Like everything you have to walk before you can run. It all starts with the fundaments and with our health that is a quality diet. Most people want the quick fix of a pill or supplement or the ‘super food’ of the month. A quick fix never replaces the benefits a quality diet is able to offer.
But why doesn’t a quality diet get more attention? Because in all honesty, it’s kind of boring!
Unlike supplements or ‘super foods’ it’s difficult to get hyped about broccoli and spinach. You likely haven’t seen a broccoli ad during the Super Bowl but you’ve seen many Energy Drink ads. Those types of things are flashy and can grab peoples attention.
Quality diets don’t necessarily have fancy ingredients or titles. You can make some delicious tasting and looking food but the makeup of the recipes will be fairly similar. What makes this effective though is consistency and…*looks around*….*whispers*…patience. Everyone’s favorite word.
You can’t outwork a poor diet
The fundamentals for any quality diet comes down to protein, fat, carbs, fruit & vegetables and hydration! Each piece is important in its own right and shouldn’t be overlooked.
Protein
Not all protein is equal. If possible try to ensure optimal quality by having grass fed beef, free range chicken and wild caught fish. This helps ensure your meat contains the maximum nutrient punch. It also avoids many inflammatory additions such as preservatives that many low quality meats contain. Many people don’t consume enough protein overall so make sure you also avoid falling into that category.
Fat
Eating fat doesn’t make us fat. Fat is vital for nutrient absorption. There are fat and water soluble vitamins and as you may suspect, fat soluble vitamins require fat to be absorbed. So if you want the full benefit of that next salad, make sure you have some fat in it. Some quick good sources of fat include olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds and cheese.
Carbohydrates
Carbs are in just about everything these days it seems and as a result are incredibly available. Unfortunately most of these sources are of poor quality. Focus on more nutrient rich sources such as potatoes, whole grains, fruit and beans. Also keep in mind how much you’re having to match your training appropriately.
Fruit & Vegetables
Don’t skip these! The vast majority of us would do well to have more. Non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, peppers, broccoli and squash should be your go-to veggies. For fruit, berries give you some of the most bang for your buck. Any plate without these is an incomplete plate!
Hydration
Keep a water bottle nearby at all times. Proper hydration is needed to keep our body running optimally. So many of us struggle with staying hydrated despite being such an easy concept.
Quality diet = quality health = quality performance
Getting those fundamentals in place first then can allow us to begin considering supplements. To reiterate though, supplements don’t replace foods! Supplements work to enhance a quality diet allowing us to perform even better. They are also important to provide an extra boost in case our diet is a bit low in any specific nutrient. This is why regular blood work can be a great thing to get with your annual health check up (this is your nudge to schedule one if it’s been awhile).
Don’t blindly take just any supplement though. Do so with purpose and intent while also doing your homework to ensure it’s safe and worth your money. If unsure, don’t risk it and just purchase something anyways! Make sure to check with someone first. If you don’t know anyone feel free to reach out to me! I’d much rather you be safe than sorry. Just be prepared for me to ask you how your diet is before answering you 🙂