My Relationship status with food and health- it’s really f*cking complicated!
As a strength and health coach my experience with food is vast. However this is not a story about perfectly crafted meal preps aligned in Tupperware vessels. It’s a story of confusion, contradiction, insecurity and unhappiness. All the good stuff!
Eating is a bit like running. We can all do it naturally without much thought but most of us are shit at it. Just like bad running form won’t blow your knees out immediately, the same goes for ingesting ‘bad’ food - over time, you’ll feel the consequences.
Some fitness professionals would berate me for even calling certain foods ‘bad’. And whilst I agree that everything can be eaten in moderation (that tired old adage), we still know that some food is complete shit for us and should be more or less avoided. Am I going to stress out about a few pints of Guinness? No! Am I aware it’ll probably affect my sleep? Yes! Awareness and honesty with yourself is critical.
Personally I’ve demonized carbs, fat and as a vegan for many years, I’ve even had my issues with protein. In the fitness industry and in pop society, we run in trends. Whatever our fave celeb or fitness influencer is up to, we usually follow suit. One person will tell us not to eat fat, another to avoid all processed carbs. Some nutrition ‘experts’ will tell us to eat meat only in a carnivorous/atkins-esque way or eject meat and eat veg only including protein sources for health and ethics.
And I need to say this categorically for all to hear: THERE WILL BE SUPPORTIVE, PEER-REVIEWED DATA FOR ANY ARGUMENT. Data can, and usually is cherry-picked to support the authors agenda or belief system.
So what the f*ck CAN we do and eat to stay healthy?
My personal answer is here in all of its glory! It’s backed by science with all its bias included, with equal measures of anecdote from 10 years of working with athletes and the public. So take it or leave it, here’s my advice at 37 years old.
Calories do matter, for sure! However they are not the whole picture. Understand fundamentally that someone who moves often will be able to consume more calories than someone who moves very little.
Ratio’s of Fat, Carbs and Protein differ depending on your genetics and movement frequency. Personally, I eat a high fat (plant based) diet with lots of nuts, seeds and olive oil. I found out that more fat in my diet actually keeps me more satiated and more lean. I have experimented tirelessly with this and you should too.
Sleep matters! Sleep balances us hormonally. If you sleep less than 8 hours, expect it to affect you emotionally. We all know how much shit we eat when we are emotional and begin comfort eating.
Exercise matters but not for the reasons you might think. You won’t burn off a calorie surplus diet. However, you will feel more mentally healthy immediately because of your decision to exercise. Accomplished, habitual exercise starts with 10 mins walking outside or on the treadmill, build from there. You can then get to a boxing class ;)
Stress management is critical! Stress will kill us long before a cheeseburger! Educate yourself on meditation, explore yoga, get outside, nurture important relationships, eject dickheads!
Find an exercise modality that allows you to spend time with good people. You are so much more likely to adhere to exercise regularly if you do it with your mates. Boxing classes are a great way to do all of the above-mentioned.
FAST! Fasting 14-19 hours per day means you eat less often and it will give your body a break from constantly digesting food. The absolute worst thing that can happen to you on a fast is you feel a bit hungry. Fasting is one of the most important things I’ve done for my health. Each one of my clients who has committed has had positive results.
Deprivation is healthy! Some of you will come at me for this one. In a world where you can consume anything at anytime, a little deprivation feels liberating. Set boundaries for yourself. We are so overstimulated by food nothing tastes that good anymore. We are so overstimulated visually, nothing wows us anymore. Don’t take my word for it! Fast for 19 hours and tell me how good a runny egg tastes for breakfast. Watch one episode of your fave show per week and see how much more engaging it is as you anticipate next week’s episode. Binge culture fucking sucks and it’s making you less happy and less healthy.
