Coming off a series of trips and crazy weeks, my body has reminded me why good nutrition is so important even when we are not trying to lose weight.  (Something I know but  suffer the consequences when I veer too far on occasion).  I started this week off fatigued and grumpy and unable to make quick decisions. As a trainer and nutrition coach, I already know what I must shift to correct this issue.  I’m on it.

As I calculate macros for my private clients this week – it’s even more top of mind because I know that this one thing is crucial to how we feel and how much progress we make.

So why does nutrition matter even when you don’t need to lose weight?

If you are weak and tired in the morning, (because you haven’t focused on good nutrition for a couple of days), you will continue to choose the wrong foods, and too much of it.

If you aren’t getting enough protein, it could leave you feeling weak or send your cravings in a spin.

Not getting enough healthy carbs (complex carbs) along with your protein could leave you dealing with a blood sugar spike and fatigue.

How about your ability to handle your emotions?  If your body is trying to handle the toxins, sugar, and alcohol in your body, it’s not functioning the way it was designed, and your emotions will be way out of balance.  Simple things might throw you into an internal fit.  Stress goes up.  You end up eating more.  Your sleep suffers, and you do it all over again the next day.

Energy – everything you put in your body, or don’t put into your body, impacts your energy.  Are you eating enough of the right things?  Are you steering clear of toxins and processed food and drink?  If your desire is to have daily sustained energy, you will need to dive deeper into the things you are consuming regularly and occasionally.

If you are tired of being tired – I suggest looking at your nutrition first.  I have found that the mass amount of us don’t truly understand how the foods we eat impact us in every way.  Most of the daily things we are dealing with can be tied back to our eating habits -Fatigue, stomach cramping, digestive issues, skin issues, hormonal imbalances, emotional chaos, sleep issues, fog brain, slow brain, over-reacting, impatience.

 How do we combat this?

If your daily nutrition consists of the appropriate macronutrient balance, you can more easily maintain hormonal balance and gut health.  This means getting the right amount of Carbs, Fats, and Proteins, along with a sufficient amount of water.

So how do you know what your macros need to be?  I suggest hiring a wellness coach or a nutritionist who can understand what you are trying to accomplish and then can break down what your macros need to be. Once you have that, there are plenty of free apps that you can use to track your daily food and understand the balance of your macros. I use MyfitnessPal, but there are others like; Cronometer, MyPlate, and LoseIt!

Don’t try to change everything about your nutrition all at once, that will more than likely cause you to throw in the towel.  Change one or two things a week, get comfortable with it and keep making changes.

Food is a gift that many of us abuse, but just think about how dramatically different your life could look and feel if you got this aspect aligned the way it needs to be,  the way our Creator designed it to be.

We are all on a journey together – aren’t we so lucky that we don’t have to figure it out ourselves?  Let’s not miss out on feeling really freaking great.