Blog Post #4 Nutrition: Recognizing the Needs of the Athlete/Client

In a time when “fast food” is the norm and “processed foods” are the cheapest, we realize that it can be challenging to eat fresh, light, and healthy.  There is a lot of information out in the world, between healthy recipes, fad diets, and different meal hacks who will supposedly get you the results you are after.  While nutrition isn’t rocket science, it is tricky to get control of. 

Here are a few things to consider when you are thinking about making a change in your diet:

First, do you understand what you are currently consuming?

You can visit the app store to find a large number of meal logging apps, or you can write everything you eat down by hand, but the first step to making a change in your diet is being aware of what you are currently eating. 

If you do not know or understand what you are eating right now, you will not know what needs to change.  A good plan has the fewest moving variables.  You need to understand what needs to change before you cut out entire food groups. 

Step 1: Measure your current intake.

Next, what are your goals?

Now that you have figured out where you currently are, the next step is to figure out where you are trying to go. 

Is your goal to improve body composition and look better when the summer months come around?  Is your goal to improve your performance?  Remember that performance and body composition are very different intended outcomes, and eating less is not the best way to get either outcome.

Step 2: Figure out where you are trying to go.

Third, what kinds of changes are realistic for you?

There is a lot to unpack here.  What is realistic for your timeline?  When do you want to make these changes, and when do they need to take effect?  What will your lifestyle allow? 

A bachelor who lives alone has a different set of demands than a wife who works a full-time job, who has two children, and who also cooks for her family.  Both people have very different time allotments for meal prep, different budgets, and a lot of other life factors to consider. 

How many calories and macronutrients does your body need, and how will you find the time to consume enough?  For those out there who work several jobs and who have children and other responsibilities, it is hard enough to find the time to eat, let alone eat “clean,” healthy, prepared food that has enough calories and nutrients to get you the outcome you want.  The shelf life of your food and the time it takes to prepare your food in advance or on your day off are the kinds of things you need to consider prior to implementing these changes. Don’t look at these as obstacles; rather, try to see them as opportunities to find ways to make yourself better. 

Step 3:  See the changes you want to make as the opportunities they really are.

How will you get there?

So you figured out what you are currently doing, and you figured out where it is that you want to be and what it is that you hope to accomplish. 

The final step: Figure out what needs to change to allow you to get to your goals. 

Those who do what they’ve always done, will be where they’ve always been.  Something needs to change for you to accomplish your goals.  Maybe that is picking out a new recipe and trying it.  Maybe it is getting your family on board with the changes you are trying to make.  Maybe it’s saying no to the fast and convenient options that surround you.  It’s up to you to figure out what has to change to get you to the better performance level or health situation that you deserve.

Bon appetite from the team at Franz Fitness!