Basic Nutrition Guidelines

I believe that there is such a thing as a nutritional blueprint. That we all need specific individual ratios of fat / carbs & proteins that are appropriate for our bodies, age, fitness level, and state of health.

There is a method called Metabolic Typing that helps us determine exactly what foods and at what ratio we need to be ingesting them. I have taken this course and have used this method for myself. Without going into details, since I had my twins 6 years ago I have had health struggles. There are many reasons for this however Metabolic Typing has helped me enormously!

Standing at almost 5'10 with a muscular build, I was over training and under eating.This is a partial result of my brief stint doing runway modeling and my own vanity insanity! Plus my genetic background demonstrated that I needed more protein and fats. (Both my uncle and my cousin held the 'Mr. Canada' title naturally!) I needed more calories just to maintain my athletic build.

Although I was eating well, I was not eating enough and needed to avoid some of my daily staples such as bananas, tomatoes and peppers. Following this diet helped me gain my energy back.

Most people eat too many refined carbs and drink sugary drinks. Don't get me started on show ground food!

Here are some basic guidelines.

Water consumption: Take your weight in lbs, divide it in two and this gives you the amount of oz you should be drinking a day. If it's hot or if you're doing a bit more activity -add some. Increase your intake gradually and you can also add a pinch of sea salt -- specially if you're worried about running to the washroom every 10 minutes! ** Drinking artificially sweetened soft drinks reduce kidney function by 30%.

Protein: You should have protein every time you eat. Everyone is different on the amount that they need so listen to your body's feedback. You should feel energized after eating. If you feel sluggish there is something wrong. You may have an intolerance or are not ingesting enough protein for your metabolic type. Always have a bit of carbs with your protein intake. 30% of the calories in protein are used for digestions. Protein keeps your blood sugar stable longer.

Carbs: There are many schools of thought here. Stay away from refined foods. If it doesn't look like how the Earth made it, stay away from it. If you can't pronounce the ingredients, stay away from it. Eat more vegetables than fruits, if you're eating grains make certain they are organic, non-processed, with no sugar added. Carbs are processed into sugars rapidly! We need them so if someone tells you to only eat protein-- don't do it. Too much protein, like not enough, can cause other health problems.

Fats: WE NEED FATS TO FUNCTION. I have a hard time with this low-fat craze. Forget the low-fat, use healthy fats and invest in your health. Good fats are avocados, olive oil (virgin, first cold-pressed, preferably organic), coconut oil, nuts (that are natural and then soaked overnight-- otherwise we do not digest them properly).
WE NEED SOME SATURATED FAT! Preferably from organic free range grass-fed animals.

Eat every 3 hours a combination of protein, carbs & fats. This will keep you at your best. When we are too hungry we make bad choices.

Yes, this sounds extreme however I would love to meet someone who is socially connected and doesn't know anyone who has suffered from obesity or cancer. If you are serious about being healthy and improving your performance, food is the first place you start.

EVERY MEAL IS A BUILDING BLOCK TO A HEALTHY FUTURE.

Wishing you health,
Isabelle