While many of us workout regularly at the gym and consider physical activity an important priority, fewer people understand the critical role of diet and nutrition in terms of overall fitness.
In the gym world, we often approach issues with physical fitness reactively, rather than proactively. For example, if we are dissatisfied with our weight (either too slim or too heavy) we might ramp up our fitness routines to work out more to lose weight and/or use strength training to try to gain muscle mass, without paying enough attention to our diet. We can then become frustrated with our results – even when we work out often – if we don’t have the knowledge or guidance to make better choices in terms of meals, including ingredients, calories and serving sizes.
There is a helpful rule of thumb to be much more mindful of what we put into our bodies over what we do with our bodies, to stay fit. The 80/20 rule contends that maintaining a healthy body, including a healthy weight, requires 80 per cent attention to diet with only 20 per cent attention to fitness or working out. In other words, you’re better off spending more time and energy figuring out how to eat healthier, and use your workouts to supplement those efforts.
But how do you know what the best choices are? This is where nutritional counselling and education become critical. There are many ways to gain a better understanding of what to put into our bodies, including the revised Canada Food Guide, which outlines recommended ways to meet our needs for calories, vitamins, minerals, etc. while reducing the risk of obesity and diseases. It’s a good place to start, but the food guide is not universal, as many of us have particular food sensitivities, special nutritional and health needs. In these cases, personalized nutritional advice and counselling may be desired.
Some personal trainers and fitness coaches on the Coast have specialized nutritional expertise and education to help guide you in a healthy eating plan, plus fitness, for wellness. Your physician, naturopath, herbalist or alternative health care provider may also be able to help with sources and direction. Holistic and traditional nutritionists are trained at various levels to help create plans and offer advice on meeting individual needs. And in Canada, Registered Dieticians are rigorously trained health professionals, certified to have met national standards for education and training in diet and nutrition. Each of these professionals will offer particular knowledge and advice. Knowing how important nutrition is to our health, ask for and consider credentials carefully before choosing and consulting with a diet or nutrition professional to enhance your wellness goals.
