
The optimal diet is made mostly up of:
Meat/animal foods, vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, water.
Make the above MOST of what you consume. Limit all other processed and “Americanized” foods.
Food Ideas:
Beef, pork, chicken, steak, bison, turkey, eggs.
Red meat is OKAY. It’s actually one of the most nutritious foods, containing most of the nutrients that we need to maintain a healthy body. Just don’t eat EXCESS (of anything, really!).
Broccoli, spinach, asparagus, peas, beans, zucchini.
Vegetables contain many important micronutrients (vitamins & minerals), antioxidants, phytochemicals, and fiber that are very important for our health!
Berries, grapes, bananas, mangoes, melon, apples.
Fruit is a healthy source of sugar/carbohydrates because, in addition to providing the body with an important fuel source, they also contain many different types of other nutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, phytonutrients).
Peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts.
Nuts are a very CALORIE-DENSE food, so make sure you are not overeating. Try to consume raw or roasted nuts with no added ingredients.
Brown rice, oats, quinoa, barley, whole-grain bread.
Whole grains are another healthy source of carbohydrates because, in addition to providing you with important fuel, they also provide many other important nutrients necessary for good health.
Tips for Changing Your Diet:
Go Slowly: Don’t do everything all at once. Your body (and brain) will have a hard time adapting to all of the changes.
Use an App: I’m a big fan of the Lose It! app because it provides great insight into how many calories are actually in the food that we eat.
Understand Nutrition is a Skill: Think of changing your diet just like learning a new subject - it takes time. It takes months and years to learn and practice, but after you learn it, you’ll have the knowledge and skills forever!
Get Some Help: Eating healthy can be very overwhelming and difficult - especially at first. This is why working with a good dietitian or health coach can be extremely effective.
Additional EXPERT Tips (if you’re pretty new, focus on just improving the above before moving on to the info below):
Go Organic: Organic foods are supposed to have fewer pesticides and other additives that could potentially be harmful to our health.
Eat "Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished” Animal Products: If eating animal products, make sure the animals were raised cage-free, on a pasture, free to roam, and were fed grass from start to finish. Try to buy local and ask the butcher how they raise their animals!
Filter Your Water: Tap water includes many chemicals that may potentially be harmful to our health, including causing cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, etc. So if you’re drinking from the tap, filter your water using a “reverse-osmosis” filter or a carbon filter.
Avoid Eating and Drinking Out of Plastic: When food is contained or microwaved in plastic, the plastic may leach into the food and potentially cause health problems. This is the same with water bottles. Try to microwave all food in glassware and buy water in glass bottles.
Avoid Using “Non-Stick” Pans: The chemicals that allow food to not stick to the pan may also cause long-term health problems such as cancers, neurodegenerative diseases, etc. Try to use stainless steel and butter. And when cleaning, use a “steel scrubber”.
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