For most people embarking on a new fitness journey, their major focus is on working out, building muscles and staying fit. But there’s a lot more to a holistic fitness journey than moving your body: in fact, a fitness journey is nothing without the implementation of a healthy, wholesome diet as well. Food is fuel for our body, and so the food choices we make directly impact how we look, feel and exist. Eating well can help us to lose weight, reduce body fat, feel happier, reduce inflammation and reduce our risk of illness.
The truth is, you can’t out-train a poor diet. Regardless of how often you’re working out or how often you’re beating your personal best, a wholesome diet is the kernel of fitness. Here’s a few tips on how to implement a wholesome diet to complement your workout routine:
Look at food as a fuel
It’s so easy to indulge in our favourite foods, especially in social situations or after a hard day at work. But the truth is, food is our fuel and we need to treat it that way: that means limiting indulgences and focusing on lots of fruits, vegetables and healthy proteins. When we remodel our view of food, we can reshape our entire relationship with it.
Focus on vegetables
No, loading your plate up with vegetables is not just for vegetarians: it’s for those who want to fuel their bodies with the best kinds of nutrients! Vegetables should really be the basis of every meal you eat – there’s no other type of food that offers as much nutrition in one little punch!
Avoid packaged foods
As a rule of thumb, every food that has been processed or packaged is generally going to offer far less for your body than a wholesome serving of fruit or vegetables will. Of course there are exceptions to this, but avoiding buying food that is packaged is a great way to centre healthy food choices without even thinking.
Plan your indulging
This may sound counter-intuitive, but the mind works in mysterious ways. We’re humans, and we can’t be expected to stick to the perfect diet every day of our lives. One of the best ways to ensure we stay on track and stick to our guns is to plan a meal where you allow yourself to indulge. If you give yourself a break every now and again, you’re less likely to slip up in your day to day life!