I’ll admit it: I exercise…… regularly. I often struggle with the issue of balance in regards to my nutritional habits, though. Sometimes, I find myself rationalizing that if I am going to go through a long stint of session work or I’m going to be in transit, that I need to consume a few extra calories so that my blood sugar doesn’t drop excessively. Other times, I go ahead with the long arduous work habit and forget about eating entirely until my blood sugar has dropped to the point where I have got to eat something before I rip someone’s head off.
That being said, I thought I would share with you some of my guidelines I strive adhere to when it comes to eating good things in balance:
- Balance is a keyword in this equation. I never like going to extremes in terms of cutting anything out of my diet, but I do like to make sure that what I put in my diet is made of good, quality ingredients. So when I reach for carbohydrates, I tend to reach for complex carbohydrate rich foods, you can identify these because they tend to be naturally present in certain foods. Someone with diabetes will have to take extra care to stay away from converted white rice. However, they will do just fine with brown rice, and I think it tastes better.
- Protein is an important part of human physiology as well. Our DNA synthesizes amino acids in order to make proteins in our own bodies that tie together things like hair, skin, and organs and keep them from floating all over the place. When I reach for proteins, there are certainly exceptions, but my rule is generally to reach for lean proteins. I take in copious amounts of nuts, I drink almond milk, and eat beans regularly.
- Portion control is a fine thing indeed. There’s something valuable about knowing when to say when, and it can most certainly come in handy when I sit down to have a meal. Again, your body is a great indicator. If it’s saying you should eat, you probably should. If it’s saying you should stop, listen to that, too.
- Last but not least, reward yourself on occasion. A free day can shock your metabolism into being prepared for the rigors that you’re going to put it through six out of the seven days of the week. Think of it as the carrot on the end of the stick. Just make sure it isn’t a real carrot.
In closing, I’d just like to say that I am fully aware that human physiology and dietary requirements differ from person to person. Figure out what works for you, consult professionals that you trust, work your plan and monitor your progress.
To your health!