07/18/2023
Tims quick tips………all foods are not created equal!!!! It can be very difficult and confusing for people to start learning how to “eat better” and find your way through all the bs and hidden pitfalls. In my opinion there are many different levels of what clean or healthy is and can be slightly adjusted depending on your current goals. Sometimes all you need to do is start looking for better options. Just because something is labeled as healthy does not mean that it is or that a better option does not exist. In all seriousness most health and “protein related” bars and powders on the market are still on the crappier side of the spectrum. REAL WHOLE FOODS WILL ALLWAYS WIN!!! And why they are called “supplements”. If someone is eating non beneficial foods or not getting in enough protein or calories any option with protein within reason will probably be better. This can start giving the body what it needs and get the ball rolling without too much work. Eventually better options should come into play for the next step. So to start here are my first three basic and easy ways to start making better choices that will have pretty big effects on overall health and progress.
1- Real food - Try to get as many real whole foods into your diet. Proteins ,carbs , and fats. If it doesn’t have ingredients…….then it is probably good to eat.
2- Sugars- you will find some naturally occurring sugars in a lot of foods and depending on goals should be eaten in moderation or at the right times. What we are looking for is added sugars. These are the sugars that are put into things for absolutely no reason other than to make it sweeter and more appealing. Cutting these out can greatly impact your health and appearance. Warning when you start paying attention to this you will quickly see how many items, even most listed as healthy have a ton of hidden added sugars. Finding the right items can be hard and frustrating but I promise will make a huge difference.
3- Ingredients + (artificial ingredients)- calories alone aren’t the only driving force when looking at foods. Lower calorie options or “diet foods” are usually packed full with a lot of garbage man made ingredients and compounds. I always suggest to do the research for yourself but knowing and understanding what is actually in your food can be eye opening and make eating cleaner somewhat easier. Rule of thumb- the less ingredients the better. A lot of the things used to get foods lower in sugar and calories can have very negative effects on health and wellness. Many have been listed as known carcinogens with potential to cause cancer and other health problems. Artificial flavoring and colors, nitrites/nitrates, potassium bromate, and sugar alcohols are just a few that have been linked to all sorts of cancers, and dietary issues. Many have warnings about them on the packaging.
Take a quick look at these two bars.⬇️
Very similar in size, calories and macros. One contains very minimal natural ingredients, the other is packed with all sorts of ingredients and some red flags!!!!! Bioengineered Food Ingredient………………….. most would go with the lower calorie option but are actually getting way more bad things into your body!!!! I
It is pretty easy to decipher what is good and bad for you when you start reading the small print.
“ Overall better choices and habits can make living a cleaner life much easier and manageable.”
Start small ,start swapping out things slowly, and eventually your diet will become much more beneficial for you and easier to manage. 🤘🏻💪🏻
