Happy Wednesday, Babes! Can you all believe we are well into November?! I can hear the jingle bells coming already…Yes, I am THAT person. I just like being jolly for more than 25 days, okay?! 😉 But really, where has 2018 gone? Before we know it we will be celebrating a new year! A little over a week ago I showed you guys on my Instagram Stories (@nickyschmaderer_fit) a few things that I like to prep for work and I posed the question if you all wanted to see a blog post on nutrition labels. Over 90% said YES to the question and I cannot be more stoked to discuss this topic! Nutrition labels made simple...more simple than you may think! It wasn’t until I truly understood nutrition and what I was eating that I felt happy in this lifestyle. When you know exactly what you are putting in your body, it gives your goals a chance.
My workout set is by Fabletics. You can find it HERE.
When I look at a nutrition label, there are three things that I am looking for; carbs, fat and protein. These are the “macros” that all those fitness peeps talk about! I eat a diet that consists of moderate protein, low fat, and moderate to high carbs. I would say my average day would be about 100g P, 40-50 F, and 200-250 C. Currently, I intuitively eat meaning I do not have specific numbers that I am trying to follow and I do not weigh my food. When I have a specific goal that I am trying to hit, then I definitely become more strict with my numbers. Finding your numbers takes time and discipline. I found my sweet spot when I worked with my last coach. We found that lower fat and higher carbs is what my body likes (and so do I!). If you are able, hiring a fitness coach to find your numbers would be beneficial. Especially if you are someone (like me!) who likes to be told what to do and eat. I struggle with telling myself what to do because my mind goes “Ehhhh, just add 10 more grams of carbs to that meal!” ;). If you are someone who is pretty darn disciplined, experiment! For a good week, track EVERYTHING that you consume. When I am strict with tracking, I use the UnderArmour My Fitness Pal App and I highly recommend it! Every food that I have ever used is in that app. You can even scan a food label to see if it is in the database…genius! Weigh and track your food to the best of your ability for a week and see where your totals end up. Do you tend to eat moderate or high protein? Moderate or high carbs? What you find may surprise you!
Nutrition Labels Made Simple
Image Courtesy of Google Images
Here is label I got off the internet (yay, Google). The main four things that I look at are fat, carb, protein content, and serving size. As shown, 55g is one serving size. This is what you would go off of when you are weighing your food.
Image Courtesy of Google Images
Above is a label for a medium apple. As you can see, an apple is made up of primarily carbohydrates (with some good fiber). An apple is great for a snack, but should not be considered a meal since it lacks protein and fat. For every meal, you should be reading multiple labels! Healthy foods generally are made up of one macronutrient, like chicken…its just protein with very little fat!
Here are some food items from my kitchen…
Salmon Burgers…mainly a protein source with the perfect amount of fat
Bagels…carb source with moderate protein
Riced veggies…another carb source but notice the label. You can eat the whole dang bag for just 44g of carbs!
I hope I was able to make this post as simple as I could! I always love educating and simplifying the lifestyle for you all and if you have any future suggestions for a post please let me know! I am here to serve YOU.
