Nutrition is more important than exercise.
There. I said it.
You can't out train a bad diet.
Abs are made in the kitchen.
You are what you eat.
Instead of encouraging people to dial in their diet as a side gig to their fitness, what if we taught them that nutrition is the most important aspect of who they will become.
I always liked Marcus Filly's approach, eat something, wait a bit (30 min, 60 min, 90 min) and see how it makes you feel. And, I'm not talking about CBD gummies. I'm referring to real food.
The challenge with giving broad nutrition advice is that everyone is different. It works to a certain point, but then it becomes an individual journey.
What about dairy? Someone asks.
How about if you cut it out for a few weeks and then reintroduce it and see how it makes you feel?
Gluten? It affects some people more than others. The broad advice I would give is to stay away from it and for a variety of reasons.
Here are three quick ones:
- You'll do better on the same number of carbohydrates derived from fruits and vegetables. And, the latter contains far more micro-nutrients that are beneficial to humans. The quick question: Bread or Banana?
- The body responds to it as a toxin, causing an immune response, inflammation, and a wide variety of side-effects from bloating to constipation to diarrhea. None of these will make you "feel good". The quick question: How does this make me feel?
- The bulk of the sources of gluten are broadcast with all sorts of chemicals. The most harmful is glyphosate. While it is a broad plant killer, they spray it on crops just before harvest because it acts as a desiccant and aids in the timely and expensive drying process. The quick question: Do I want to ingest toxic chemicals that are known to cause cancer?
The topic of nutrition is so vast that I have to keep things shallow so we don't end up in the Mariana Trench.
What I'm getting at is that as a gym owner or coach, you have a rare opportunity to speak life to your people. Especially when it comes to nutrition. With so much bogus information out there about diet and nutrition, do your best to stand on your soapbox and let people know that Lucky Charms are not healthier than steak!
I am passionate about this stuff, guys. While I hoped it would get better, it is getting worse.
I am dedicated to providing Clean Eating Education. Evolved. Tasty food that is good for you. It's been my goal from the start. Teaching your people the importance of nutrition should be of utmost importance to you, too!
If not you, then who?
Just remember, "A good example has twice the value of good advice."
To debunk the myths you've been fed about nutrition and show you the truth about food is my mission.
Your Pal,
Paleo Nick
