Lesson 1
Weekly Focus
Only need to think about 3 things this week:
[learn_more caption=”1) TOTAL SUGARS LESS THAN 30 grams per or less per day (click the arrow for more details)”]
The recommended maximum amount of added sugar per day by the AHA (American Heart Association) should be less than 6 teaspoons (24 grams or 96 kcal) per day for women and 9 teaspoons (36 grams or 144 kcal) per day for men. Most added sugars will be found in processed foods (anything with an ingredients list) or food that is prepared for you when you eat out. Here is a list of added sugars to watch out for when reading labels.
- agave
- brown sugar
- corn sweetener
- corn syrup
- dextrose
- fructose
- fruit juice concentrates
- high-fructose corn syrup
- honey
- invert sugar
- lactose
- maltose
- malt syrup
- molasses
- raw sugar
- sucrose
- sugar
- syrup
The above information is to avoid heart disease. If your goal is weight loss then your target should be around 30 g or less of “Total Sugars” (which is “natural sugars” in food and “added sugars”). SO how do I do this?
TIP: The easiest and most simple way to hit this goal is to minimize “added sugars” in the food you eat. If you can target eating as close as you can to 0 grams of “added sugars” your “natural sugars” will fall into an appropriate level for your body.
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[learn_more caption=”2) WATER TARGET 8 cups per day (click the arrow for more details)”]
What does water have to do with nutrition? Well, it is a critical part. Our bodies are about 60% water by weight and every system in our bodies relies on water. It is at the core of healthy eating.
Here’s an interesting fact. Our body knows it can get water from food, so sometimes your body may be asking for food, when really it just needs some water. So, if your goal is to drop a few pounds, being well hydrated will be important for you.
When I work with clients one-on-one, the first thing we do is run a Bio-impedance scan on them. This very quickly tells me what percentage of their body is water (as well as a bunch of other things). A good majority of my clients initially have a low percentage of water. There are a couple of reasons for this. The first is that they may just not be drinking enough water. Secondly, the foods they eat are not rich in water. Processed foods are typically water and fiber-less, which are two very important elements of our food. Clients that eat lots of fresh vegetable and fruits are typically more hydrated.
Most of us probably do not drink enough water (me included). It actually takes some effort to remember to drink water.
According to the “DIETARY REFERENCE INTAKES FOR Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate” by NAP (The National Academies Press). The AI (Adequate Intake) of water (from water, beverages and food) for:
Men is 3.7 L (about 15 cups)
Women is 2.7 L (about 11 cups)
We do get about 20% from our food and about 80% from what we drink. The most common nutrition advice on water is – 8 cups of water per day or 8×8 (8oz of water 8 times per day) According to the Harvard School of Public Health’s, Healthy Beverage Guidelines:
“As for the oft-repeated nutrition advice to ‘drink eight glasses of water every day,’ there’s little evidence to support it, but this would be one excellent way to fulfill most of a person’s fluid requirement.”
Even though you can get your water requirements from other beverages, in my opinion, getting the majority of it from clean water is the best. When we drink other beverages, our bodies have to filter all the stuff out of that beverage to get what it really wants (the water). So why not just give it what it wants to begin with?
Remember, we are all about baby steps here. All you need to do is remember to drink your water.
TIP:
1) Drink 1 glass of room temperature lemon water first thing in the morning (1 glasses)
2) Drink 1 glass of water between each meal and snack (5 glasses) -or- with each meal and snack
This will give you 6 glasses of water which is a great starting point!
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[learn_more caption=”3) EAT A STRONG BREAKFAST every day (snacks if needed between meals) (click the arrow for more details)”]
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It will set your body up for a successful day.
The way I used to eat was the exact opposite of what my body required. I would eat a small sugary breakfast (or skipped all together). Then, a heavier lunch and, finally, a large dinner.
My body actually needs the most energy throughout the day while I am at work or school or whatever. So, it makes no sense to eat my biggest meal right before I hit the couch for the evening!
Generally, you should target eating about every 3 hours. Depending when you start your day, the times you eat may vary slightly. The main point is to eat on a regular schedule. This will help keep your energy constant and you will not have the ups and downs throughout the day that most people go through and fix with stimulants, such as coffee, sugar and/or energy drinks.
Here is an example of my eating pattern:
6:45 am – Breakfast
10 am – Mid-Morning Snack
12 pm – Lunch
3 pm – Mid-Afternoon Snack
5:30 – 6 pm – Dinner
Again, every person is different. Listen to your body. I have some clients that eat every 2 hours and I have some that only eat three times per day and they all are just fine. The point is to try and level out your energy intake and provide your body a good constant source of fuel throughout the day and not to overload it at any given feeding. This is what will help get your biochemistry in line.
For most of us, it is not practical to have 5 equally caloric meals throughout any given day. The point is not to have 5 full meals, but more practically to have a snack between breakfast and lunch and one between lunch and dinner. This will even out your energy and you will not go into any given meal overly hungry.
You should find you have a more constant flow of energy throughout the day.
TIP: The key is breakfast. If you can have a good strong breakfast it will really help keep your energy constant throughout the day. Check out the some breakfast ideas here.
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Homework
The Skinny on Weight Loss – This short video series will support your weekly focus this week. This is a very good series and is probably some of the most valuable information we can offer that will serve you well beyond this program. Click here to access the video series.