Did you know that only about a third of adults eat the recommended daily intake of veggies? And only about 21% of adults consume the recommended amount of fruit? Did you also know that 39 million sickies are taken each year to obesity-related illnesses?
I’m a sucker for statistics because they’re very sobering when it comes to our diet and health. We can all make small improvements here and there to our diet to help lower our risk of becoming one of those statistics. How? Gather ’round children and I shall tell you…
1). Deez Nuts!
Nuts aren’t everyone’s cup of tea but they are so incredibly good for health and wellbeing (if you’re not allergic to them of course). Nuts are a fantastic source of amino acid precursors to help us make loads of awesome health-boosting compounds in our body such as serotonin, and contain vitamins, minerals and healthy fats.
If you’re not a fan, I won’t tell you to eat a handful per day on your own. You can add them to salads, blend them into your smoothie, they can be added to your porridge toppings, or make them into bliss balls!
2). Eat a Rainbow!
Vegetables are such an important part of a healthy diet. Every day you should be making it a personal goal to eat veggies of every colour to ensure you’re getting adequate nutrients.
Yellows and orange usually mean carotenoids, reds, purples and blues usually indicate lycopene or anthocyanins (really, really beneficial antioxidants), greens usually contain folate etc. When you eat 5 servings of veggies a day, ensuring you’re eating loads of colour, you’re giving your body all the tools it needs to keep you kicking.
3). Feelin’ Seedy
Seeds, just like nuts, are not the sort of thing that people can just sit there chewing on like a budgie (me included)… so I tend to add them to smoothies and my porridge to keep them in my diet without feeling like a trained canary.
Pumpkin seeds (also called pepitas) are my favourite. They contain loads of healthy fats as well as minerals like magnesium and zinc (boys, get onto the pumpkin seeds! Zinc is fantastic for prostate health).
4). Cut the Crap!
We’re only human and I don’t expect anyone to eat 100% “clean” 100% of the time. How boring would that be? I’m a nutritionist and I still eat processed foods sometimes but I make sure I limit my intake and consider processed foods as treats.
What do I mean by processed foods? Cadbury’s chocolate, sausages and processed meats, fast food, etc.
If you limit these foods so you’re not eating them every day and up the veggies and fruit, lean protein choices and healthy fats, I guarantee that within 2 weeks you’ll have more energy, your skin will be clearer and you’ll feel amazing.
5). Eat Breakfast!
Eating a filling, nutritionally dense breakfast sets you up for an awesome day. Research also shows us that eating a nutritional breakfast can also reduce the risk of making poor food choices later on in the day. So many clients have said they hit a wall at 3 pm and always find themselves reaching for unhealthy snacks like chocolate, biscuits etc.
More often than not, those same clients skip breakfast regularly. Ensure your breakfast has protein and healthy fats… add in some colour (aka. fruit or veggies) and maybe wash it down with a glass of water – because we want to make sure we’re hydrated right?
Final Thoughts
If you are looking to take your health and well-being to another level, why not get involved in Martial Arts? At Wu Xing Dao Kung Fu, we take a holistic approach to Martial Arts. It’s not just about learning self-defence and punching and kicking, it’s also about self-discipline, health and nutrition.
After you have enrolled in martial art classes, we take time to help you understand the different types of martial arts and the various life skills that come with them. This allows you to make an informed decision when choosing the martial arts style you would like to learn. We ensure that every trainee learns how to defend themselves effectively as well as enjoy the many other health benefits that martial arts offer.
Please call us today on 0410 249 217 or leave a message and we’ll get back to you ASAP.