Nutrition is am immensely complex subject that can actually be boiled down to some very simple steps. Here is a quick rundown on how to easily get your nutrition back on track and dialed in…

Step 1 is to make sure that you are having 5 feedings a day spaced about 3-4 hours apart. Nothing else really matters if you are not getting up, eating breakfast and then making sure to eat something every 3-4 hours after that.

Not that this is the best scenario but if you have a choice between a Snickers bar and nothing at all, eat the Snickers bar. Of course, having some nuts or beef jerky on hand to fill in those gaps would be better but the take home message is to make sure that you are eating every 3-4 hours, period.

Once you have Step 1 down and are consistently eating every 3-4 hours you are ready for Step 2.

Step 2 is to make sure that you are eating some protein and carbs with each meal. For most people eating carbs isn’t that hard, it is getting some protein in as well.

For something to count as a protein source it has to have at least 10 grams of protein. This means that peanut butter does not count, folks! Protein is eggs, beef, chicken, fish or a serving of whey protein. The easiest way to fill in protein gaps is to have a serving of whey protein as this will give you 20-30 grams of protein and really help to balance out any feeding.

Once you have Step 1 & 2 down then you are ready for Step 3. Step 3 is pretty simple – stop eating refined carbs and eat more fruits and vegetables. Breads and pasta are metabolic nightmares for your body and are very calorie dense and nutrient poor. Simply cutting them out will do wonders for your energy levels and body composition.

So there you have it – the 1 2 3’s of good nutrition. Don’t try to implement all 3 steps at once as this is a good way to frustrate yourself. See where you currently are – if you don’t even eat 5 times a day then start by making a commitment to do that for the next 3 weeks. Once that is a habit move to Step 2 for 3 weeks and then to Step 3.

Trying to do too much too soon can sabotage even the best of intentions so don’t fall into that trap. One step at a time you will find your eating habits getting much better with minimal frustration.

-James Wilson-