Along with sleep, exercise, and regular check-ups, a healthy diet can set you up for success in many areas of your life. Whether you need more steady energy for work, want to meet weight loss goals, or even improve your mental health, making consistent, healthy choices in your diet can help you get there!

Mastering the Basics

This can be where many people get hung up, and deciphering trends, fad diets, and sifting through social media for tips and tricks can be exhausting. Don’t worry! Eating healthy is built on simple foundations that are easy to follow if you know what they are.

The foundations of all food can be broken up into calories and nutrients. Think of calories as “how much” energy a food provides, and nutrients as the “what” that supports different biological functions.

These include macronutrients, such as carbs, proteins and fats (you’ve probably heard of these!). These provide energy and are the building blocks of cells and tissues in the body.  Micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals are essential for immune function, metabolism and brain health. What matters here is balancing these essentials. 

While everything has calories nutrients, we want to shoot for nutrient-dense foods. Foods that are high in protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals are great for nutrient density. Some examples of nutrient-dense foods include red meat, veggies, fruits, nuts, eggs, and fatty fish. Nutrient dense foods will take care of your 

Remember: Any progress is good progress! Try to focus on small changes over time, no need to overhaul your whole pantry!

Balance it out!

Now that we have the basics down, let’s talk about how we can put these all together to help us be healthier and happier with our diets. 

Remember carbs, proteins and fats? 

As a general rule, we want to keep our meals balanced between these three. A good rule of thumb is the 50/30/20. This means:

• 50% of your calories from carbohydrates. This is your body’s primary fuel source, and they provide energy for muscles and the central nervous system. 
• 30% of your calories from proteins. Protein provides structure to tissue such as organs, muscle, hair, skin, bones and ligaments. 
• 20% of your calories from fats. Fat acts as the body’s energy reserve, insulating and protecting organs, as well as the absorption of certain vitamins (micronutrients!).  

Keep in mind there is no “ideal” for macronutrient ratios, and you can adjust this based on your health and fitness goals. Don’t be afraid to experiment!

Balance is important, but don’t stress over the details. Food is made to fuel the body, not to control your mind. Nobody is perfect, but making consistent, balanced decisions can lead to a happier, healthier life.