NUTRITION QUICK TIPS


Eat your first meal within 1 hour of waking

Eat on a Schedule.

Whether you eat 3 - 4 or 5 - 6 times a day (like many trainers recommend), keeping a consistent schedule will help keep your blood sugar stable and give you sustained energy throughout the day. By following this plan diligently for several weeks, you will reduce body fat while building lean muscle.
Start with a protein source at every single meal.

(See Download & Grocery List for approved protein sources.) Also, incorporating Lean Body® for Her shakes into your meal plan is a convenient and easy way to increase your daily protein intake.
Sugar can be detrimental to your success.

Keep a sugar log and make it a point to keep your sugar intake under 25 grams per day, not counting sugar found naturally in fruits or vegetables. Examples of healthier sugar options: stevia, xylitol, cane sugar, monk fruit, coconut sugar, date sugar, fruit sugar (sparingly).
Include complex carbohydrates with every meal.

Complex carbohydrates give you energy. Most of your energy calories will come from "carbs." Contrary to popular belief, unless you have an allergy or gluten sensitivity, carbs are NOT the enemy. If however you do have a sensitivity, simply stick to carbohydrates like sweet potatoes and vegetables. (See Download & Grocery List for approved carbohydrate sources.)
Fruits are a simple healthy carbohydrate.

These can be eaten after a workout to speed the uptake of protein into your system or with protein and a healthy fat to help slow any spike in insulin. Examples include: apple w/peanut butter and Greek yogurt or strawberries w/low-fat cottage cheese and almonds.



Do not eliminate Fat from your nutrition program.

Although it is certainly possible to lose weight by limiting fat in your diet, eliminating all fat is horrible for hormone function and can actually inhibit your ability to lose weight long term. Remember: Many foods have the fat built in, like chicken or lean beef and even oatmeal has a small amount of fat.
Avoid Saturated Fats.

Avoid the following whenever possible: cheese (use low fat or non-fat varieties if at all), butter, margarine, sour cream, salad dressings (use fat-free Italian dressing or lemon juice instead), fries (try the fat-free baked fries), potato chips, ice cream, mayonnaise, chocolate, desserts, white breads, crackers and pastries.
Watch for hidden fats in packaged foods.

Read labels! Here is an easy formula to figure the percentage of fat in a labeled food: For every 100 calories, foods should contain no more than 20 calories from fat. You can also take the listed fat calories per serving and divide by the total calories per serving.
Avoid foods with calories higher than 20% from fat.

Sleep is as important as working out and nutrition!

It is important to get adequate sleep throughout your program. Our bodies don't actually build muscle in the gym, they build it while sleeping. If you short-change yourself in the sleep department, you'll short-change your growth and recovery. It's also important to get adequate sleep (7Â to 8 hours a night) to avoid the energy slump. Losing sleep is one of the fastest ways to halt your progress because you'll lack the energy to exercise and likely increase your craving for carbohydrates.



Plan your Meal Ahead of Time

Designate a food preparation day.
Measure & Weigh Everything

Purchase measuring cups and a kitchen scale - this is key to your succes.
Take 1 TBSP. of Flaxseed Oil Daily

Flaxseed aids in weight loss and encourages healthy bowel movements. For example: Mix flaxseed oil in oatmeal or mashed sweet potato after heating food. DO NOT HEAT flaxseed oil.
Drink Lots of Water

You may also have coffee & tea occasionally.
Take a Daily Food Based Multi-Vitamin

If lifting weights, also take a calcium supplement.
Consistency is Key

If you have a day where you slip up, don't give up! Start fresh at your next meal or the next day.







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