I Can Master Your Nutrition - The Ultimate Guide

Option 1 – Following Nutrition General Guidelines

Select this option if:

You have never completed a serious nutrition program before.
You don’t want to count calories.
You find it too difficult to count calories. (Maybe still consider option 2).
You want simple action steps without all the maths and formulas.
You want subtle action steps that allow for steady, stable progress without yo-yoing up and down.
You have possible emotional influences that cause you to over eat on a frequent basis.
You want to maintain your current physical condition without worrying about calories.

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Introduction

Welcome to the Ten Ultimate Nutrition Rules!

You’re about to learn how to become leaner, healthier and happier with yourself and your body, and all without counting a single calorie! I will give you simple action steps to apply to your nutrition so you achieve the weight you want while not even feeling like you’re on a diet. That’s the trick. We are going to make these changes in such a stealth manner, your body won’t even realise what’s happened until its all over and you look and feel awesome.

You’re not going to starve yourself, you won’t have to give up any of your favourite foods, and you can use these principles into your next phase where you can easily maintain your new physique because we aren’t going to do anything weird or extreme to do it.

How It Works

I’m not going to sell you any supplements, or tell you to make any radical extreme food choices. Instead, I’m giving you Ten Nutritional Rules, that act as fundamental nutritional principles. These will cover all the essentials of healthy nutrition and find a comfortable balance to get your calories and macros surprisingly close to the calculated numbers from daily calorie counting. You will be able to apply these rules quite happily throughout your daily life, and you’ll achieve a comfortable transformation towards a more enhanced physique and all without turning your life into a potentially obsessive science math equation. When you read them, you’ll probably think they’re overly simple, but in actual fact, they come from decades of scientific research and personal experience.

So here they are, Ten Ultimate Action Steps to achieve your health and fitness goals in an everyday lifestyle.

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RULE 1: CONTROL THE CALORIES

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This is the number one rule, and for good reason. When it comes to getting leaner, packing on new muscle, or maintaining your weight, things like macros, meal timing, specific foods, dairy, gluten, fibre, supplements or any other crazy theme or idea that a diet program throws at you, none of it will matter if you’re not eating the correct amount of food for your goal. The successful nutrition program is one that will help you maintain either a calorie deficit, surplus or maintenance to cause consistent and lasting change within the body. The problem is that so many factors and variables will try to complicate things and influence your calorie intake. Not only that, but your daily calorie expenditure will dynamically change and shift from day to day. With that in mind, you might be asking:

So what is the most healthy, balanced and yet efficient and painless method to achieve my goal?

Some diet programs out there say “calories don’t count” and instead sell and recommend a list of claimed wonder foods and exotic combinations to achieve weight loss. The truth is calories DO count, and what the clients don’t realise is that by simply following some of their eating rules, they automatically eat less calories without even realising it. A calorie is not a calorie. 1000 calories of soda and ice cream will feel and process differently in the body compared to the same 1000 calories of wild salmon and roast vegetables. Every food you eat affects your body and its metabolism, hormones and hunger levels. With that said, the fundamental principle still remains:

Calories In (from food and drink) – Calories Out (from activity and exercise) = Weight increase, decrease or no change.

So for rule 1, follow these steps:

Be aware of your current portion sizes in your daily meals.
Adjust your portion sizes slightly to cause a net increase or decrease to your daily calorie intake:
1. Make sure any adjustments still comply with the Ten Nutrition Rules.
1. Make portion changes mainly to simple sugars, starchy carbs and grains.
1. Ensure you get maintain enough quality proteins, fats, fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Track and record weekly results.
Adjust your portion sizes slightly again if needed.
1. Fat Loss – Aim for body weight to reduce by 0.5 – 1.0% of your body weight per week.
1. Muscle Gain – Aim for body weight to increase by 1 – 2 kg per month.
Repeat from Step 1.

Don’t be worried thinking I’m giving you a low carb diet here. These rules still give you a good amount of carbs and it will changed depending on your needs and personal preferences. The first big step however is normally reducing the amount of processed and refined carbs and sugars. If weight still doesn’t change, you can slightly reduce the amount of natural starchy carbs and grains. Feel free to continue eating plenty of natural fruits and veggies throughout. Overall, the focus is still on calorie control and not carb control. Don’t forget the fundamental principle equation stated above.

When you make your daily food choices, think about these variables:

Calorie DensityLook at the number of calories per 100g.
- Low calorie density foods like fruit and veg allow you to eat greater volumes of food on the same calories.
- To trigger and maintain fat loss – Look for foods with a low calorie density so you can eat a greater volume of food and feel fuller on less calories.
- For those struggling to gain weight – Look for foods with a high calorie density and experiment with shakes and liquid meals to help intake more calories.
Nutritional QualityIs the food processed or naturally occurring?
- Think about the amount of vitamins, minerals and fibre in the food.
- Everyone should look for mostly natural wholesome foods with a high nutritional value to ensure optimal physical and mental function.
After EffectHow does this food make you feel afterwards both mentally and physically?
- Does it give you stable energy? Fill you up?
- Does it leave you feeling energetic or lethargic?
- Find foods that fill you up and give you stable energy throughout the day.
- Is this a good way to spend your “calorie budget” for the day?

More Info about Calories? - Click Here

RULE 2: INCLUDE PROTEIN IN EVERY MEAL

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Build each meal around a lean protein source. Benefits of protein include protection of muscle and reduced appetite. For those that struggle to eat enough calories (naturally skinny people on a bulk), feel free to include the fats in the protein sources and use shakes such as whey protein powders to get enough protein while not feeling too full. Recommended sources of protein include:

Whole eggs (Remove half yolks)
Turkey breast
Chicken breast
Lean red meats
Fish
Low fat milk
Low fat cheese
Low fat cottage cheese
Low fat yogurt
Protein powder (Reserve option when other foods are not practical)

Why do I recommend low fat options? Remember we want to control calorie density, and fat is more than twice as calorie dense as protein or carbs, so be careful to not spend too many calories on fats (see rule 1).

If you feel your strength in the gym reducing, it could be that you’re not getting enough protein in your diet. Increase protein portions and monitor any changes.

Need help picking a protein powder? Click here for a great article.

Vegetarian? Vegan? No worries. Swap out animal protein sources for vegetarian sources such as soy, tofu, tempeh and vegetarian protein sources.

If you aren’t professionally diagnosed with a lactose intolerance, don’t try and remove lactose from your diet. Lactose based items have lots of nutritional value and removing them won’t help you lose weight any faster (See rule 1).

More Info about Protein? - Click Here

RULE 3: FILL UP ON FIBROUS VEGETABLES IN MOST MEALS

Vegetables complex carbs

Look for as many ways as you can to pack in as many fibrous vegetables as you can into your meals. These are natural high nutritional quality foods that your body loves, fills you up and leaves you feeling great!

Asparagus, artichokes, broccoli, green beans, spinach, celery, brussels sprouts, peas, leafy salad greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, mushrooms, onions, zucchini, squash, eggplant, beets, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, the list goes on!

Because these are high in fibre, these foods help you maintain optimal digestion and it helps flush your body of toxins and waste. They are loaded with nutritional vitamins and minerals along with phytochemicals that have many health benefits.

Breakfast omelettes can be loaded up with mushrooms, onions and peppers and spices.
Lean proteins in a salad and veggies are an awesome lunch option.
Swap out breads and crackers for carrot sticks and lettuce cups. Make them tasty and exciting with low calorie dips and spices.

RULE 4: INCLUDE HEALTHY FATS EVERY DAY

healthy-fats Each day, aim for one or two servings of healthy fat per day. Look to get quality sources of omega 3 fats throughout the week from fatty fish like salmon, sardines and tuna. Other sources include ground flaxseed, walnuts and dark leafy greens.

Fat is good for you and it’s important to get enough, but not too much (due to its calorie density). At 9 calories per gram, you can easily use up all your calorie budget for the day and risk over eating if you consume too many fats. Yes it can be filling, but research has proven that it’s protein and fibre that are the real secrets to feeling fuller throughout the day.

Consider adding avocado, chopped walnuts, olive oils or omega three oils to salads.
For those that don’t like the taste of fish, look at getting it in supplement form. More on supplements here.

More Info about Fat? - Click Here

RULE 5: ENJOY WHOLE FRUITS EVERY DAY

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Just like veggies, fruits are loaded with healthy yummy goodness. Aim to get at least 1 – 2 fruits each day. Some fruits are full of fibre and high in nutritional quality while also low in calories.

These include blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, pears, peaches, grapes, pineapples, papayas, banannas, grapefruits, nectarines, oranges, apples and kiwi fruits.

Try freezing grapes for a day and enjoying them as summer snacks to cool off or in a drink.
Enjoy them with shakes or yogurt.
Keep dried fruit portions (raisins) small as these are calorie dense.
Most fruits are 60 – 90 calories. Careful eating too many banannas as these are 110 – 130 calories.
Avoid drinking your fruits as these have no fibre and have a high calorie density. If you really want fruit juice in the morning, dilute it with water.
Experiment with different fruits and colours throughout the seasons of the year.

RULE 6: FILL THE REST WITH NATURAL STARCHES AND GRAINS

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With all the essential foods and nutrients such as proteins, fats and fibrous fruits and veggies in place, you’ll have a little space left over for your starchy carbs and grains.

Yams, potatoes, corn, kumara, pastas, rice, lentils, oats, wheat, whole grain breads.

Make sure these carbs are mostly natural sources and keep added sugars and processed carbs away from your daily lifestyle and saved for occasional social events. The amount you include in your own personal diet depends on you:

By exercising and being more active, you expend more calories and so can include more of these carbs into your diet.
If you’re weight isn’t going down, consider reducing your amounts of these starches and grains.
Try brown rice and whole grain pasta and see if you like it. It goes great in loads of meals for lunch and dinner.
Try kumara and sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes.
Have a go at making your own breads and pastas or investing in a bread maker or pasta roller.
Oats, water (or milk) and a protein shake is a great breakfast option with some fruit in the morning.

Gluten intolerant? No worries, just stick with fibrous carbs and fruits. If your health professional allows, try spelt or quinoa.

If you aren’t professionally diagnosed with a gluten intolerance, don’t try and remove gluten from your diet. Gluten based foods have lots of nutritional value and removing them won’t help you lose weight any faster (See rule 1).

More Info about Carbs? - Click Here

RULE 7: ENSURE NATURAL FOODS AND DRINKS 90% OF THE TIME

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When deciding on your foods for the week, choose natural unprocessed foods 90% of the time. Let 10% of your food basket be your so called “treat foods”. This approach allows for a healthy balance where you aren’t depriving yourself of any of the foods you love, you’re just consciously deciding to enjoy most of your foods from natural sources. How can you tell if the food is truly natural, just ask yourself:

“Did this food come DIRECTLY from a tree, plant or the ground, or did it walk, fly or swim?”

If yes, then it’s natural. You’ve seen an apple tree in nature, but not an apple juice tree.

Anything with a bar code found in a box, can, carton or package is obviously not natural.
Nutrition bars are not natural.
Whole grain breads are not natural.
Food item labels that claim 100% natural are mostly not natural as they have been processed.
Savour and enjoy your foods slowly. Really taste and savour every bite. Put the knife and fork down between bites.
Chew 15 – 20 times per mouthful. Increase the time it takes to eat each meal to allow yourself to feel satisfied.
Stop eating as soon as you think you’re satisfied and leave food on your plate. Save it for later or throw it away (better in the bin and wasted than stored as fat and wasted)
If you notice you’re leaving food on your plates frequently, consider reducing portion size next time.
Enjoy one or two treat meals or drinks (beer or wine) during the week but don’t use it as an excuse to pig out. Keep it controlled.

Recommended Article: “How to Eat Healthy at Social Gatherings”.

RULE 8: PLAN AHEAD AND PREPARE

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This is a big one. Make sure you plan your meals days or even weeks in advance. Having food ready available when it’s time to eat will ensure you stay on track and avoid falling into temptations of quick fast foods or processed convenience snacks.

Write a shopping list of the foods you want for the week and stick to it. Avoid impulse buying junk food.
Keep junk food out of sight and out of mind. Make it an effort to go out for “treat foods” on a special occasion.
Prepare foods to take to work and when you travel.
Bulk prepare foods, portion it up and freeze for future use. I cook all my chicken and veg in advance for the whole week.
Use tupperware containers as easy storage options.
Plan your whole days meals before you start your day.
Set yourself an upper limit to the foods to have in a social event to avoid “going overboard” and then regretting it.
Avoid mindlessly snacking on foods during work or watching tv. Fit that portion into your plan ahead of time.
Experiment with different healthy snacks such as nuts, seeds, raw vegetables, fruit, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese, hard boiled eggs, canned fish, sliced meats, protein shakes and soups.

RULE 9: DRINK LOTS OF WATER AND CONTROL LIQUID CALORIES

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One of the biggest action steps that would start making a dent in the obesity crisis, is limiting the intake of high calorie liquid drinks. Sodas are high in calories while providing minimal nutritional value. They also don’t fill you up.

Keep teas and coffees simple. Say no to whipped cream, sugar, flavourings or syrups as they are loaded with calories.
Get rid of energy drinks as they are full of sugar and have too much caffeine.
Avoid dessert coffees
Juice bar drinks and smoothies from most stalls (even the apparent healthy ones) are still processed and lacking in fibre or nutritional quality.
Keep wines and beers to your 10% treat occasions (see rule 7).
Eat whole foods instead of fruit juices (see rule 5).
Green tea is loaded with antioxidants and other health benefiting compounds.
Enjoy green tea hot or chill it in the fridge for summer days.
Try adding a slice of lemon or other fruits to water or green tea.
Drink enough water so that your urine comes out clear most of the day.

Alcohol has 7 calories per gram and is the second most calorie dense items. Alcohol is empty calories and displaces other more nutritional calories. Fat loss is halted while your body processes alcohol in your system. Click here for a guide to drinking alcohol.

Recommended Content: Alcohol Drinking Guide.

RULE 10: EAT ONLY WHEN YOU’RE PHYSICALLY HUNGRY

“After diets, I believe emotional hunger is the biggest source of obesity in the world.” – Paul McKenna.

Emotional eating isn’t just due to stress and negative emotions as some of us believe, it comes from anything that has nothing to do with physiological needs. Do you sometimes eat when you’re bored, for social events, to feel good after a long day, to feed safe or comforted, as a reward or out of habit (like bedtime snacking or watching TV)?

That’s right, we are all emotional eaters.

Now I’m not saying you should be an emotionless robot that only feeds for physical needs, that’s not balanced or healthy. Many people develop eating disorders from attitudes like that. What I am saying is that you should pic and choose the times where you do allow yourself to eat for a feeling. It’s perfectly normal and acceptable to eat tread foods in events such as family gatherings, weddings, birthdays or holidays. That’s all fine.

What’s not fine is binging alone at home after a stressful day, falling into a food or alcoholic trance as a temporary escape from the day.

If you feel powerless on occasion to control your overeating habits, then follow these steps:

Become aware of the events and emotional triggers that result in an overeating episode.
Once you notice an emotional hunger developing, pause and take ten controlled slow deep breaths.
Realise that emotional eating cannot be satisfied with food.
Think about how you’ll feel after an overeating episode is over.
Find alternative ways to feel better without food. (Going for a walk, exercise, chatting it out with friends and family, a good book, a bath)
Use these ways instead of eating whenever you notice yourself feeling down, anxious or frustrated.
Refocus on your goals and the emotional positive reasons why you are choosing to change for the better.

Summary

As you can see, we’ve covered a lot in this section, but you’ll also see it’s simple and logical to follow. Here the complex equations and math are taken out, leaving you with simple daily action steps and techniques to use throughout your life. Follow these ten rules and keep coming back to this page whenever you like to refresh yourself. Remember the ten rules?

Copy this list down to your phone or print it off and put it on your fridge. Each day, reflect and ask yourself:

“Are my planned meals today following the ten nutrition rules?”

CONTROL THE CALORIES.
Include protein in every meal.
Fill up on fibrous vegetables in most meals.
Include healthy fats every day.
Enjoy whole fruits every day.
Fill the rest with natural starches and grains.
Ensure natural foods and drinks 90% of the time.
Plan ahead and prepare.
Drink lots of water and control liquid calories.
Eat only when you’re physically hungry.

It’s simple, but simple doesn’t mean easy.

The longer you persist and focus on it, the easier it will become, until its an easy daily habit that you don’t even have to think about.

Good luck.

Ultimate Nutrition Guide

Ten Steps to a Lean Healthy Physique