Eat Your Nutrients Before Your Calories!

I know we don’t like to talk about calories, or count calories or think about calories. We’re all just ‘intuitively” supposed to eat and “know” when we are full and when our body has had enough. Then how come so many of my clients are ALWAYS hungry? How come so many people are eating every meal like it’s their last only to be hungry 20 minutes later. I get the question “Why do I eat a big meal, only to find myself sifting through the pantry an hour later?”.

There could be several answers to this question. First, are you balancing your blood sugar and eating fiber and protein or are you eating mostly simple carbohydrates that your body can process very quickly? Secondly, are the foods you consume feeding yeasts and parasites in your gut that are constantly sending signals to your brain that they are hungry, making you feel like you are hungry too? And finally, are you eating foods that are nutrient dense and satisfying to your body’s needs or are you simply just consuming for the sake of hunger with little thought to the nutrients that you need to have the energy to make it through the day?

By answering these questions, you can begin to understand why you might be dealing with constant hunger. Let’s think of calories a little differently. If you have 2000 calories to “spend” in a day. How are you going to eat to get the biggest bang for your “buck”? If you knew you needed certain nutrients to feed your brain, so you could think properly, if you knew you needed nutrients to have better energy and be able to get more done during the day wouldn’t you focus on those foods first? If there were foods out there that were FULL of the nutrients your body needed to help you get energy, get trim and be healthy wouldn’t you reach for those foods first?

The idea here is that maybe your body isn’t telling you it’s hungry simply for food. Maybe your body is telling you it needs a certain nutrient. Perhaps eating for nutrient value as opposed to caloric value would be a better way to look at food. Did you know that some of the most nutrient dense foods have the lowest caloric value? You could eat MORE and at the same time “spend” LESS! Dark leafy veggies and brightly colored veggies and fruit can pack a powerful punch when it comes to nutrition. The vegetables and fruits that are missing in SO many of our meals are important to satisfying our body’s needs for nutrients. When we eat these foods all the vitamins, minerals and other bits (some science hasn’t even identified) work synergistically to fuel our body on a whole other level.

Another important thing to note here is that these nutrient dense powerhouses feed the good bacteria in our gut! They don’t allow the yeasts and parasites to proliferate and take over making us feel hungry all the time! They have lots of fiber to bind to toxins and excess hormones to ensure these are carried out of the body and don’t rob us of our energy and vitality!

But, but, but…..I can hear what’s coming next. But I don’t enjoy eating leafy greens, colorful veggies and fruits. I understand and that’s why I propose this; try them again. Try one, have a salad, mix in some healthy fat like olive oil or coconut oil. Find one you like raw, then find one you like cooked, then try another and another. I get it, you’re not going to love them all. I’m okay with that. All I’m asking is for you to try, and try another, and another. When you travel, try them a new way, try a new variety or get a recipe off the internet to change up an old favorite.

Ideally it would be great to have everyone eating 4-5 veggies and 1-2 fruits each day. Do you get that many? I challenge you to try it out for a week and see if you can do it! See how many servings you can get into your day and tell me how it changes your energy, your weight, your digestion, your life!

Do you want to get even healthier? Want help figuring out how to feel more energy by adding the foods that will feed your body? Curious about how health coaching can help you on your journey to optimal health? Let’s talk! Schedule an initial complimentary consultation with me today—or pass this offer on to someone you care about! Visit www.noshoesnutrition.com and sign up for a FREE consultation.  I work with people from all over the world individually or in groups so don’t let anything hold you back!