One of the biggest reasons people seek out health and wellness coaching is weight loss. Everybody has their own unique needs and preferences. I don’t subscribe to any particular way of eating (ps. I hate the word diet). I do recommend that everybody get familiar with five fundamental nutrition habits before considering any other changes in what and how you eat. I also recommend only adding one new habit to your life at a time. The more you add, the more difficult it is to sustain lasting change.
Many people have lost weight by using these five habits alone. No other changes! Myself included. I have been consistently using them for about a year and I lost about five pounds. There are good reason that each habit works. These practices increase the amount of nutrients you absorb from your food. They decrease the amount of food you eat due to better satiety. They increase the density of nutrition in your meals. And, they allow you to take a break and focus on self-care. These habits are so beneficial they promote them heavily at Precision Nutrition – the school where I earned my nutrition coaching credential. I practice these habits. Not perfectly. Just because they are simple habits, doesn’t mean they are easy.
Five fundamental nutrition habits
- Eat only when you’re hungry. When you make a habit of overeating you can disrupt how your body manages hunger signals. The interplay between obesity and the appetite hormones ghrelin and leptin is complicated. It can become a negative cycle that keeps you heavier.
- Eat slowly. It takes 20 minutes for those satiety signals to reach your brain and for your brain to let you know you’re full. By eating slowly you give your body the time it needs to communicate clearly. You end up eating less. Less fuel in equals less chance of excess.
- Chew your food thoroughly. Not only does this help you eat more slowly, it improves nutrient absorption. Your saliva contains amylase, a digestive enzyme which break downs carbohydrates. Creating a “bolus” makes it easier for your stomach acids to further break down the food with pepsin (for protein) and lipase (for fat). When the “chyme” created by your stomach goes through your gut, the nutrients are absorbed by your intestines. When those food particles are smaller, that process goes better.
- Eat until you’re 80% full. Your stomach needs some room to do its work properly. Feeling stuffed is uncomfortable anyway. You should feel like eating any more would make you feel that discomfort. You know you’ve hit the sweet spot if you don’t get hungry again for a few hours. If you don’t hit the spot you can always eat a snack.
- Eat protein and vegetables at each meal, practicing balance and portion control. It really helps if you have the major nutrients at each meal. Protein and fat really do help with feeling fuller longer. The right amount of carbohydrate provides volume to stretch your stomach which in turn makes your brain perceive fullness. The “right amount” of each is very individual. Fortunately, your body has the perfect measurement tools. A cupped hand equals a carbohydrate serving. Your thumb is the size of a fat serving and your palm is the size of a protein serving. Smaller people (usually women) should start with 1 serving of each at a meal. Larger people should have two servings. If you are very active, you can have more servings. With trial and error you’ll figure out the number of servings that keeps you satisfied and provides you with enough energy.
That’s it. Really! My own personal problem spot is chewing. I hate the feel of bolus in my mouth. If I wanted baby food or soup I’d eat it right? I have to remind myself that better nutrient absorption equals better mood as I manage bipolar. The role of nutrients in my chronic condition is a longer post for another day.
It took me many weeks of working with each habit to successfully integrate them into my day-to-day. Give yourself credit for every meal or snack where you make even the smallest bit of progress. Be kind to yourself.