1.8 min readBy Published On: February 2nd, 2022Categories: Lifestyle0 Comments on Fueling Your Body for Activity

From our friends at Nutritious Navigation

The new year always seems to lead to resolutions about “diet” and “weight loss”. Yet, what commonly happens, is that these resolutions quickly go “out the window” because they tend to be too restrictive, unsustainable, and often leave you feeling hungrier than ever.

How about taking a different approach to healthy lifestyle goals, instead, by asking yourself if you are fueling your body correctly based on your activity. If fitness studios are your thing, here in Southie, you are lucky to have multiple options to get your sweat on. Nutrition and exercise go hand in hand when it comes to maximizing your energy level, performance, and overall well-being.

Reassuringly, it does not need to be complicated. Instead of stressing over counting calories or macros, or focusing on isolated nutrients, instead choose whole, non-processed foods with quality ingredients. Whole foods work synergistically to support many health benefits. Get to know the foods you are choosing. Spend some time reading the ingredient list instead of relying on the catchy “health claims” that often lack any sound evidence.

When thinking about balanced eating to fuel your body, we like the recommendations shared by sports dietitian Tara Mardigan (@theplatecoach), incorporating foods from 5 different categories for your meals and snacks:

  1. Vegetables/Fruits (keep it colorful, and local)
  2. Carbohydrates (choose high fiber = 3+ grams/serving)
  3. Proteins (vary between plant and animal protein)
  4. Healthy Fats (a little goes a long way)
  5. Fluids (stay hydrated throughout the day)

Incorporating these small changes into your day-to-day preparation will lead to positive results beyond the scale, whether it is efficient workouts and recovery time with less inflammation and soreness, improved energy levels and less fatigue, stronger immune function, and improvements in your body composition.

The dietitians at Nutritious Navigation can help support your individual health goals by helping you make food choices to get you through those workouts, whether it is on a tread, bike, mat, or outside.  Check out our website if you’re interested in learning about setting up an individual appointment.

Image via Nutritious Navigation on Instagram – give them a follow!

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