KEEP IT SIMPLE!!!
My Goodness! I just logged on to the Institute of Integrative Nutrition’s new portal as an alumni and my jaw dropped when I saw the number of ‘diet plans’ out there. Phew, enough to leave the head spinning. It has inspired me to write this blog today. I’m coining yet another diet term, but it’s intention is to simplify and narrow the focus for anyone trying to figure out a better nutrition plan for themselves. The KISS Diet (aka keep it simple stupid) incorporates 9 tips on how to instantly make healthier choices. I will post them in 3’s as to not put too much on your plate (pun intended :)) at once. My hope is that at least 1 resonates with you and that you can implement that pointer today. Because if not now, when?
FIRST THREE TIPS:
1. WATER.
BASIC TIP: UPON WAKING DRINK 1 CUP OF WATER WITH THE JUICE FROM ½ A LEMON
Thirst often masks itself as hunger. Are you able to distinguish between the two? If you have eaten an adequate meal within the past 3 hours and get hit with a hunger pang, there is a good chance you are dehydrated. Try drinking a glass of water and see how you feel in 5 minutes.
Are you drinking enough water throughout the day? Rule of thumb: 1L of water per 50lbs of bodyweight per day. So, if you weigh 150 lbs you would aim for 3L of water per day. Pictured here is a bottled water that is .5L, SIX of these would be 3 liters. That gives you a good frame of reference.
How’s the quality of your water? I used to drown my body with water and would still feel dehydrated. It was because my water was lacking trace minerals. Nowadays we have reverse osmosis which keeps our water ‘clean’, but inherently strips it of good minerals as well. If you aren’t drinking mineral water, a good idea is to put a drop of trace minerals into your water 1-2x per week. This will ensure that the H20 goes not only into your body, but into your cells. The minerals are what help transport water into your cells where they also activate enzymes, which are the basis of every biological process in the body, from digestion to hormone secretion to cognition. You can buy trace minerals at a very reasonable price in the vitamins & supplements section of a whole foods store or online.
Extra tip: Add a pinch of Sea Salt! Sea salt contains more than 84 minerals and nutrients that our body needs on a daily basis. It has been used throughout history for achieving and maintaining optimum health. Just a pinch of *sea salt in your water glass will blast these minerals and nutrients into your body. Your thirst is satisfied longer because the mineral content holds more of the water within your body.
*THIS IS REAL SALT!! THIS IS NOT!!
- CROWD OUT RATHER THAN DEPRIVE. Rather than focusing on what you ‘shouldn’t have’, focus on eating all the delicious, natural foods that are packed with minerals to keep your body healthy and that make weight loss easy. The less that happens to the food from the time it is pulled from the earth until it gets onto your plate, the better. Not only does eating foods in their natural state ensure you are getting all the health benefits, but it also keeps the caloric density of your meals in check. For instance, a half cup of raisins contains approximately 250 calories, while the same serving of grapes contains only 30 calories. Simply put, LESS processed and MORE natural.
MORE
LESS:
- SLOW IT DOWN.
Basic Tip: Take time to eat. Chew your food more. Enjoy the REAL food at the table (friends and family)
We can barely keep up with ourselves these days and that applies to the way we eat as well. It is no wonder between 25 and 45 million Americans (10-15% of our population!) have Irritable Bowel Syndrome. HOW you eat is just as impactful on your body as WHAT you eat. We should be in rest and digest mode rather than fight or flight mode when we are feeding ourselves. Are you sitting down with friends and family at your meals, or eating in a rush on your way to work?
How well are you chewing your food? Often we forget that one of our body’s main sites of digestion is the oral cavity (mouth). Our salivary glands secrete an array of enzymes and substances that aid in digestion and also disinfection. Chew your food well! This will not only help to pull the maximum nutritional benefits from our food, but will also result in proper satiety. I know when I eat too fast, I end up eating way more than my belly needed!
GET FIT WITH KATE 