Eat what nourishes you
For your body, your work, your life.
Ever since my early twenties (once I entered “adult life”) I’ve had a huge passion for healthy food (Thanks, Mom and Dad! Sorry I wasn't as excited about it as a kid.), and learning/applying how to optimize its intake to make it work for your body.
Below are a few recommendations on what and how to eat during the day for optimal results*:
- The first thing you should do after getting up is to drink 1–2 glasses of water. First thing. Every day. Period. You just slept for eight hours, your body is dehydrated. Hydrate it.
- Load up on a healthy, hearty breakfast (I never skip it. Even if it’s simply an apple or a banana, or a smoothie if I’ll be out and about).
- Watch what you eat for breakfast: I try to make sure that the first thing I eat every day is especially nourishing, and not junk, or even not coffee. (Read this again: I do not consume coffee first.) The first thing you eat every day sets your metabolism and “food craving trend” for the day. It raises your body’s blog sugar and kickstarts your metabolism by literally “breaking your fast.” It also serves as a “sneak peek” to your body what it might crave later that day. Eating fruits, vegetables, or healthy proteins/healthy fats (yes, a healthy type of fat, not an unhealthy one!) has a positive effect on your body.
- Watch when you eat: as explained above, breakfast means “breaking your fast,” so you don't have to eat breakfast at 8am in the morning. Some people (like those that do intermittent fasting) eat their “breakfast” around noon, and that works fine. I’d only suggest not waiting until dinner time for your first big meal, unless you’re following a specific fasting schedule.
- Focus on whole foods: you may have heard this before: processed foods are not great for you and you should try to avoid them. I understand it feels near impossible these days, with our busy lives and schedules, to exclusively eat whole foods (though, many people do it), but try to eat at least 80% “real foods.” Think: whatever comes in a carton or bag is processed. Focus on the foods that have no packaging (the produce section, whole grains, nuts) and things that grow on trees or you could plant in your garden.
- Watch your portions: even though I recommend loading up on a healthy breakfast, don’t overdo it with your portions (this applies to all meals). Never overeat just because it’s tasty. A good guidance point may be to prepare your portion a little more than what you’d feed a second-grader. Eat this first and wait 15-20 minutes after you’re finished. Then, if you’re still hungry, go back and have another (smaller) serving.
- Eat meals at regular and consistent times, so your body will start to remember the times when it’s about to get fueled up. This will help train your body to assign its own resources (like when your brain needs focusing-power) in the most optimal way.
- Many nutritionists tell you to only eat two or three big meals a day, and not to indulge in snacking in-between. I’d suggest experimenting with this and different frequencies, meals, and portions, and then go with what feels best for you. No one body is exactly the same when it comes to how we process and optimize our food intake.
- If you do try light snacking throughout the day, it’s important that you are mindful of what you reach for. Try to go for mostly fresh fruits (apples, bananas, melons, grapes, berries, …); veggies (carrots, cucumbers, celery sticks, bell peppers, …); nuts (non-processed/only lightly salted and not too many because of their high-fat content); small dairy/non-dairy items, such as (no/low-sugar) yogurts or cheese-sticks (I would always recommend non-dairy because it’s better for our planet, but that’s a different subject); or light crackers. Don’t fill your stomach with crap like chips, soda, cookies, alcohol, or more than three whole meals a day. That won’t be nourishing, but taking energy and focus away.
- Drink water — lots of it — during the day. I drink around 3–4 liters of water (that’s about 100–135 ounces in the imperial system) every day. You can set yourself reminders to stay consistent. The ideal is to drink before you’re thirsty (because once you are, your body is already dehydrated ). And stick to mostly water, not sodas, coffee, or juices (those do not count toward your quota). At a minimum, it’s advised to drink 2 liters (about 64 ounces) every day; however, I do not remember when I drank that little on a normal day.
- Stay away from products that say “no fat” or “low fat” (as in “removed fat”). Unfortunately, even to this day, many sources falsely claim that fat is our bodies’ enemy, which it is not. Sugar is the body’s enemy; it needs fat to work properly. If you’re eyeing a product that makes these “low fat” claims on the packaging, it’s most likely loaded with additives that are way worse for you than natural healthy fat.
- Only eat when you’re hungry, not when you’re bored, stressed, or anxious. Instead, do some focus exercises or a few minutes of de-stress meditation or breathing. Seriously, don’t use food as a filler for other situations in your life (pun intended).
- Don’t beat yourself up if, at times, you mess up regarding what you eat. We’re all human here. Being down on yourself for making mistakes along the way will only rob you of energy, make you feel bad, and hence — more likely to indulge more. Instead, chalk it up to a learning experience, forgive yourself (and do enjoy that unhealthy snack that you “shouldn’t have”), and move on.
Final note:
These are, in my opinion, good and wholesome suggestions on how to eat as healthy as possible.
But… don’t get me wrong: I have a very persistent sweet tooth, so I eat a small dessert almost every night, and I won't say no to some chocolate or a donut every once in a while. You’ve gotta live a little! However — in order to live a little longer and better, you have to take care of your body first. There is no “Body B” (as in plan B) for most of us.
*Mandatory disclaimer: I’m not a dietician, nutritionist, nurse, or doctor, and have not completed formal training in a health or Nutrition Science field. I’ve just been gracefully raised by two very healthy-eating parents (my father did work in a health field, though), and have a love and passion for reading and learning tons about nutrition.
I’m Jenna — hi, I’m new to Medium! I’m a long-time writer/fresh copywriter. I’m on a journey to making writing my full-time gig. Jump in with me! On Medium, I write about life’s struggles and successes, the writing process itself, and how to live better. Many of my stories have a touch (or a lot) of personal experiences in it.
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