Everybody - and every body - is different and there is definitely no ‘one size fits all’ as far as food is concerned, but these basic guidelines can help you properly nourish your body and fuel that active lifestyle. 

Listen up!

Listening to your body is key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but for many of us, years of less-than-optimal eating habits have put our hunger hormones out of wack. Maybe your body isn’t releasing the hormones your brain needs to let it know it’s full or hungry or satiated. Consulting a nutritionist to better understand what your body really needs is a great first step. Once you have your cravings on track, listen up! Your body is built to be able to tell you the difference between craving food and actually being hungry. It’s also helpful to access how certain foods make your body feel after you eat. When you’re paying attention to how your body responds to food, you’re more likely to crave the foods that make you feel your best.

Choose wisely

As far as nutrition is concerned, portion size and and the amount of food you consume pales in comparison to what you’re actually eating. A heaping pile of nutrient dense, fiber rich veggies drizzled with a little healthy fat (EVOO!) goes a lot further for your body and your brain than the same size portion of pasta. Do we crave one over the other? Absolutely. Does one provide us with way more of the nutrients we need over the other? Also absolutely. Consider keeping portion sizes for foods that lack basic nutrition minimal, and give clean, lean, nutrient dense foods more real estate on your plate.

Eat mindfully

Lastly, it is important to use our brain as well as our bodies when making eating choices. When sitting down for a meal, ask yourself questions like, “How do I feel?”, “Am I eating this because I am hungry, or am I just bored?”, “Do I feel groggy?”, “How hungry am I on scale of 0-10?”, “What will my activity level be today?”. Asking ourselves these questions is not intended to restrict eating in any way, but to foster a connection with our food and how it impacts our daily lives and overall health. Don’t always have time to make all of these considerations as you’re running out the door? Consider stocking up on Orgain Nutritional Shakes. They’re already portioned for you, packed with the nutrition you need, and serve as a great meal replacement option, or snack before or after a heavy workout.