Category: Nutrition

There are several factors that contribute to our food choices, eating habits and why we eat the way we do. These factors start at a young age and continue to develop throughout our lives. Some of these factors we have complete control over and some we do not. Being aware of these factors can help us change our eating habits. 

These factors include:

Environmental:

• Economic
• Lifestyle
• Availability 
• Cultural Influences
• Religion
• Geographic Location
• Environment 

Personal Preference:

• Habit
• Comfort/Discomfort of Food
• Food Marketing/Advertising/Promotion
• Food Diet and Trends
• Sensory Influences (Taste, Smell, Texture)
• Individual beliefs about Food and Nutrition

Health:

• Health and Medical Conditions
• Physical Fitness and Independence
• Knowledge of Health and Nutrition
• Genetics
• Age and Gender

It is very interesting to see all of the factors that can play a role in why we choose to eat what we eat. Let’s discuss these and see how being aware can help us make better choices.

The environmental factors are going to depend on where we live, how we live and who we live with. What is available to us, where we shop, what we can afford in our budget, what gets brought into our home, and the religious/cultural influences we were brought up with are all part of this category of factors.

In order to make changes here you need to be aware of what your limitations are in budget, religion, culture, family, etc. When you go shopping figure out your budget and other limitations first and plan to buy food that fits within these areas that are healthy and nutritious for you and your family. Think about the things that are available to you and fit within your lifestyle.

Our personal preferences play a huge role in the food choices we make and this is probably where we can make the most changes.

These choices are hugely related to our likes and dislikes. We most likely think about food in terms of what we like to eat and not what we need to eat. Let’s change gears here and try to find a whole new way of thinking. 

What do I need to eat? Rather than, what do I like to eat? Forget about diets and food trends and what the advertisers are trying to sell you. Get back to basics and make a list of the foods you will eat in the categories of fruits, vegetables, proteins, healthy fats, dairy and whole grains. Create a shopping list from those categories and buy strictly what is on that list. Keep your choices as basic as possible and as least processed as you can. Think more fresh, raw and minimally processed options and less packaged and pre-made. Plan your meals and snacks according to these purchases.

Finally, our health in general is another factor. Our medical condition, physical fitness levels, knowledge/education of nutrition, genetics, age and gender will certainly play a role in our food choices. You may need to avoid certain foods or take in an excess of certain foods because of these factors.  

One of the biggest factors to help you make better choices is knowledge and education. This is the area where you have the most control over. Finding ways to incorporate healthy foods to aide in health related issues is so important in our general health. Educate yourself on what you may need to consume or need to avoid for each one of these factors. Research based on your goals and create a list of foods that will help you to achieve them.

Simply being aware that there are many factors contributing to the food choices we make can be extremely helpful. Review each of one these categories and factors and see how they influence you. What changes can you make based on these factors that can lead to a more constructive, positive and healthful plan?

No matter what factors influence your food choices it is ultimately up to you to make a choice, a purchase and a decision to what you bring into your home and put into your body.

References: Nutrition – Fifth Addition

The Holiday season from fall through the New Year is a time of celebration. During that time there are many events, parties, dinners, lunches, special sweets, and treats. So many extra calories are consumed in these few months making it difficult to stick to a plan or remain consistent. However, there are several small things you can do throughout the day on a daily basis to help you cut calories and I am going to share a few of those with you.

1. Watch Beverage Consumption

Beverages can add a huge amount of empty calories to your day. From what we add to our coffee and tea to sodas, juice and alcoholic beverages. Most of these calories are all added sugars that offer absolutely no nutritional value.

Here are a few ways you can save yourself calories in beverages:

• Drink plain water – #1 best thing to drink.

• Cut half of the sugar you normally would add to your coffee or tea – I’m not saying you can’t have any, but cutting half of what you normally do will go a long way

• Water down juice – 1 cup of juice can provide lots of sugars and extra calories to your day. Instead of drinking 1 cup of juice, use 1/4-1/2 cup juice to flavor water or fresh brewed tea over ice with fresh squeezed lemon, lime or other fruit.

• Swap sugary sodas for flavored seltzer – Soda is probably one of #1 worst choices you can make in a beverage. It’s all just sugar and the worst sugar for you. If you do one thing on this list, eliminating soda should be the one. Even diet soda is unhealthy for you with the artificial sweeteners added to it. Best choice if you want a bubbly drink is to get used to seltzer water, plain or flavored and add some fresh or frozen fruit to it.

• Limit alcohol – alcoholic beverages can really pack on the calories if consumed on a daily basis. Set a weekly limit when it comes to alcohol and stick to those limits.

Doing these few things with your beverages can save you hundreds of calories a week.

2) Hydrate

Hydration is so important in so many of our bodily functions. Our calorie digestion is highly dependent on our body using fluids. Being hydrated helps in the proper digestion and excretion of the foods we eat. It is also important to stay hydrated because we can mistake the feeling of hunger for thirst. It is possible to consume less overall calories by keeping your body hydrated.

Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids, especially water, but also by eating foods that are hydrating such as fruits, vegetables, milk, soups, yogurts and smoothies.

3) Swap out high calorie snacks for lower calorie options

Snacks are one of those things that can really pack on the calories. When looking for snacks many people think chips, baked goods, ice cream, etc. Save these high calorie snacks for the days you are celebrating and in your daily day swap out those snacks for whole natural foods such as fruits and yogurts, raw veggies and hummus, low fat cheese and whole grain crackers. These swaps can save you 100s to 1000s of calories, sugars and fats throughout your week.

4) Eat fiber rich foods

Eating fiber rich foods will aide in the digestion of calories and keep you feeling full for a longer period of time. The fiber helps sustain your appetite ultimately resulting in the consumption of less overall calories.

Swap out your low fiber grains such as white breads, crackers and pasta to add in higher fiber options such as whole grain breads, crackers, pasta, quinoa, oats and beans. Also include lots of fruits and vegetables which have a higher fiber content.

5) Eat more fruits and vegetables

This is not rocket science here! Most of us have been told since we were little to eat your fruits and vegetables and that is with good reason. Fruits and vegetables are lower in calories, high in nutrients, hydrating and fiber rich. It is best to add fruits and/or vegetables to all your meals and snacks to add bulk with less calories and more nutrients. By doing this you are sure to eat less calories throughout your day.

Think color and variety so you don’t get bored. Eat them raw, cooked and juiced, fresh or frozen, choose from seasonal and grab a variety of colors and options.

6) Portion out food

 This is probably one of the reasons most of us are consuming too many calories. Not knowing what a portion is and overeating portions throughout your day is a huge problem. You really need to be planning meals not just by variety, but also by portioning out those foods you are eating in each meal and snack. It is important to read labels for portions sizes and stick to just 1-2 servings at the most, especially if the foods you are consuming are high in fats, carbs or sugars.

Get yourself a scale, measuring bowls, spoons and start weighing and measuring the foods you eat. You might be surprised at how many calories you have been consuming by not portioning out your food.

If you can do some of these tips throughout your daily day you will be saving yourself 100s of calories per day and even more each week. Think about how many calories you can save within a year!

The best way to encourage maximum metabolism and nutrient absorption is with variation in your diet. Having different sources of macro-nutrients throughout the day and week is crucial in variation.

Many people start a nutrition plan and think they will be successful by sticking to a very specific plan and eating the same foods each day and within each meal. The problem is… it will lack variation.

In order to spike the metabolism up and maximize the amount of nutrients your body absorbs and uses, you must vary the foods you eat throughout your day, weeks, months and even seasons.

I follow a few rules each day that help me get this variety into my nutrition plan and I am going to share it with you here:

1) Include all macro-nutrients

A macro-nutrient is defined as a category of nutrients – including carbohydrates, proteins, and fats – that are present in foods in large amounts.

Macro-nutrients supply our bodies with energy to power muscles and cellular functions.

It is important to provide our bodies with all 3 categories of macro-nutrients, not just each day, but spread throughout all meals and snacks.

2) Vary color 

It is not just enough to include macro-nutrients into your diet but to also vary the color of those macro-nutrients.

I recommend eating at least 3 colors in each meal and at least 2 colors in each snack.

Different colors in foods mean different vitamins and/or nutrients. By varying the colors you eat in your meals and snacks you are varying the vitamins and nutrients you are giving your body throughout the day.

Vegetables and fruits have lots of bright colors and should be incorporated into each meal or snack. Bright colors mean lots of nutrient value and each color provides different nutrients. Try to vary the colors throughout your day. Don’t just eat all green vegetables, or all red fruit. Try varying the colors of the vegetables and fruits that you are eating.

Proteins and grains will tend to be white, brown, tan and should be included with your meals and snacks along with bright colors of vegetables and fruits. These provide different types of nutrient values for your body and are very important to incorporate.

3) Don’t repeat macro-nutrients

Along with including macro-nutrients and varying colors in your diet, implementing this final rule will really boost your metabolism and the nutrients needed to fuel your bodies needs.

Not repeating macro-nutrients within your day will help to encourage variation and getting different sources of foods in each of the macro groups – carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

If you eat eggs in breakfast, don’t have eggs in any of your other meals as your main protein source. Choose a different source of protein at lunch such as grilled chicken and even another source at dinner such as beans or fish. Mix different proteins into your snacks such as nuts or low fat yogurt.

By doing this you are providing your body with the protein it needs but in different sources. Your body will get different nutrient and vitamin content which it will then use, store or excrete.

Do this with all of your macro-nutrient groups!

By following these 3 rules on a daily basis you will encourage maximum nutrient and vitamin intake, decrease vitamin and nutrient deficiencies and help aide in metabolism. Your body will not have excess absorption and storage of nutrients from repeated foods. Your body will get an efficient amount of what it needs from a varied diet of consistent varied nutrient intake.

Another upside to this is that variety is less boring. If you are mixing up different sources of proteins, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats throughout your day your taste buds also get variety.

There are so many sources of macro-nutrients to spread throughout your day. Here are some macro-nutrient food choices to try:

Proteins – meats, fish, eggs, nuts, beans, dairy

• Chicken
• Turkey
• Pork
• Lean Steak
• Fish
• Eggs
• Beans
• Milk
• Yogurt
• Low Fat Cheese
• Nuts

Fats

• Nuts
• Avocado
• Coconut
• Mayonnaise
• Olives
• Oils – Olive, Grapeseed, Avocado, Sesame, Peanut, Coconut

Carbohydrates – whole grains, vegetables, fruit

Whole Grains

• Oats
• Quinoa
• Brown Rice
• Wild Rice
• Popcorn
• Whole Grain Bread
• Whole Grain Cereal
• Whole Grain Crackers
• Whole Grain Pasta
• Whole Grain Tortillas
• Barley
• Spelt
• Millet

Green Vegetables and Fruits – contain the nutrients Chlorophyll, fiber, lutein, zeaxanthin, calcium, folate, vitamin C, calcium, and Beta-carotene. 

• Leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, lettuce
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Green beans
• Zucchini
• Asparagus
• Brussel Sprouts
• Cucumbers
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Celery
• Grapes
• Pears
• Limes
• Apples
• Honeydew
• Kiwi

Red Vegetables and Fruits – contain the nutrients Lycopene, ellagic acid, Quercetin, and Hesperidin

• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Beets
• Onions
• Radishes
• Potatoes
• Apples
• Cherries
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Cranberries
• Pomegranate
• Grapes
• Pears
• Watermelon

Orange and Yellow Vegetables and Fruits – contain the nutrients Beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, flavonoids, lycopene, potassium, and vitamin C

• Peppers
• Carrots
• Squash
• Corn
• Sweet Potatoes
• Apples
• Lemons
• Pears
• Apricots
• Cantaloupe
• Grapefruit
• Peaches
• Papaya
• Oranges
• Mangoes

Purple Vegetables and Fruits – contain the nutrients Lutein, zeaxanthin, resveratrol, vitamin C, fiber, flavonoids, ellagic acid, and quercetin

• Eggplant
• Cabbage
• Beets
• Carrots
• Red onion
• Potatoes
• Grapes
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Plums
• Raisins
• Prunes
• Figs

White Vegetables and Fruits – contain the nutrients Beta-glucans, EGCG, SDG, and lignan

• Onion
• Mushrooms
• Potatoes
• Cauliflower
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Mushrooms
• Parsnips
• Corn
• Jicama
• Turnips
• Bananas
• Peaches
• Brown Pears

Sources:

Find out more about varied colors of vegetables and fruits nutrient values and benefits here:
https://www.disabled-world.com/fitness/nutrition/fruits-veggies/colored.php