7 STEPS TO KICK STARTING YOUR
NUTRITION
‘With an excess of poor information and a myriad
of fad diets, it is almost impossible to know where
to start when it comes to nutrition and training. I
want to teach people how they can make small
sustainable steps for long term life changing
results.’
Welcome to ‘7 steps to kick start your nutrition’ - this free plan serves as
a guide to teach you the fundamentals. People are forever searching for
the magic answer, the diet, the pill or potion and I will stress right now
that there isn't one.
Instead there are a set of basic principles that look at a ‘ditch the diet’
approach and encourage new habits for long term results.
INTRODUCTION.
ARE YOU READY TO CHANGE?
For the average person the steps needed to change their lifestyle and body composition can be overwhelming.
Improving what you eat and drink, exercising, sleeping better, decreasing caffeine intake and cutting down on
the booze.
That's a lot of steps! No wonder people fall at the first hurdle if they try to implement all of these things in one
go.
The 'new you' takes time to build. Small steps to achieving a habit based approach.
For example if you don't exercise at all why try and start off with 5 hour long gym sessions each week? Why not
start with 1 X 30 min session instead and build from there? Always ask yourself - is what I'm doing now
sustainable for the long term? Can I do this for the rest of my life?
If the answer’s no, you need to take a few steps back. If the answer’s yes, then it's time to ramp things up
again.
There is no perfect ‘one size fit all’ solution or approach to this. You need to find out the areas in life that need
to change and, with that, ask yourself the question'Are you ready for change?’
So many people struggle to achieve their goals because they aren't ready for change. They aren't ready to
commit to something new.
Remember change is challenging. There will be sacrifices that need to be made and if you're making excuses
about why you can't all the time - you're only pushing yourself further and further away from achieving what you
set out for.
STEP 1.
DITCHING THE DIET MINDSET
THE FLEXIBLE DIETING APPROACH
One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is doing something they can’t sustain. Success comes
with consistency, that is the ability to do something over again and again.
This is the danger of fad ‘diets’ - they prescribe something which is only for the short term. A black
and white approach that promises a quick fix for ‘weight loss’, not an awareness of health and well
being.
'Studies show within one to five years, all of the weight (lost through dieting) is regained, and then
some. They also indicate that not only are weight loss interventions rarely effective in the long term,
but that dieting is a consistently strong predictor of future weight gain. And we know that dieters
don’t try just one diet. They typically go on and off diets, losing some, and gaining more; yo-yo
dieting themselves up to their current weights.’' (Christen Harris - EXAMINE)
Life is all about moderation - I call it the flexible dieting approach, whereby 80-90% of the time we
aim to consume single ingredient foods, with the 10-20% remainder coming from non optimal food
choices. This allows us to optimise health which needs to come first and foremost, whilst allow for
social flexibility and ensure we can still reach our goals.
A starting point might be that assuming you eat 3 meals per day 7 days per week - 17-19 meals
should come from single ingredient foods with the other 2-4 being meals you have some flexibility
with, be a meal out with friends, some chocolate here and there, or perhaps a couple of glasses of
wine throughout the week.
STEP 2.
DRINK MORE WATER
WHY IS WATER SO IMPORTANT?
Our bodies are made up of around 60% water.
Without water, nothing could exist.
A lack of it can seriously effect our energy levels and brain function.
My recommendation : calculate your intake on the following equation 0.024 x your weight in kg. e.g. I weigh 90kg so 90 x 0.024 = 2.16 litres
The more you move the more you need, so if you are exercising add
another 500ml-1 litre per hour of exercise.
As I said at the start - small changes are key. If you are new to water - try
to gradually increase your intake over the next few weeks, you might
add an additional glass in each day or week. If you don't like the taste of
plain water, consider adding fresh fruit, or mint leaves for some added
flavour.
STEP 3.
EAT MORE PROTEIN
WHAT IS PROTEIN AND WHY IS IMPORTANT?
Protein is the biggest macronutrient I see lacking in peoples diet. It is a huge contributor
to effective weight management and vital for optimal health and wellbeing.
Protein is ESSENTIAL in repair and recovery of the cells in the body, this is particularly
important if you are exercising.
It is the most satiating macronutrient, meaning it will keep you full for a long time after
consumption.
YOU NEED TO EAT MORE! My recommendation is a minimum of 1.2g - 2g per kg of
body weight. e.g. for me @ 90kg, thats around 110g - 180 grams of protein per day.
The best way to do this is to work up to consuming some kind of protein at each meal or
snack. A serving size of protein is about the size of your palm for a female and 2 palms
for males.
Sources include : chicken, fish, beef, eggs, whey protein, lamb, dairy.
(I’ve mentioned whey protein here for its convenience - it is a liquid source of protein
that can be implemented into anyones diet)
STEP 4.
EAT MORE FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES
THE IMPORTANCE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Another thing I see lacking from peoples’ diets are fruits and
vegetables, the latter in particular. Packed full of vitamins,
minerals and phytonutrients needed for optimal health, they
are also high in fibre, which is very satiating and needed for
optimal digestion.
My recommendation is to eat 1-2 servings of vegetables at
every meal and from a variety of sources, and also include 2-5
servings of fruit per day depending on needs. A serving of
vegetables is about the size of your fist.
Sources included - spinach, broccoli, asparagus, green beans,
bananas, apples, oranges, berries.
STEP 5.
SLEEP MORE, STRESS LESS.
WHY IS SLEEP SO IMPORTANT?
Sleep is vital for just about everything, from a healthy nervous system to the way the brain
functions.
A lack of sleep can lead to an overall drop in daily energy levels, an increase in stress, food
cravings and with that, a risk of weight gain.
As a result, most people find themselves reliant on stimulants to keep their bodies going, tea
coffee and energy drinks and simple sugary foods just to sustain energy levels. This of course is
not normal and needs to be addressed.
My recommendations are Get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Between 10/11pm and 6/7am is ideal.
Cut caffeine intake out at least 6 hours before bed, it has a half life and stays in your system a
long time after consuming it, affecting your bodies ability to fall into a deep sleep.
Stay away from tv’s and phones an hour before bed. The ‘blue light’ stimulates the mind, the last
thing you need when settling down for the night (If your going to be using devices late, I highly
recommend downloading a program called f.lux) Instead, chill out, doing some stretching and
grab a warm shower or bath (you could use some bath salts here - the magnesium will help you
relax)
STEP 6.
MANAGE YOUR ALCOHOL
INTAKE
TIME TO GET TO GRIPS WITH THE BOOZE
Who doesn't like having a drink? I certainly do…a good glass of red with a Sunday roast, or a pint or 2 on a Friday
night with friends.
The key here is moderation. I mention this a lot when it comes to all aspects of life and its a really important one to
learn. Like with anything - albeit ‘healthy things’ or ‘junky’ things, it is the OVERCONSUMPTION of them that can take
you over YOUR caloric needs that will cause fat gain.
So if it’s results you are after as far as fat loss is concerned you need to be aware of what you are putting in the tank.
My Recommendations for enjoying a drink are :
Keep drinking to 1-2 days per week max.
Aim to stick to 1-2 drinks and if you are going to have a beer or glass of wine with a meal, simply reduce or remove
some carbs or fats from your next meal.
Sticking to ‘light’ beers, spirits and wines are all lower calorie choices, and if you're on the spirits be mindful of your
mixers - the full sugar juices and sodas all add up in calories.
If you know you are out on a big one, keep your daily calories low by reducing carbs and fats through the day, and
keeping protein, fruit and veg intake high.
Avoid the kebab shop! Alcohol inhibits your satiety signals (your feeling full signals) meaning you can eat a lot without
feeling full! Not good when your stumbling towards the pizza parlour…
Alcohol is a diuretic meaning it promotes more urination, therefore it is vital you keep hydrated by consuming water.
STEP 7.
PREPARATION
FAILURE TO PREPARE IS PREPARING TO FAIL
We live in a world of convenience, everything is accessible at the click of finger, food included.
Taking time out to prepare what you eat will ensure you get the best out of your meals.
I don’t buy the ‘no time’ excuse. The average person spends around 3-4 hours watching tv or using
social media EACH DAY. It’s not to say you can’t still enjoy your favourite tv shows, but if you are
prioritising that over your health and weight management you sacrifice reaching your goals.
I recommend the following when it comes to food prep.
Cook in bulk - rather than 1 chicken breast, how about a whole chicken? Use the leftovers for
another meal.
Double up on ingredients for the family dinners and use the leftovers for next days lunch.
Spend 1 hour each weekend making meals for the week ahead. For example investing in a slow
cooker and cooking up a batch of food to freeze for your convenience.
It doesn't have to be hard and you don't need to over complicate. Keep it simple and stick to the
basics.
Not comfortable in the kitchen? Invest in some cook books or do some online research, find things
you actually want to eat. Healthy eating doesn't mean salads all day every day…get experimenting.
FOUND THIS USEFUL? HIT ME UP AND SHARE
YOUR THOUGHTS ON MY SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES.
- RORYBROWNFITNESS
- RORYBROWNFITNESS
WWW.RORYBROWNFITNESS.CO.UK