You’ve probably heard the term “you are what you eat”, well there’s a lot of truth to that. The food you put into your body can hugely impact your health. It can also deeply “nourish” you.
If you haven’t put much thought into nourishment before, that’s ok! Nourishing your body shouldn’t be complicated. All you need is to understand what different nutrients do and how to find a balanced diet for you and your body.
Nourishment and your health
Nourishment is the idea that whatever you eat or consume provides you with the energy and tools your body needs to function properly. Food gives you energy, but choosing the right foods also gives your body the different nutrients and building blocks it needs to thrive.
Many people haven’t had proper education on how food can affect their bodies. Or they don’t know how to find the time or money to eat healthily.
There is a lot of research on how diet affects certain chronic health conditions. The risk of developing certain conditions like obesity, heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, and certain cancers is increased when someone doesn’t have a healthy diet.
Eating a balanced and nourishing diet can help minimize your risk of developing certain health conditions or manage ones you have already been diagnosed with. It also helps you feel more energized, focused, and stable throughout the day.
What is a balanced diet?
The term “balanced diet” is commonly used, but what does it mean? A balanced diet includes a wide variety of foods in the right proportions.
All food contains calories, which are just units of energy. Different foods contain different amounts of calories and you want to prioritize foods that give you more nutrients for fewer calories. This usually means eating whole foods like fruits and vegetables, legumes, lean meat, and whole grains.
While it varies depending on someone’s age, sex, and physical activity level, the average adult needs about 2,000 calories daily to get enough energy and maintain their weight. Unless you’re trying to lose or gain weight, you don’t generally need to count calories, instead focus on getting the right nutrients.
Understanding Nutrients
What exactly are nutrients? Nutrients are substances in food that are essential for your body’s development, growth, and maintenance.
Different foods contain different nutrients. These nutrients tell the cells in your body how to perform specific functions. Food gives your body the information it needs so it knows how to perform daily.
These are the six main categories of nutrients:
Water: Yes, water is an essential nutrient! Your body needs water for many functions like digestion, waste removal, and regulating your body temperature. There’s no one-size-fits-all rule for water, but most people should aim for four to six cups a day! If you have trouble drinking enough water, you can increase your intake by eating water-rich foods like watermelon and cucumber and adding flavor to your water with things like lemon.
Proteins: Protein is essential for building and repairing tissues, especially muscles. It also helps with growth and development in children, teens, and pregnant people. Foods with high amounts of protein include eggs, beans and lentils, fish and meat, and tofu.
Carbohydrates: Found in foods like rice, bread, pasta, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy. The body needs a type of sugar called “glucose” for energy. When you eat carbohydrates, the body turns them into glucose so you have more fuel, especially when performing any type of physical activity.
Fats: Fats are not scary, your body needs them to function! Fats help you stay energized, keep your cells healthy, and help you absorb certain vitamins. You can get healthy, “unsaturated” fats from foods like olive oil, avocados, nuts, and fatty fish like salmon.
Vitamins: Different vitamins are responsible for all sorts of things in your body including supporting your immune system and regulating your hormones. While you can get some vitamins from supplements, it’s important to eat foods that are high in vitamins A (dairy and dark-colored fruits), D (dairy and fish), E (dark leafy greens), and B vitamins (legumes and animal products).
The exact amount you need of each nutrient depends on your age, gender, activity level, and other variables. Working with a health coach or nutritionist helps give you more detailed guidelines that work for you.
Set yourself up for success
One of the biggest reasons people have a hard time eating healthy is time. You’re so busy with work, school, family, and life that preparing food becomes your last priority.
This is understandable but you don’t need to spend all your time in the kitchen to be able to eat healthy. Instead, you need to plan ahead so you can set yourself up for success.
Here are some ways to do that:
- Keep a list of healthy meals and snacks – you can look for inspiration and recipes on social media and online.
- Write a grocery list before going to the store based on your meal list.
- If you’re able to, ordering groceries online can save you time.
- Meal prep for the week so you always have something healthy on hand.
- You can meal prep in big batches and freeze extras.
Using these tips will help you always have nourishing food on hand. If you are busy and need to order dinner last minute – that’s ok! It’s nice to have the majority of your meals planned out so you can be flexible when you need to.
Focus on adding instead of restricting
For many people, changing their diet makes them feel like they’re restricting themselves. A helpful framework that can create lasting changes is “adding instead of restricting”.
If you tend to eat lots of processed foods like fast food or packaged foods, you don’t need to cut these completely out. Instead of completely restricting, add foods that offer more nutrients for your body like the ones listed above.
Adding healthy foods into your diet means your overall intake offers more nutrients for the calories that you’re eating. A great way to start doing this is by filling half of your plate with vegetables and the other half with protein like fish or chicken. You’ll still have room for a small serving of something that’s not nutrient-dense like macaroni and cheese, while prioritizing nutritious foods.
No food is “bad”, you just need to prioritize eating certain foods to feel better in your body. When you focus on adding in foods that are more nourishing and beneficial for your body, you still leave room for the sweets and treats that bring you joy. Joy is also an important part of nourishment!
Nourishing YOUR body
While there are overarching guidelines about nourishing your body, the most important thing is that it works for you and your lifestyle. Your diet doesn’t need to be strict, instead focus on nourishing your body with foods that make you feel good.
A healthy diet for you means:
- Eating in a way that lets you connect to your culture and your loved ones.
- Eating in a way that’s financially sustainable for you.
- Be mindful of any allergies or sensitivities (ask your doctor about testing for them).
- Be patient with yourself, learning how to nourish your body can take time.
Food is meant to be enjoyed. It’s a way to connect with your body, what you’re eating, and who you’re eating it with. There’s no “perfect” diet, what matters is that it works for you and your body, and feels nourishing.
