Nutrition Core Values
There is an overwhelming amount of nutritional advice out there - and its easy to get lost in small details while missing the big picture. We use these core values to keep the big picture in focus.
1) EAT REAL, WHOLE FOODS - There is a gigantic industrial complex of processed food manufacturers that make processed food cheap, delicious and always within arms reach. Unfortunately these foods cause a cascade of health problems including insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, weight gain (70% of the American population is overweight - 60% is considered obese), inflammation, hormone dissertation, leaky gut… the list goes on and on. The antidote for all this is clear - eat real, whole foods made in you kitchen not in a factory.
2) HYDRATE - Drink at minimum 1/2 of your body weight in oz of water. Properly hydrating is super important for all of our body’s systems - especially your BRAIN. Studies show that dehydration causes reduced cognitive abilities. So if you get a little brain fog or can’t focus, it could mean its time to up your H2O. And lets be honest, we could all use a little extra brain power.
3) PRIORITIZE PROTEIN - We find that many people do not eat enough protein. Having adequate protein in your diet is crucial to your overall health for a number of reasons. One interesting reason is that your hormones are literally proteins. In order for your body to create and regulate signals to tell your body - I’m full, or I’m tired, or It’s time to release some of our fat stores - you have to have protein to support these hormones. There are a host of other reasons that make the case for protein including building muscle. A general starting place is .8-1 grams of protein per pound of lean body weight.
4) BREAKFAST BELIEVERS - We believe breakfast can set you up for a successful day of nutrition. Starting your day with a thoughtful, intentional meal that helps you meet your daily goals increases your chances of sticking to the plan the rest of the day. Think of it as getting a head start before the rest of the day gets away from you. The other reason we like breakfast is because its a great place to get a jumpstart on that protein. Traditional breakfast foods like eggs and breakfast meat (from good sources), will help you boost that protein total for the day.
5) NO ONE SIZE - There is no magic formula for any of this. What works for me might not be best for you. Even crazier than that - what worked for you 5 years ago might not work for you now. So, give yourself some grace. Listen to your body. Be willing to adapt. Be willing to learn. If it was easy, we would all have figured it out by now!
Meal Planning
Eating healthy doesn’t happen by accident. You need a plan!! So, before you head to the grocery store and wander the aisles a little planning goes a long way. There are a ton of ways to do this, but here is one way to get you started.
1) Lay out the days of the week. We usually do our planning and shopping on Sunday, but do whats makes sense for you.
2) From there start planning breakfast lunch and dinner for every day of the week.
3) After your meal plan is made go through each meal and make your grocery list for the ingredients.
PRO TIPS:
1) MAKE SURE YOU PLAN MEALS YOU ACTUALLY LIKE AND WANT TO EAT!!!!
2) If you have any activities that cut into meal time or prep time for a day write them on the calendar. If you know you have kids sports on Tuesday - maybe you make a big casserole on Monday and have leftovers on Tuesday.
3) Take advantage of leftovers!! There are 21 meals to eat in a week. You can make each one individually, or you can make some big batches and use leftovers. In the meal plan below we make one breakfast bake for the whole week, and eat it every day. Then every day we make a double batch of dinner so we can have left overs the next day. This strategy makes it so that you really only have to make one new meal every day.
Becky’s Weekly Recipe
This weeks recipe is a super yummy veggie side dish. If you think you don’t like brussels sprouts - you gotta try them like this. It’s already dairy free, and gluten free, and if you are limiting sugar you can skip the maple syrup and it will still be delish! If you whip this one up this week show us a pic on the FB group!
Brussels Sprouts Gratin
Yield: 6
Prep time: 15
Total time: 1 Hour
Ingredients
Bacon | 4 Slices
Maple Syrup | 2 Tablespoons
Red Onion | 1 Small Whole Onion Sliced
Brussels Sprouts | 2 Pounds, Trimmed and Halved
Salt | ½ Teaspoon
Plantain Chips | 1 Cup
Oil | 2 Tablespoon or less if desired (Avocado, Coconut, Olive)
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Toss sprouts and the sliced red onion in a bowl mixing with oil and the salt.
Spread out onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
Roast for 35-40 mins, until they are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
In a skillet, cook your 4 pieces of bacon until crisp and then crumble it.
In a food processor take your plantain chips and process until finely ground. If you don’t have a processor just bang them, crush them up as fine as you can.
Add your crumbled bacon and maple syrup to the crumbled plantain mixture.
Once your sprouts are good and roasted, sprinkle the plantain mixture on top and return the pan to the oven to broil for about 3 mins.
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