October’s Runner’s World contained a really good article by Mark Bittman. The foodie/chef/runner and author of How to Cook Everything
Eat what you like, but think about proportion.–Eat the foods that you want to eat, but make sure that you think moderation. Concentrate the majority of your diet on foods that are naturally low in calories. Think fruits and vegetables first, nuts and legumes second, meat and grains third, and junk food last. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to save the foods that you’re supposed to eat sparingly for later in the day.
Think Plants First–If your plate is 3/4 full of vegetables and fruits, then you can’t go wrong. Vegetables, fruits, nuts, and healthy grains contain far fewer calories per ounce than anything else. They also are a healthy source of vitamins and minerals that you need to eat. Even the plant foods that are higher in calories and fat are better for you than most meats because the fats found in them are generally the “heart-healthy” mono- and polyunsaturated fats.
Start Shopping and Start Cooking–If you don’t shop for food, then you eat out too much and it’s impossible to eat healthy. If you’re trying to eat healthy, there’s absolutely no substitute for buying fresh ingredients at the store and preparing them yourself in your kitchen. Buy fresh ingredients, or ingredients that are long lasting like beans, rice, and other grains and then cook them simply and deliciously. That’s how you eat healthy!
Buy and Make Extra–If you’re busy, and don’t feel like you’ve got a lot of extra time to cook, make your cooking count. Cook twice as much so that you can have leftovers. Or freeze the second batch so that you can eat the same meal twice but only cook once. I personally am not very good at eating leftovers, but I’ve never actually tried the freezing trick. I think I’ll give it a shot.
Don’t Set Goals You Can’t Reach–Any runner knows that you can’t cut your PR in a given distance in half unless you weren’t trying when you set your PR. Diet goals are also very similar. If you can’t realistically reach them, then you’ll get discouraged quickly and give up. If your goal is to eat fewer animal products, then eat fewer animal products, but don’t quit them cold turkey. Ease yourself into your goals with small steps and they’ll be much more manageable and easy to control.
Ultimately, Animal Products are Treats–Did you know that the average American eats 225 pounds of meat and cheese per year? Back in the 1950’s, that same stat was around 79 pounds per person. Cut it back by 10% and you’ve made a real dent in your animal product consumption. One way to accomplish this goal is to treat animal products as a seasoning instead of a staple. Most meats, especially bacon, are very flavorful and can actually be used this way fairly simply.
Don’t Worry too much about Nutrients–I’ve thought this for a very long time. If you’re eating a varied diet, rich in fruits and vegetable, and lean in meats and animal products, then you don’t need to count carbs, proteins, and fats. If your plate is full of whole grains, beans, and greens, then you’re getting enough. Worried about protein? You really shouldn’t be. According to the article: spinach, green peas, broccoli, kidney beans, and chickpeas all contain more protein per calorie than many animal products.
Don’t Confuse Energy Bars with Real Food–Most energy bars contain heavy amounts of simple carbs. That’s great if you’re out for a long run, but not really ideal nutrition if you’re just going about your daily business. And if you’re in a recovery mode, don’t grab a power bar, eat a healthy, nutritious meal that contains complex carbs and a plant based protein. That’s the stuff your body needs to make you feel energetic and get those muscles repairing themselves so you can get back out on the road.
I think that these tips are spot on. They’re pretty easy to manage as well. I’m especially fond of the last two because I think they’re often overlooked by people. Proper nutrition doesn’t have to be hard. It’s common sense. If you buy food from the edges of the grocery store, cook it yourself at home, and make sure there are lots of plant based foods on your plate then you’re on your way to a fitter, leaner, healthier lifestyle.
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You would have to eat 8 cups of spinach to get as much protein as in one egg. I don’t know anyone who is going to eat that much spinach! It’s necessary to consume a decent amount of protein if you want a favorable body composition — that is, if you don’t want a large percentage of body fat compared to lean body mass (including muscle).
It can be very educational for the average person to track calories and macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fat) for a while, just to see how their diet measures up to their goals.