Nourishing your body is important, not just for yourself but for those around you. Don’t you want to be the best version of yourself everyday? Nourishing your body keeps you healthy not only now but in the future. It greatly impacts how you feel which can impact how you react to certain situations.
You are what you eat after all. You can’t expect to put bad gas into your car and expect it to run great can you? The same thing goes for your body! You much nourish your body and take care of it. Here are some tips on how you can nourish your mind and body daily to be the best version of yourself.
1. Eat balanced meals and snacks. Different foods have different nutrients, which is why we need food from a variety of food groups and colors to ensure adequate nutrition. Focus on fueling your body rather than depriving it. A balanced meal would look like a quarter of the plate protein, quarter of the plate with starches/ grains, and half the plate filled with fruits and/or vegetables. Recommended serving sizes for protein is 3 ounces which is about the size of a deck of cards, or the palm of your hand. Recommended serving size for starches and grains is ½ cup which is about the size of a lightbulb.
Protein: Protein is a nutrient that is vital to growth and development. Foods that contain protein include dairy products such as milk, yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese, eggs, and meat products such as fish, poultry, pork, and beef. Serving size is 3 ounces,
Grains: Grains should take up a quarter of the plate. It is recommended to make at least half the grains for the day whole grains for their nutritional content. During the processing of refinished or “white” grains the fiber, vitamins and minerals are removed so it’s important to receive plenty of whole grains in your diet.
Vegetables or fruit: Aim to fill half your plate with vegetables or fruit. Encourage variety and a multi-colored plate!
Salty/ sugary “treat foods”: It’s okay to indulge in “fun foods” every once in a while. Keep in mind that an excessive amount of these food may cause you to fill up on these foods and “miss out” on important nutrients from other food groups. This is the reason balance is so important!
2. Focus on how you feel. Listen to your body, it’s a powerful tool that gives you feedback on how you are taking care of yourself. Notice how certain foods make you feel. How do you feel when you eat a balanced meal? How do you feel when you eat a bowl of candy?
Focus on feeding your body with nourishing meals and snacks so you feel the best you possibility can! If you are hungry then eat. If you are full listen to the cues and stop eating. Be sure to also allow yourself to eat your dessert on occasion, enjoy and savor it!
3. Plan ahead! Plan your meals ahead of time and stock your fridge with plenty of nourishing meals and snacks. When you are in a hurry it will be a lot easier to make healthier choices if you have nourishing options ready-to-go in your pantry. For more information, check out this post here all about meal planning. http://dailyfoodforthought.com/effortless-meal-planning/
4. Commit to moving your body every day. Physical activity is an instant mood booster. Whenever I exercise or do any sort of physical activity, my mood instantly improves. Find something you love to do and commit to it. It doesn’t have to be the same thing everyday either. Maybe one day you want to garden, one day you want to go for a walk, one day you want to do yoga, and the next day you want to lift some weights. Just do fun activities where you are moving your body!
It can also be broken up throughout the day and not all at once. For example, you can do 15 minutes here and there, as long as you’re moving your body for 30-60 minutes each day. Bonus points if you can get outside and get some fresh air too! Just do things you love and that you’ll look forward to doing every day. If you don’t feel like doing physical activity in the moment, just remember how good it will make you feel after.
If you’re someone who sits in an office, get up and stretch once per hour. The small amount of time you take for yourself and your body will actually make you more productive. Try doing things like going on a walk on your lunch break, anything to get some movement throughout the day! Plan it into your day.
5. Get some rest. Getting a good night’s sleep every night is very important. Aim to receive 7-9 hours of sleep per night and make it a priority. You will have more energy and be in a much better mood. Adequate sleep also helps keep you healthy! It will make you a better person for yourself and those around you.
6. Focus on the good things in life. Focus on what makes you feel good and avoid worrying about anything else. Worrying about something will not solve any problems, it will only cause stress to your life. It will also distract you from reaching your goals. Do yourself a favor and worry not!
Count your blessings. Be thankful for what you have daily. You may not be exactly where you want to be in life and that’s okay! Be thankful for where you are at and how far you’ve come to get you to where you are now. You will always have goals in life, and you should! Trust the process, know what you want is coming, and enjoy where you are currently at.
