Nutrition, the Foundation of Fitness

By: Coach Brandon Conner

So, you’re ready to get started on taking the next step to better your nutrition? Well congratulations. This is a vital piece of the puzzle that so many people overlook or ignore. It is no mistake or coincidence that nutrition is the base, the FOUNDATION, of the “fitness pyramid.” Like any structure, if the foundation isn’t built well, the entire building is compromised. In wanting to better your dietary habits, you are ensuring that you will be a stronger, fitter, healthier individual- from the ground up.

Nutrition, like the other areas of fitness, isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” approach. There are some general rules that apply to most, though. Here are a few of those rules:

Natural foods > processed foods

Deep down I think we all know & understand this at some level. Real food has a shorter shelf life. It spoils quicker. That because it’s actually FOOD, not a food-like item created in a warehouse. So as a general rule-of-thumb, shop on the perimeter of the grocery store (fruits, veggies, meats, dairy), & avoid the aisles in the middle of the store (boxes, bags, packages). Stick to meats & veggies, nuts & seeds, some fruit, a little starch, & no sugar. We can fine tune this later on, but this is a great place to start.

Dial in quality, then quantity.

Although most people have a “caloric balance point,” which could be described as the amount of calories one must eat in a day to maintain their bodyweight, we are not interested in having you get those calories from donuts, hamburgers, and soda. So before we begin to adjust how MUCH food you are eating, we would first like to get you to adjust WHAT you’re eating. Once you get in the habit of eating higher quality of foods, we can move on to dialing in the proper amounts of those foods, & the proper time to consume them.

Small steps go a long way.

Many a person has lost the battle before they ever really began by trying to do too much too soon. Think of the person who hasn’t exercised in 10 years who, in an effort to make up for lost time, goes to the gym 7 days in a row on his first week back, only to be so sore, that he gets so discouraged he doesn’t return. Nutrition is the same way. If you have been spinning on the Carb Carousel for years, it’s hard to come off at first. Your body will crave those processed, refined sugars. We will work together to slowly (but surely) guide you into new, delicious, healthy ways of purchasing, preparing, & enjoying all of the good foods there are to offer, but we won’t try to change everything in one week.

It’s no secret that to look, feel, & perform your best nutrition should be a primary focus. If you’d like to learn how to dial in your food intake to maximize your capabilities, and take your training, health, & well-being to the next level, we offer many different options to help you best reach your goals, from 1-on-1 training/nutrition sessions, personalized plans, daily check-ins, & much more. Email us for more details.

Brandon Conner:  [email protected]          Jeremy Warner: [email protected]