Weekly Recap 2: Nutrition Bingo

Day 8: Get 8 hours of sleep

I try to go to bed pretty early on a regular basis. For this day, I prioritized winding down before bed. This included turning off my phone over an hour before falling asleep as well as drinking a small glass of tart cherry juice. Tart cherry juice can help the body produce more melatonin to help fall asleep faster and stay asleep. Sleep is so important for the body and brain to recover. Not getting enough sleep can lead to a weaker immune system, impair cognitive function, worsen mood, and lead to sore muscles for longer periods of time. Your body needs sleep to function properly during the day so prioritize it!

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Day 9: Mindful eating

Unfortunately, in this day and age, screens are everywhere and they distract us from everything. It has become so common to eat in front of a screen whether it is in front of the TV or mindlessly scrolling on a phone. We have lost the ability to really focus on how the body is feeling when we are eating. Because of this, people tend to overeat and don’t realize they are overly full until it is too late. During this meal, I had no choice but to listen to my body. I was able to take it slow with each bite and learn when I was still hungry and when I was getting full. This time can also be spent with family or friends to just be able to talk to each other. Take the time to step back and be aware of your body and your hunger cues. 

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Day 10: Try a new fruit

For my new fruit, I tried a persimmon. I’ve heard of them but have never actually tried them before. They kind of look like tomatoes but have a sweeter taste. Persimmons have tannins, which are compounds that cause drying of the mouth by binding with proteins in the saliva. So basically it made my mouth feel really weird and dry. This was definitely a weird experience but I enjoyed trying something new. I am going to try to cook the remaining fruit in a meal to give it a full chance. I can’t wait to try a new vegetable and protein. You never know if you don’t like something you’ve never tried.

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Day 11: Meal prep for the next day

I have to be out of the house pretty early in the morning and eating breakfast is a huge priority for me. Meal prepping is the easiest way to get a full, balanced breakfast without sacrificing a few extra minutes of sleep (because that’s just as important). This week, I made several servings of protein pancakes with different toppings to keep it interesting. This included chocolate chips and strawberries, blueberries and yogurt, and banana and peanut butter. Pancakes can absolutely be a balanced breakfast if done right (adding protein, fats, and fiber) and they are so easy to prepare ahead of time. 

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Day 12: Eat a green vegetable

I love green vegetables. They are full of so many vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. My favorite would have to be broccoli. My green veggie meal was gnocchi and broccoli in homemade pesto (made from spinach and basil so that makes this a 3 green veggie meal). If you think green vegetables aren’t your thing, try cooking them a different way. Roasting vegetables makes them nice and crispy. Blending them into a sauce or smoothie adds the nutrients without the taste. Adding them into a dish with a sauce makes them taste like that sauce. There are so many ways to get those veggies in. No excuses!

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Day 13: Make a meal using whole ingredients 

For dinner I made chicken breast with roasted potatoes and broccoli. This is my favorite easy staple meal. I like to cook a protein, carb and veggie all separately to make portioning everything out easy. There is nothing wrong with eating foods that are processed but the majority of our diets should be whole foods. These foods are packed with nutrients that help decrease the risk of disease, reduce inflammation, and help with digestion. Not sure if something is a whole food? Look at the ingredients list. If it only has one thing on there, it’s a whole food. If it doesn’t have an ingredients list (mostly fruits and vegetables), that’s a whole food too! 

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Day 14: Go on a walk 

I did another walk on my walking pad because it was pouring rain all day. I did 45 minutes this time. Reminder from last week all of the great benefits of walking: it helps regulate stress, helps with recovery from a workout, is good for the heart, bones and joints, and helps enhance sleep quality. Struggling to get your steps in? Park at the back of the parking lot at the store, do an extra lap down the aisle at the grocery store, do a lap around the office before sitting back down after going to the bathroom. Throwing in a few extra steps here and there can really add up by the end of the day. 

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2 weeks down! We are halfway through nutrition bingo!

2 weeks to go. We got this!

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Til Next Week!

Nate