The second question people ask me after “What is a health coach?” is “So what’s the best way to eat?”
The answer is not so simple. Every individual is unique. Every BODY is unique. What works for one person may not work for another. That’s called Bio-individuality. It’s your “blueprint,” your body’s plan for optimum weight, health and vitality. Every person has his or her special one, like a thumbprint. No two are the same. Some people thrive by being vegetarian; others need protein intake to feel energized; some people can handle gluten; for others it can make them very sick. And as a health coach, it’s imperative for me to stress that since the next question I invariably get asked a lot is “ok so what do YOU eat?”
It has taken me years to figure out my blueprint and what works best for my body. I had to make a lot of mistakes before getting to where I am now. That doesn’t mean that I’m “there”. Not at all. How you eat is a life-long process of honing and tweaking, taking into account your age, your lifestyle, your food sensitivities or allergies, how much you move every day, and whether or not you are truly fulfilled in your life, whether in your relationships, your career or your spirituality. And since these can all be fluctuating variables, how you eat will naturally be affected. But once you find your blueprint the process is much, much easier. As general guidelines go, I can tell you to eat more fruits and vegetables; drink more water; and consume less meat, dairy, junk food, processed food, cigarettes and alcohol.
So even though I can’t tell you exactly how to eat best for YOU, I can tell you what I eat. It’s simple. Very simple. I try to follow the 90/10 rule, meaning I eat foods that fuel and nourish me 90% of the time and let myself enjoy treats 10% of the time. That works for me. For some people, its 80/20 or 70/30. The idea is to find a balance you are comfortable with both physically and mentally.
The one unchanging variable in my diet is juicing. I love juicing. I was introduced to it a couple years ago and have done it religiously since.
The green smoothie above is made with 2 apples; a large handful of chard; a large handful of celery (leaves and stalks); 1 lime; 1 cucumber; a piece of fresh ginger; half of an avocado; and 1 teaspoon each wheatgrass powder and spirulina powder. The red juice is 2 apples; 2 oranges; a piece of fresh ginger; 1 pear; half of a beetroot and 2 small carrots.
I wouldn’t normally eat such an incredible amount of raw fruits and vegetables daily on their own, so juicing was the perfect solution. I have two juices per day, sometimes three. They make up the bulk of my meals. One for breakfast, one for supper and maybe one as a snack.
I have one cooked meal per day, usually mid-day. Again, a lot of veggies, and a big green salad with a small piece of lean protein such as salmon or chicken. I’m not a big fan of red meat but I will have a good burger every once in awhile.
If I am going out for dinner, then I have two cooked meals per day. If I am feeling hungrier than usual or a bit tired or stressed, then again, I have more food instead of juice and I add in nuts or dates as snacks. I take it day by day.
I rarely eat anything made from wheat or consume legumes as I have sensitivity to them. So no bread, pasta, beans or processed food.
And of course water! I drink about 1.8 liters a day. I fill my water bottle up in the morning and add cut up lime or lemon (great for alkalizing the body) and sip it throughout the day. SO IMPORTANT!
I’d love to hear all about what YOUR typical day looks like!
Be well,
Dana