‘What’ you eat isn’t the only important aspect of nutrition!

The question of ‘what’ to eat for great health often gets the limelight in amongst the nutrition information we have at our fingertips. However, ‘when’ you eat and ‘how’ you eat are also important considerations if you want to feel great and maximize the benefits that you get from your food. Let’s take a look at these lesser-covered aspects of nutrition.

When you eat

1. Eat when you’re hungry, but before you’re starving. Try to listen to your body’s hunger cues. Eat when you feel hungry because this will help prevent the potential to overeat or grab for less healthy foods when you get to the point of ‘starving’.

2. Plan your meals and snacks around your activity levels. If you have an exercise session planned, aim to eat a meal or snack 1-2 hours beforehand. You’ll also need to consider having a meal or snack within 30 minutes of finishing your session. This will replace your energy stores and help your muscles repair. Don’t listen to generic advice such as “avoid carbs after 5pm”. If you’re doing evening exercise sessions your body is going to need something to keep you going! Always personalize your nutrition plan so it works for you.

3. Find a frequency of meals and snacks that suits you. There are endless nutrition theories ‘out there’ and with those come opinions and theories about how often you should eat. Some theories claim that ‘little and often’ is the way to go; others promote fasting and very infrequent eating. The most important thing is that you can learn to listen to your own body. Experiment and find out what works better for your own digestion, energy levels, mindset, and progress towards your goals.

How you eat

1. Eat slowly! It may take a while for your stomach to register that it has had enough. Ensure you chew thoroughly to help your meal digest, and take your time. It’s likely that you will end up eating less overall because you’ll realize you’ve eaten enough earlier on.

2. Stop before you’re really full. Stop when you’ve had enough but you don’t require a lie-down afterwards! Wait for 10 minutes after you’ve finished and check that you’ve had enough. If you find you want to eat again soon after you’ve finished, take a step back and look at ‘what’ you’re eating. Check that you’re getting quality protein, carbs and fat in at each meal.

3. Eat in a proper setting for food. Avoid eating on the run, and instead sit down at the table to enjoy meals. Enjoy conversation and connection rather than television at meal times. Eating in front of a computer screen or TV can easily lead to ‘mindless eating’. This is when you consume food without realizing it, and can tend to overeat more easily. Focus on being mindful and enjoying the experience of the meal.