Much like any change we desire, it must start with reflection. A basic definition of reflecting is to “think deeply or carefully about.” Propose the question of what do you feed yourself on a day-to-day basis? Do you make conscious decisions on what foods you eat and how often? We make precise efforts towards the outfits we wear, our materialistic purchases, or even the angles and filters to our Instagram posts. But can you say the same about your efforts when it comes to food. By reflecting, we can become better aware of our interaction with food and the choices we have made with it in the past.

So, upon reflection we can then begin to further analyze our relationship with food and the foods we are choosing. Studies show, especially in America, eating habits can be linked to our emotions. These factors can range but are not limited to: boredom, comfort, stress, and habit. We can mostly agree in western civilization, we often times eat for pleasure and not hunger. Food's high in refined sugar and saturated fat actually stimulate the brain in a way similar to cocaine or high stakes gambling. Our hormonal responses soon overpower our willpower and one chip can soon turn into an entire bag. So, understanding how certain foods can help or hurt our diet is beneficial. A well-balanced diet of macronutrients IE: proteins, carbs, fats, and micronutrients while staying in your caloric goal is key. I encourage clients to learn about certain foods they enjoy eating and what they have to offer, ex: calories and nutrient profile.

We have heard it before, actions speak louder than words. So, let us take action, we can all begin by understanding what our caloric and macronutrient needs are. That is the number of calories and macronutrients our body needs to burn to maintain where we are at now with our weight. Explained in the paragraph above, macronutrients are proteins, carbs, and fat. Luckily online apps and calorie calculators exist, taking the hard part out. By inputting basic information such as weight, height, age and estimated activity level; we will be formulated a caloric total. Now if our goal is weight loss, we must begin to get into a caloric deficit. That is, we must now consume less calories than we burn. For example, a 5’10 170lb male with a high activity level must consume 2800 calories to maintain. If he wanted to lose weight, he must allow his caloric consumption to drop below that level. A good place to start can be 250-500 less calories than needed and switching our macronutrient ration to 50% protein, 40% carbohydrates, 10% fats. Which can be done by the type of foods we eat or amount of food we consume overall. Applications on your phone like MyFitnessPal are great for learning to track your calories and macro needs.

Much like our spiritual journey, fitness is a lifelong journey as well. It all has ups and downs with plenty of opportunities to learn and grow. Don’t give up and keep pushing.