Eating for Meaning
It was Hippocrates who said, “Let food by thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
The food and supplements we put into our bodies have a direct effect on our physique, mood, performance, energy, and mental activity. My training and nutrition philosophy is to “eat smart and train hard,” but in addition, you must eat and train for your function. Think of food as fuel for your function.
An endurance athlete has different nutritional needs than a bodybuilder just as a 65 year-old woman with osteoporosis has different nutritional needs than an expecting mother. One thing that we all have in common is the need to eat for optimal health.
Many people are aware of the basics. Vegetables are good; greasy cheeseburgers are bad. It’s not always easy sticking with the “good.” Healthy foods can seem bland and boring. Eating clean is a lifestyle; a lifestyle that can provide ample amounts of energy, beautiful skin, a lean toned body, and even an improved sex life.
I’ve discovered that knowing why the healthy clean foods we eat are beneficial, what they do for our overall health, and how they help us reach our most meaningful goals in life whether it’s related to athletic performance, improved health, or your dream body is an important factor in adherence to a clean eating lifestyle.
Let’s look at this clean meal as an example: Curry Turkey Burger topped with avocado over an Arugula salad with chopped red onion, cherry tomatoes, diced red pepper, and balsamic vinegar.
Breaking this meal down- Here’s what makes it beneficial:
Extra Lean ground turkey breast: Low in fat, high in protein. What this means for you: helps maintain and build lean muscle mass, speeds up metabolism, enhances efforts in the gym, recover faster
Garlic: Helps boost immunity due to its sulfur compound, allicin, which works to stave off harmful microbes. What this means for you: less sick days, more effective workouts.
Curry Powder: Main ingredient is tumeric, which contains the phytonutrient curcumin; rich in manganese, iron, and has anti-inflammatory properties. What this means for you: Studies have shown that tumeric may be beneficial for liver function, may help to prevent certain cancers and Alzheimer’s disease, may help promote joint health, speeds up healing so you recover faster from your workouts.
Cayenne Pepper: Contains the phytonutrient capsaicin, which can speed up metabolic rate. What this means for you: a faster metabolism and increased thermogenesis so you burn fat a faster rate helping you reach your physique goals.
Arugula (leafy greens): Rich in Vitamin A & K, important for bone health, low in calories. What this means for you: Fill up on leafy greens, and add volume to your meals so you eat more for fewer calories.
Tomatoes: Contain carotenoid phytonutrients such as lutein, zeaxanthin to protect your eyes, and lyocopene, which may help prevent certain cancers. Boosts immunity due to Vitamin C, protects cells from free radical damage. What this means for you: less free radical damage to your cells promotes overall better health and helps promote anti-aging. Keeps your skin beautiful with fewer wrinkles. Keep your eyes sharp so you can see how great you look!
Onion: Rich in the flavoniod phytonutrient quercetin, and rich in chromium. What this means for you: Quercetin has anti-inflammatory properties, which helps promote heart health. Studies have shown that it can also aid in endurance so you feel more energized for the long run during cardio. Chromium can help maintain balanced blood sugar levels, helping to reduce cravings and maintain energy levels.
Avocado: Rich in good fats; high in monounsaturated fat which promotes cardiovascular health, reduces bad cholesterol, helps keep you full for a longer period of time. What this means for you: Better heart health equals better workouts, which leads to more calories and fat burned.
Balsamic Vinegar: Vinegar can add flavor to your food and decrease appetite and cravings. What this means for you: Fewer urges to scour the cupboard for sweets.
Learning why the “good” foods we are encouraged to eat are beneficial can help you stick to a clean eating lifestyle. Not only will you be more likely to reach your goals, but you will also experience better overall health and energy.
Give eating a meaning!
Recipe for Curry Turkey Burgers:
Ingredients:
1 LB extra lean ground turkey breast
1 large egg
2 TSP curry powder
1 TSP cayenne pepper
1 minced garlic clove
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover baking pan with foil, spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Add raw egg, spices, minced garlic clove to raw meat. Fold in ingredients. Form 4 individual patties.
Place on baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Turning once.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information per serving:
136 calories. 28 g protein, 1 g carbohydrate, 2.5 g fat
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