5 Underrated Ways to Improve Your Diet

Listen, we've all been there - we're super busy and don't know exactly what we can do in the moment to make the right choice.  We know it's not complicated, but it can be the hardest decision in the world when we're bombarded with information.

So, in the spirit of simplifying the complex, one of my biggest flexes, here are 5 of my favourite most underrated ways to improve your diet.

Nutrition Packed Shakes

Swap out the ‘ol whey in water shake and try adding stuff like some berries, chia seeds, avocado, etc. and you get yourself a head start on protein, fibre, and micronutrients for the day.  Easy to prep and you'll never be able to taste any of the veggies you just snuck in there.

Increase/Reframe your typical portion sizes of protein and plants

Whatever your portion size typically is for protein + plant start doubling it. You’ll add a ton of satiety and nutrition to each meal for very little calories, not to mention some additional fibre and a ton of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. 

Focus on balanced meal building instead of obsession with calories 

Ask yourself, "does this meal have a: protein, fruit or veg (fibre source), carb and/ or fat?"  (For a quick reference on which food falls into which category, check out the This fantastic PDF from Precision Nutrition)  Not every meal has to have ALL of them, but aiming for at least the first two in every meal is a monumental start.

Get on a meal schedule/routine you can stick to most of the time 

Imagine you had to change your whole outfit 3x/day. pretty soon you'd buy a lot of similar shirts and pants and get into a routine because it is exhausting to make it up on the fly 3x/day. Do that with your meals. Stop completely making it up 100% every day.  Pick some meals that you enjoy and stick to those for the most part, adding in new ones as you get bored.

Start thinking about how foods make you feel, not just how they taste 

Taste is absolutely one reason to choose certain foods, but if it's the ONLY thing driving your decisions it's not the best plan. Start thinking about how certain foods/meals make you feel (energy, satiety, satisfaction) and you’ll likely make more balanced choices.  Some of the most delicious foods definitely don't make us feel the best - remember that ice cream tummy ache?  I do!

Nutrition doesn't have to be complicated - it just has to work for you.  That's where it's important to stop trying to be perfect and start trying to just make the best decision for you in that moment.  These are just the tip of the iceberg (lol) and represent a small portion of what we work on with our clients.  

2023 isn't over yet and there is a lot of time to create some meaningful change and instill some very strong positive habits to carry with you into the new year.

Be well,

Olivia Oneid

Co-Owner, Coach Master Athletic Performance