Protein + Complex Carbs
Here’s an example of a complex carb (Sprouted whole grain bread) and protein (and healthy fat) avocado and an egg.
This month I would like you to focus on the third foundational habit for health; Food & Water.
March is National Nutrition Month, so participating in this challenge is a great way to celebrate it! Don’t worry if you missed or didn’t participate in the first 2 habits, you could start anywhere and improve to improve your health!
In January I focused on Movement and in February Connection. You can go back and check out my blog posts on those topics or email me to get the challenges for Pick 10! (Movement) and Connect 4… Your Health (Connection). The cost is $10 per challenge. And if you want an action plan and goals with 1:1 health coaching, I’d love to chat with you and see if that’s your next step. Starting today, I’d like you to focus on Food & Water for the next 4 weeks.
The idea is that if you can focus on the 5 foundational habits/behaviors this year (August of 2023, TIME magazine, called Behavior Is A Miracle Drug for Our Health) your health will improve, you can feel great again with a body that functions properly! Once you build the foundation, you can tweak and get more specific with your goals as you build values, motivation and your beliefs will drive your better choices. That’s why I have based the first 5 challenges of the year on this information, I feel it significantly simplifies where to focus your energy for optimum health. It doesn’t matter where or when you start, just that you do!
There’s no better time than now!
Some articles I read listed 5,6,7, or 8 focuses, based on the researchers work and categories. They all basically conclude the same thing, so why complicate it, I like the 5 focuses streamlined. All the articles talk about making positive and healthy choices, verses “don’t eat this, don’t do that”. The energy I focused on 5 basic foundational habits that give you a basic starting place for improving your health and well-being. The focuses do not promote drugs or miracle cures, the true miracle is how creating a foundation of healthy habits, can change your health. It’s about adding behaviors that support healthy values and taking the focus of the unhealthy ones. They will die off without attention, energy, and focus. Your values and beliefs will not support hanging onto them because they will not serve you any longer!
Throughout the month, think about making good, better, best choices. March is National Nutrition month so focusing on FOOD is appropriate.
To break down “food” even further, you will be focusing on Starting the day with protein and complex carbs. This combination not only keeps you full longer, but you will also be feeding your brain as you fuel your body. Eating protein and complex carbs helps keep blood sugar levels even through the day so you are not ravenous for your next meal. You will not have the sugar crash before lunch that you’d have if you started your day with simple carbs or empty calories. You will not “need” a snack before lunch! And if you can fend off the snack, but then overeat for lunch, starting your day with protein and complex carbs will help you to make BETTER choices with your food because you are not over hungry.
Starting the day with good fuel (food) helps you with the rest of the day’s choices. When you make one good choice it fuels the next one. That is why I am focusing on adding protein to the first meal of the day and drinking more water. It’s about adding food and not about deprivation. If you can win with this change or new protein and complex carb habit, it can make other dietary changes less daunting. Why? Because you have felt success and you know you will feel better if you make food choices to fuel and heal your body verses quick mindless grabs that don’t fuel better choices and leave you feeling tired, sluggish, and bloated.
To start each new week of this challenge, you will be asked to “tweak” your goal for the week. Does your initial goal have obstacles, or does it need a revision to make it realistic? Reset your goal from what you learned (goals are win, learn, and not win, lose) and start off week two with that goal.
If you’d like a handout on complex carbs versus simple carbs, and information on sources of protein, email me! I’d love to help you get started on your road or improve you path to better nutrition to improve your health!