How To Make Your Nutrition Fit Your Lifestyle
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How To Make Your Nutrition Fit Your Lifestyle
Have you ever followed a diet plan, only to find out that it just didn’t work for you? Maybe it had foods that you dreaded, allowed no space for socialising on the weekend, or had you eating way more frequently than you like to.
The thing about nutrition is that it is incredibly adaptable once you know what your goals are. Sustainable nutrition is about choices that fit your lifestyle, not contorting your entire lifestyle just to follow someone else’s ‘perfect’ diet.
So how can you get your nutrition to work for your lifestyle, instead of vice versa? Let’s look at some real-life actionable examples for how to achieve this.
Simple ways to make your nutrition work for you
Nutrition is an incredibly broad area of your life and health, so there are countless ways to tweak your approach. But I wanted to go through some specific examples of how you can adapt your food to not just reach your goals, but also fit into your life.
Meal size & frequency
When it comes to health and fitness, eating 6 small meals a day has been drummed into most people. But the truth is that most research concludes there isn’t much of a difference between 6 small meals and 3 big meals. So if you’re not a fan of eating frequently, don’t do it!
Like to feel really satisfied and satiated after a meal? Stick to 2-3 bigger meals per day. Prefer the grazing approach and not a fan of feeling really hungry or really full? Eat smaller, more frequent meals instead.
Macronutrient split and timing
There is no such thing as a perfect macro split – no matter what your goals. There is always nuance and exceptions to the rule because every single body is unique and responds differently.
One big argument of nutrition is carbs vs fat. Some people say high-fat is the way to go for satiety, and others say high-carb is a must for energy. But the truth is the right macro ratio is the one that makes you feel best.
Love how full you feel when you eat more fats? Eat more fats on a daily basis.
Find that heaps of carb help you to stay energised all day long? Eat more carbs on a daily basis.
Not sure what the right balance is for you? Try a few days of higher fat, a few days of higher carb, and a few days of balanced fats and carbs and see how you feel.
Another consideration is when you consume your macros. If you really crave carbs after work, make sure more of your carbs are pencilled in for your dinner. Feel really hungry in the morning? Make your breakfast higher in protein as a way to satiate that hunger (psst – if you need some inspiration, I have 10 high-protein breakfast recipes here)
Treats and ‘cheats’
How should you distribute your favourite snacks and treats? That depends on what works best for you and what keeps your cravings under control.
If you absolutely love chocolate and can’t go a day without it – don’t go a day without it. Have 1-2 squares of luxurious, delicious chocolate each day, and really savour each morsel.
Prefer to wait in anticipation for a bigger treat? Choose one or two times in your week where you can have those, and schedule them in. That way, you know that Friday afternoon you’re coming home to your favourite snack or that you can indulge in your favourite UberEats order every date night.
Whichever way works for you, make sure you are aware of the portion sizes. The more frequently you include your treats, the smaller the portion size. The less frequently, the bigger your portion size can be.
Eating out and drinking
Many people love going out on the weekend. Whether you’re a fan of hitting the club and having a few drinks with girlfriends, trying out the newest restaurant, or watching your favourite movie (complete with popcorn), you don’t need to give up your favourite activities. All you need to do is factor them in.
For example, you might be working on a goal of fat loss. So instead of skipping out on your favourite weekend activity, plan to eat a little less during the week (but still focus on wholefoods and protein so you feel satiated). This frees up some calories to enjoy when you do want to eat out or have a drink. You don’t need to eat in a calorie deficit every single day of the week as long as your weekly average has you in a deficit!
Now with this, we don’t want you to starve throughout the week so you can down as much food and drink as possible on the weekend. But if you take 5% off each weekday – let’s say that is 90 calories per day – then you have 450 calories ‘spare’ that you can use over Saturday and Sunday.
Individual foods and tastes
Last but certainly not least is how you feel about specific foods. Nothing makes me more exasperated than hearing about people who hate the food that they are eating. Repeat after me: I don’t have to eat foods I hate or avoid foods I love to reach my goals!
To create a truly sustainable approach to nutrition, you must include the foods you love and not force yourself to eat foods you hate (no matter how ‘magical’ they supposedly are!)
For example, I think that yoghurt is a fantastic food in terms of nutritional value. But personally, I just do not want to eat it. It’s a texture thing – I’m the same with mashed potato or soft bananas.
There is no point in me adding yoghurt into my nutrition plan because:
1 – I won’t eat it, so I’m missing out on those nutritional benefits anyway
2 – Even if I forced myself to eat it, I would hate it and begin to resent my plan, which is not good for long-term compliance OR enjoyment of life!
If you hate a food, don’t put it into your diet. There will always be an alternative for that food that offers similar benefits, macros, versatility, whatever it is you’re considering it for. Or if you’re determined, look at adding it in via a recipe you won’t taste it in such as a smoothie.
Looking for nutrition tips and healthy hacks to help you feel better?
Hey there, I’m Rachel!
NUTRITIONIST, PERSONAL TRAINER, WELLNESS COACH
Here I share healthy recipe ideas, training plans, and nutrition & wellness advice you need to know.
Check out my free guide to healthy eating to design your own version of a healthy lifestyle so that you can feel energised and vibrant, or hire me to work my magic on your health through mindset, nutrition, and movement.
While we make every effort to make sure the information in this website is accurate and informative, the information does not take the place of medical advice.