Sustainable 60: Nutrition Fundamentals

When it comes to a "healthy diet" we are all used to hearing things about eating a colorful plate, eating a variety of whole foods, and eating your fruits and vegetables. However, that "healthy diet" we all know we should have, is mainly marketed as some basic nutrition principles to live by rather than a fool-proof strategy to support health and reach your goals.

Here at LET, we believe wholeheartedly the secret to nutrition strategy is found in the basics. It starts with these principles:

1. Adequate protein

     * .8 grams per kg of body weight is the technical goal (or more if you weight train), but generally speaking if you have at least 1 palm-sized portion of protein at each meal and eat 3 meals per day, you'll likely be getting this amount without all the measuring!

2. Get a variety of colorful, plant-based, whole foods each day.

     * Doing so will ensure you're getting a variety of vitamins, minerals, and fiber in your diet. Vitamins and minerals are considered "micronutrients" and they aren't often talked about when it comes to goals such as getting lean, toning up, or losing weight. However, they are CRUCIAL for things like hormones, inflammation, and all bodily functions.

3. Pair your foods together as often as you can!

     * By pairing carbs, fat, protein, and fiber (in the form of a vegetable or fruit) together, not only can you optimize digestion and absorption of the foods that you eat, but you also manage your blood sugar which is one of the most beneficial things for your health. The body is always trying to maintain balance on a chemical level, and it can't do so if our blood sugar, micronutrients, and digestion are constantly out of whack.

So for the duration of the 60 day challenge, we aim to help you get REALLY good at these basic principles through challenging you on ONE habit:

Have at least 1 serving (using the hand-size portion method) of a protein, fat, carb, and fiber in the form of a vegetable or fruit at each meal you eat.