What does 'eating for health' look like?
When was the last time you checked how healthy your diet actually is? I don’t just mean what your calories are, or what your macro split is, but how healthy your overall diet and relationship with food is.
It's easy to get so caught up in eating for a specific goal (such as fat loss or muscle growth) that we actually forget to simply eat for health. Yes, it's okay to make some short-term alterations to your diet to achieve a certain goal, however your number one priority at all times should be your health and wellness.
For example, you may be in a deficit, but if your diet is filled with highly processed foods, not enough fruit and veg, or low protein, then your results will not be optimal. Yes, a calorie is a calorie, but the quality of your food IS important, especially when considering your digestion, hormonal health, and performance.
It’s also important to address your mindset and relationship with food. For example, you may actually be eating at maintenance or in a surplus, however if you are still restricting, cutting out food groups, and following certain food rules, then your overall approach to nutrition is not necessarily healthy.
So, what does eating for health actually look like?
- Listening to your hunger and fullness cues
- Eating enough fibre + micronutrients
- Eating a variety of colourful fruit + veg
- Eating for training performance
- Prioritising protein
- Including your favourite treats in moderation
- Understanding food has no moral value
What is not eating for health:
- Ignoring your hunger/fullness cues
- Not eating enough micronutrients or fiber
- Eating a lot of highly processed foods
- Not fueling your training
- Not eating enough protein
- Severe restriction and/or bingeing
- Seeing certain foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’
So, this is your reminder to eat for health, no matter what your current goal is gf!
Soph x