Consistency Over Everything.

By: Ken Dominique

How many of us have planned to start a new diet on Monday, only for it to be completely forgotten about by Tuesday afternoon? Or maybe you’ve done a 30 day cleanse, only to have gone back to where we started on day 31. 

Statistics show that 80% of people that lose weight from a diet end up gaining it back. EIGHTY PERCENT?!?!? If you spend the next 60 days losing weight, then gain it all back in the following 3 months, what was the point of going through all that work to lose the weight in the first place?

There’s something that the 20% of people do that matters most, and that is consistency. Anybody can starve themselves to lose weight, but if the goal is to live a healthy life for the long haul, you need a better plan.

The fact is that MOST diets work. There have been studies that show people losing weight on low-fat diets, high-fat (keto) diets, high carb diets, low carb diets, and everything in between. The problem that people run into is that when you get off of your “quick fix” diet, you go right back to square one. 

That’s why you need to build habits that you can do forever. 

For example, how many times have you backed out of your driveway? After the 1000th time, you don’t think while you’re doing it “Ok I need to push my foot down on the brake and hit the start button on my car, wait 3 seconds for the car to turn on, keep my foot on the brake while I switch the car into reverse gear, then look in my rear view mirror, then slowly take my foot off the brake” and so forth.

You back out of the driveway because you’ve built the habit over a lifetime, you don’t even have to think about it. 

When you can perform your nutrition habits the same way, when you can make your breakfast with your eyes closed or meal prep while having side conversations, that’s when your habits become sustainable. 

That takes time, so start small. Work on one habit at a time, and get it locked in so that you can do it forever without having to spend any mental energy on it. 

Where should you start? Try adding a vegetable to your breakfast every day. Simple, right? It makes a big difference and sets you up for success for the rest of your day. 

For more information on nutrition, send us a DM or email ken@crossfitangola.com to schedule your FREE nutrition intro! I’d love to talk to you about all things nutrition and answer any questions you may have!

A Quick and Easy Way to Get Your Nutrition Heading in the Right Direction!

By: Ken Dominique

Is there such a thing as a “one size fits all” diet or meal plan? 

Yes and no. 

For starters every person is different, so there can’t be one specific food or diet that every person in the world enjoys and can stick to. However, there is something that EVERYBODY can do to improve their nutrition, and it’s called the “Plate Method”.

If you’ve listened to me talk about nutrition in the past, chances are that you’ve heard me talk about the plate method, and all the benefits it brings. 

So, what exactly is the plate method?

It starts with an empty plate. From there the goal is to fill ½ of your plate up with non-starchy vegetables (I also call them “volume carbs” because you can’t eat too many of them). These can be broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower (riced or garlic cauliflower are great), brussels sprouts, cucumbers, peppers, spinach, green beans, radishes, artichokes, or any other low glycemic carbohydrate. 

Next, fill ¼ of your plate with some lean protein like grilled chicken, turkey breast, eggs or egg whites, bison, salmon, tuna, venison, tofu, or any other kind of non-fatty protein. 

The other ¼ of your plate is filled with starchy carbohydrates like beans, peas, any kind of fruit, quinoa, red potato / sweet potato, brown rice, or oatmeal. 

And there you go! This method of filling your plate is the gold standard because it forces you to have a balanced meal that includes fruits or veggies, protein, and fat (that comes from your protein source). This method can also be utilized at restaurants by ordering a steak with double veggies, or a burger without the bun and sweet potato fries. There are an endless number of possibilities, but the plate method helps keep you in the right direction.

A little pro-tip to top it off: eat the volume vegetables first! Since we are the most hungry when we first sit down to eat, those veggies are going to taste even better, and it helps fill us up quicker so we don’t end up overeating!

If you are looking for more or are interested in nutrition coaching email me at ken@crossfitangola.com to schedule your FREE Nutrition Into!

Tips for Meal Prepping Efficiently

The concept of meal prepping can be overwhelming for a lot of people, but it’s one of the most beneficial skills you can develop for your nutrition.

One of the most common things I hear is “I don’t have time to meal prep!” But meal prepping doesn’t have to take you all day long. You need to come up with a realistic plan and execute it. 

Here are 3 tips for saving time on your meal prep:

  1. Create a master grocery list and have it flow in the order of your grocery store, make tons of copies and plan to just cross off what you DON’T need each week. 
  1. Invest in kitchen gadgets. Crockpots, Instant Pots, a food processor – all of these gadgets can save you a ton of time on your meal prep day. 
  1. Use 3 compartment containers. This takes the guesswork out of the equation. Fill the largest section with your favorite non-starchy veggie, the medium section with your lean protein, and the smallest with your starch.

In my experience, the easiest thing to meal prep is brown rice (I make 3 cups at a time and it lasts me a full week worth of lunches), and meat. I go through phases of different meats, but I always cook a bunch of it on Sundays so it’s ready to go for the whole week. For the last few months it’s been lean ground beef mixed with ground turkey.

You want to make your meal planning easier? Take action TODAY. Write down what you plan to prep, when you plan to get groceries, and block an hour or two on your calendar to prep the food. 

Need guidance? That’s what nutrition coaching is all about! Send us a message through social media or give us a call and set up your FREE nutrition intro!