So a lot of my readers live on college campuses, or they are extremely busy with their jobs, OR BOTH. Some of us are just so busy all of the time, so how do we do it? Well personally I think we as Americans should take on less! But...that won't happen any time soon...So how do we find time to practice good nutrition habits? Here are some tips that I follow to help me achieve optimal nutrition and peak levels of fitness while being a graduate student, having a job, and managing a social life.
#1 Ditch The Energy Drink and Soda - The amounts of caffeine and sugar in these drinks is shocking. These will cause a sugar and energy rush that will feel good but then you are going to come to a huge crash and ultimately your energy levels will be completely sapped. You won't have energy to work out or anything else really and your metabolism will be confused and not work properly; it also affects your sleep. Find natural energy in good foods and Shakeology! Also, carbonation messes with your lungs and makes cardio a lot harder.
#2 Whole Grain When You Can - When there is an option for a whole grain anything over a white bread or enriched anything, TAKE IT. Enriched white breads drain all of the nutritional value of a whole grain food (pasta, sliced bread, cereal etc). You get more fiber, vitamins, and minerals with whole grain bread and complex carbs provide better energy. You also don't get a spike in your blood sugar!
#3 Portion Control - I know it is hard when you enter a buffet style place as a college student to not just eat everything in sight. Try your best to measure out small portions when you eat! Have some self control.
#4 Certain Smoothies and Bars = Good! - A quick smoothie or Shakeology in the morning is the perfect way to start the day and it is so easy. Milk, ice, frozen fruit, whey protein and you are set! Bars are also great, but be aware of the big ones that have tons of saturated fat and corn syrup! The Pure Protein brand bars are excellent!
#5 Bring Food On The Go!!!! - This is probably my best tip. It is important to control what you put in your body. So when you go to work, pack a cooler full of 1% fat cottage cheese, greek yogurt, fruits, veggies, hummus etc.. When you go to a long grad school class, do the same! Make an all natural PB and whole fruit Jelly sandwhich and a Banana. AMAZING meal. There are simple ways to prep food for yourself that take NO TIME AT ALL. I do it all the damn time.
#6 Read Labels, Ask Questions - When you buy something in the store, read labels. If you can't pronounce the majority of the ingredients you are better off without it. Look out for the dreaded high fructose corn syrup, caffeine, trans fats, saturated fats, and fake sugars (sucralose and aspartame, almost as bad as regular sugars but for different reasons). When you are in a restaurant, ask the waiter or waitress for something to be prepared a different way (whole grain pasta with veggies instead of enriched pasta in alfredo sauce), they want your money and will probably do it! (Just leave a nice tip :) )
#7 - Sugar is OK at the RIGHT TIME! - Sugar after a workout like the P90x Results and Recovery Formula is OK. Sugar all the time is bad. Make sure they are good complex sugars from fruit! I try to measure out having sugar (agave nectar in yogurt, fruit, a protein bar) after a meal cause I LOVE DESSERT. Do the same to satisfy your sweet tooth.
#8 - Eat Mindfully - I don't want to get all Buddha on you, well I actually very much want to but I will practice some self control...try to enjoy your meals. Enjoy peeling that orange, enjoy the smell of your food, eat it slowly and really savor it. Too often, and I am incredibly guilty of this, we eat in front of the TV or in a rush...if we have the time to enjoy a meal on a sunny day, do it! You will feel more fulfilled.
#9 No More Fast Food - Seriously...if you have to eat quickly, do yourself a favor and at least go to a subway to get a turkey sub with mustard and tons of vegetables, pile 'em on! Fast food is going to kill you slowly, very slowly and painfully. Those of you who live in a big city, I know you have access to healthier options like a health shake place (though some are dangerous and have lots of sugar) or a salad bar (Olive oil and balsamic is the best dressing to eat! Dont pile on crappy fake dressings) type place...ditch the Mickey Ds, ditch the BK.
#10 Try Shakeology - I know I plug this a lot, but I really wouldn't talk about if I didn't believe it to work and be so important for your fitness, nutrition, and overall health. There are things in this health shake that you cannot get anywhere else. Green Superfoods, Red Superfoods, Supergrains...all from exotic wonderful places with great health benefits! It has helped me transform and feel better, it can do the same for you!
#11 Take it Slow - Sometimes it is hard for us to try and make a complete 180 degree shift from unhealthy foods to healthy foods. Often, we try to do it and fail and then just beat ourselves up and go back to eating junk to relieve the stress of failure! Maybe just take a few steps each week and slowly get into healthy habits. Don't do all of these at once, you will just stress yourself out.
Eating in a fast paced world in a fast paced job or a fast paced graduate school with loads of work can be extremely difficult. You have to make a conscious effort to do so. Once you do, you will find it to be the best decision of your life. Treat your body well, put good things inside of it and you will be rewarded with sustained energy. Nutrition is the cornerstone for any transformation process or workout regiment, and heck it just feels great. Whole healthy foods taste great and help prevent obesity, diabetes, heart disease etc. Hopefully these tips will help you in your busy lives.
As always, find me on twitter (@CoachZoso), Facebook (Get Trim With Tim), or via email! I'd love to hear your problems about nutrition and fitness. You don't have to do it alone.
CoachZoso
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