Instead of labeling foods as good and bad, try labeling them as ideal and less ideal. Ideal foods are those that provide the most nutrition for your body. Foods that are filled with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.
Less ideal foods would be those that don’t have as many of these nutrients and instead are just providing energy.
Eating ideal foods most of the time will translate to overall better health and feeling better at home and at the gym. Eating mostly less ideal foods will do the opposite.
It is not bad to eat less ideal food. There is a time and a place for these foods and they should be built into an overall healthy diet.
You don’t have to eat perfectly every single day of the year to be healthy or to feel your best. Your body is smart and resilient and will use the nutrients you have fed it.
But, eating ideal foods most of the time will help your body function at its best and really improve your overall health.
What does that look like?
Start by eating one serving of lean protein at every meal. Then start adding in two servings of vegetables to at least 2 meals a day. When you feel like snacking, choose things like fresh fruits and vegetables. You can add flavor and satiety to these snacks by dipping them in hummus or Greek yogurt. Look at labels on things like peanut butter and choose options with no added sugar or salt.
So aim to eat one serving of lean protein at every meal and two servings of vegetables at at least two meals a day. Try snacking on fresh fruit and veggies, use dips like hummus and Greek yogurt, eat nut butter with no added sugar or salt. Eating this way most of the time allows you to enjoy the few times you eat less ideally without compromising your health and fitness goals.
