Fuel Your Body, Nourish Your Mind

Sister Lanie Martin dives deep into the topic of food and exercise.

When it comes to the topic of food, we hear and think so many things. From diets, to what to eat and what not to eat, to calories, to eating disorders… there is a lot of grey area. I want to dive into the ins and outs of nutrition and what I have learned so that you can use food as a source of fuel and feel a whole lot better, inside and out.

There are so many misconceptions around nutrition and wellness and it’s important to stay educated and treat your body with nourishment and love. What you feed your body is the strongest form of medicine you can have. Along with your nutrition, It is so important to give yourself some daily activity and exercise. This doesn’t necessarily have to mean an hour-long session at the gym - it could be as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or meeting a goal of 10,000 steps a day. Your body loves physical wellness, your body loves being nourished, so please treat it and yourself with the utmost care and love because this is the body you were given, and you will have it for the rest of your life. You need to make sure you are taking the steps to live a long and healthy, joy-filled life.

A poor diet can lead to sluggishness, laziness, and overall fatigue. Food has a direct impact on your health. A nutrient-filled, whole food and a mainly plant-based diet can increase your mood, and immune system, lower your risk for heart disease, increase your metabolism, increase your brain function, help your mental health, and overall make you feel a hell of a lot better.

Here are some foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals:

Although it mentions dairy products, I would aim to stay away from most as they are the top source of saturated fat in the American diet, contributing to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and an increased risk of breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers (https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/nutrition-information/health-concerns-about-dairy).

A lot of the uncomfortableness surrounding food is directly linked to body image. As a society, especially for girls, we are taught what is the “desired body type” and people go to lengths to achieve this, including not eating. But what if I told you that you could eat more and actually lose weight? 

The main source of burning calories is your body's metabolism. Metabolism is the process where your body turns what you eat and drink into energy. While many things can boost your metabolism, the main one is eating enough. If you are not eating enough calories in a day your body's metabolism drops, causing you to burn fewer calories throughout the day. If you are restricting yourself too much your body will think it is starving itself and therefore hold on to any food as fat in your body as a natural instinct to protect itself. Other key ways to increase your metabolism are things such as drinking enough water, getting adequate sleep at night, resistance training such as lifting weights (muscles burn calories!), and getting enough B vitamins. 

Losing weight comes from regular exercise and maintaining a caloric deficit, which means eating fewer calories than your daily recommended intake. This is different for everyone depending on your age, gender, and genetics. It is important to understand your BMR (basal metabolic rate) which is the estimated number of calories a person can consume in a day to maintain their body weight, assuming they remain at rest. You can also use this macro calculator that factors in your goals and the amount of activity level in your lifestyle: (https://gainsbybrains.com/pages/macro-calculator). But eating in a calorie deficit does not have to mean eating less. It just means eating less calorically dense foods. You could have 7 large meals that are lower in calories or have 2 or 3 calorically dense foods...either way you are still maintaining your calorie goals. I am someone who LOVES food, I love to eat, and I LOVE volume eating. Volume eating is when you consume large portions of food that are lower in calories and still feel satisfied. Foods like fruit and vegetables are low-calorie density, this is because they are made up largely of water and fiber, which are both very low in calories. This allows you to consume large volumes of fruit and vegetables without adding a large number of calories to your meal and it will keep you feeling full and satisfied for longer.

But this is NOT to encourage anyone to go counting calories and stressing themselves out if it’s not maintained. Hey, maybe you want to just maintain your weight! Maybe you want the booty gains and should increase your calories! The main point I am trying to get across is to just be conscious, but know that if you are fueling your body with healthy nutritious foods and you don’t restrict yourself from the foods you love and enjoy, you are doing yourself a favor and your self-image will reflect that. 

There are 3 main groups of macronutrients - carbs, protein, and fat. I cannot stress this enough. You need ALL of them. Carbs scare so many people because they have often been associated with weight gain. But carbs are needed because they are your main source of energy. WHOLE grains are full of carbs and fiber and are so good for your digestive system and your bodily functions. Fats are just as important too…. healthy fats. Saturated and trans fats that come from highly processed foods are not great for your health and can lead to obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Healthy fats are great for your heart. Anything from nuts, vegetable oils, peanut butter, avocado, etc. And the most important of them all is protein. I cannot stress this enough. You need to increase your protein with every meal. Protein comes from beans, nuts, yogurts and meat products (moderation!!), and even broccoli. Protein is the building block of your body, your bones, your muscles, and your skin. Protein helps you stay full and builds/maintains the muscles you need in your body to boost your metabolism. It is your body's aid in digestion and can help you feel a whole lot better in terms of bloating, stomach issues, and anywhere in between. 

We are ALL going to have a hot girl summer and feel better than we ever have!

I encourage everyone to do their research on the importance of nutrition and be more conscious when it comes to how we are treating our bodies. Every one of us is beautiful inside and out and I hope everyone remembers that this summer and always. Small changes to a more healthy lifestyle will reflect not only on the outside but on the confidence that shines from within. 

Have a great summer and EAT YOUR VEGGIES! 

 

Some links below are ones that helped educate me that I wanted to share with you. They’ve helped me lead a more healthy and sustainable lifestyle!

Contact Sister Lanie…

@lanieemartin on Instagram

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