Back to the Basics: a simple framework to eat healthier every day

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by all of the diet advice and nutrition rules out there? It’s hard to know how to eat healthier every day with the overload of information (some of it completely contradictory), you can find.

It’s time to get back to the basics.

This is about the simple, works-for-everyone advice that you can incorporate to eat healthier every day.

Here’s what you’ll find in this article:

• Why simple works
• The 5 strategies you can use every day to eat healthier and feel better
• A look inside personalized Nutrition Coaching and how it can change your body and your diet mindset for good

Back to the Basics: Why it Works

You don’t need a fancy diet.

There. I said it.

The reality is, most good diets (and by good I mean diets that work), have a few things in common. Most good diets:

• focus on eating real foods and limiting, if not eliminating, processed food.
• emphasize nutrient-dense ingredients like vegetables and protein
• teach mindfulness in food and eating choices
• create a caloric deficit
• recommend exercise to support that caloric deficit and healthy lifestyle

It’s those commonalities that make them work, not the unique nuances and rules that make them marketable.

Back to the Basics is a simple framework with one thing in mind: sketching out a plan that you can use to eat healthier every day, for as long as you have a mind to.

Back to the Basics: the Framework

Before we dive in, here’s what you won’t find here.

You won’t find a calorie counter. I’ve never found counting calories to be a realistic, healthy or happy solution for long-term health.

You won’t find off-limit foods. Back to the Basics is about adding real food to your diet, not eliminating foods that you love.*

You won’t find guilt. We’ve all been on those diets. Guilt does not support a healthy or happy life and I don’t support anything that doesn’t support those two things!

*For transparency-sake, by “food” I mean real, unprocessed foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. Kraft Mac n’ Cheese does not fit that category.

This framework is backed by two things: real life and science.

Science says: when energy in is greater than energy out, you gain weight. When energy in is less than energy out, you lose weight. When energy in equals energy out, you maintain the weight you are at.

Real life says: it’s not that simple. Real life, and your real body, has much more to say on the matter.

Quality: eat real food

At the very essence of nutrition, are nutrients. Real food is nutrient-dense, meaning it gives your body the fuel and the basic components it needs to live and thrive.

Macro- and micronutrients

Protein, the building blocks of muscle, blood, skin, hair and your brain (among other things).

Carbohydrates, your body’s favored source of energy.

Fats, a long-term source of energy as well as a necessary component of cellular functioning, the protection of your organs and insulation.

Fiber, vitamins and minerals, aka micronutirents, don’t provide you with energy but are nonetheless vital to your survival and quality of life.

Empty calories

Have you ever heard the phrase “empty calories”? Of course you have.

Empty calories are what you get from most bites that comes from a shiny plastic wrapper with a small snip in the edge for easier opening.

Empty calories don’t have a place in this framework.

Quantity: portion size

Knowing what to eat is step one. Step two is knowing how much to eat. While everyone benefits from consuming a healthy balance of nutrients, the amount you consume is very personal to you.

Which is why I love hand-portion control. No counting calories. No measuring cups or food scales.

Instead, all you need is your hand(s).

This is a tool that I learned from Precision Nutrition and I find it works for a variety of reasons:

• it’s easy to learn and you can take it anywhere
• it works as a fantastic starting point for everybody, and can be adjusted accordingly
• it creates balance without confusion

This infographic simply demonstrates how to use your hands and thumbs to determine portion sizes for every real food that goes on your plate. Get the full explanation from Precision Nutrition here.

Mindfulness

First, you choose what to eat. Then, you decide how much. Now, you decide how you eat it.

You could puree it, grill it, fry it…kidding. How you eat it is about mindfulness.

“Mindfulness: the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.“

In a way, this framework brings you back to the basics not only of food, but of eating in general.

Distraction-free eating.

Recognizing hunger.

Eating until you’re 80% full, instead of 110% stuffed.

These are simple, basic strategies that can change the way that you eat in enormous ways, but most of us don’t even register that we should be aware of them.

Daily Action

By daily action I don’t mean exercise (although that helps in a big way). I mean taking conscious, consistent action to eat healthier every day.

Actions speak louder than words and in this case, they make a far bigger impact too.

Back to the Basics is about taking the small steps towards a healthier you on a daily basis.

It’s motivating to have a big, meaningful goal. Knowing your Why, the reason behind your reason, keeps your fire burning. But your Why doesn’t produce results.

Focus on what it would take to be just 1% healthier today than you were yesterday. What action could you take that would bring you one step closer to your goal?

Those steps, taken consistently, quickly add up to thousands of miles.

Implementing the Back to Basics Framework

Education is the first step in success.

But knowing how to implement these strategies and use this framework to eat healthier every day yourself is another thing.

Here are my suggestions for making basic, healthier eating work for you:

• Start small – you don’t need to adopt all five strategies at once. In fact, I recommend fully embracing one at a time so that you can see how it fits into your lifestyle before overwhelming yourself with too much at once.
• Plan ahead – A little meal planning, meal prep or batch cooking never hurt anyone. In fact, I find that success comes most easily when you prepare yourself ahead of time.
• Get expert help. This article is just a starting point, as is the simplified framework provided inside. Depending on your goals, history and needs, a supportive coaching program might better assist you in reaching your goals.

If that sounds like you or you’re simply curious about what nutrition coaching is and what your next steps could look like, schedule a free Strategy Session with me. We’ll talk about what a step-by-step coaching program could look like, and accomplish, for you!

STAY CONNECTED

What’s your experience been with nutrition and diets? Let me know – I’d love to connect! If you try out one of these strategies from the Back to Basics framework, let me know how it goes!

You can always connect with me on Instagram @JuliaHaleFitness or find me on Facebook!