by Aimee Wojtowecz
Have you been at this health and fitness game a while? Are you feeling and seeing the results you want? If the answer is yes, then AWESOME-keep nailing it!, but if your answer is no then maybe it’s time to take a deep look at your nutrition. Now I’m not just saying that because I’m the nutrition coach here at UPCF (although I have spots available, hit me up 😉), I genuinely think everyone can benefit from an honest look into their nutrition and if it’s helping them reach their goals or not. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to work with a nutrition coach, some people thrive on their own, but it does mean doing a little experimenting with what works for you and doing some research about nutrition guidelines.
Whether you are a competing athlete, a weekend sports player or a dedicated daily exerciser, the foundation to improved performance is a nutritionally adequate diet. A well-planned, nutritious diet should meet most of your vitamin and mineral needs, provide enough protein to promote muscle growth and repair, enough carbohydrates to adequately fuel and recover, and enough fat to maintain healthy hormones.
Nutrition strategies should be individualized based on your goals, preferences, current nutrition knowledge, lifestyle etc…, or quite simply it should be really, really, personal. What works for me might not be right for you, and that’s totally ok, but here are some basic guidelines for a solid starting point when it comes to performance nutrition.
- Minimum of 5 servings a day of produce, making one of those servings a dark, leafy green, and trying to get a wide variety of colors
- 25-35 g/day of Fiber for woman and 30-40 g/day for men
- 3-4 servings lean protein
- 6-8 servings carbohydrates, aiming for at least half of them to be whole grain options
- 3-4 servings fats/oils such as vegetable oils, olive oils, and naturally occurring fats in fish, avocados, seeds and nuts
- Half your body weight in ounces of water
How do you make every bite count? Focus on nutrient-dense foods and beverages, limit those higher in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium, and stay within calorie limits that support your lifestyle and activity levels. It can really be that simple.
For more personalized nutrition recommendations set up a time with me to chat, or stay tuned for our Performance Nutrition talk coming later this month!