Nutrition Recommendations for Optimal Nutrition

Good nutrition is the best thing you can do for your body! When it comes to body composition, performance, and just overall health, putting the right things in your body, will keep you and your body happy!

Get a good balance of macronutrients and nutrient dense foods for optimal nutrition!

1.       Each a source of protein with each meal & snack

a.       1 gram of protein per lean body tissue and at minimum up to 1 gram per ideal body weight

b.      For example – Body weight 150lbs, body fat 20% – minimum protein per day = 120 grams (150lbs X 0.20 = 30 – 150-30= 120lbs of lean body tissue)

c.       Get 30-40 grams with each meal (3 meals per day) and 10-15 grams per snack (1-2 times per day) protein recommendations based off of pounds in lean body mass

d.      Helps with maintaining your lean body mass, aiding in recovery and repairing muscle tissue, stabilizes blood sugar and increases energy, and helps maintain or get you to a healthy body composition

e.      Protein sources – red meat (grass fed preferable), fish, chicken, eggs, whey protein (protein supplement) etc.

2.       Intake plenty of leafy greens & limit your starches!

a.       7-9 cups of vegetables each day! It’s hard to overdo it when it comes to vegetables

b.      Strive to get a good sources of vegetables with each meal

c.       Best sources will be cruciferous vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts – also spinach and other salad greens

d.      Plenty of fiber to help with digestion and gives your body the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants it needs! Helps aid in detoxication and optimal hormone balance

3.       Eat a source(s) of healthy fats with each meal!

a.       Helps with stabilizing blood sugar and energy levels, a healthy body composition, and numerous other benefits for optimal health!

b.      Eat sources of healthy fats from nuts, seeds, olives & olive oils, fish oils, avocado, coconut oils & products, almond butter and organic peanut butter, organic butter, etc.

c.       Use olive oils for dressings on meats, vegetables, salads, etc and coconut oils for cooking (especially at higher temperatures)

4.       Reduce overall carbohydrate intake

a.       Limit sugars and processed carbohydrates – eliminate from your daily nutrition as much as possible.

b.      Some healthy sources of carbohydrates (besides vegetables) include – quinoa, white rice, sweet potatoes

c.       Limit fruits – 3 vegetables to 1 fruit

5.       Drinking plenty of water!

a.       Divide your body weight in half and drink that in ounces each day!

b.      For example – if you weigh 150lbs, drink at minimum 75 ounces of water per day!

c.       Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go and drink a glass of water right when you wake up in the morning – dehydration is a stressor on your body and can keep your body from performing optimally through out the day.

d.      Limit your caffeine intake - plain coffee 1-2 cups at most per day

e.      Recommendation – add a spoon full of coconut oil to your coffee in the morning if you want some flavor - a good source of healthy fats while increasing energy levels through stabilizing blood sugar

These are my nutrition recommendations to get you on track to optimal nutrition! My other recommendation would to use supplementation to cover any other the nutrients that may be lacking in your nutrition!

The supplements I recommend include - A Daily Multivitamin, Cal/Mag, Fish Oil, Probiotic, and Whey Protein (if protein intake is inadequate).

Please check out my website at www.runwithmemeghan.com

Happy Optimal Running! :)