Being fit and healthy doesn’t have to be scary, strict and hard. Ballito-based coach Nick Robert specialises in sports medicine, dietetics, nutrition and correctional rehabilitation therapy. He shares some ‘golden nuggets’ of advice for sustainable healthy eating and training.
What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘diet’? Restriction. Monotonous routines. No enjoyment. Right? Well according to Nick, the founder of East Coast Transformations (ECT), this doesn’t have to be the case. “You can follow a consistent lifestyle structure that can still include your favourite foods and the odd glass of wine on the weekends.”
Here are his tips:
• Start by looking deeper in terms of your short-term and long-term goals. Why are you training? Is it for social enjoyment, physical improvement or overall health and wellness?
• The most important aspect when you transitioning into a new healthy environment is not to put too much pressure on yourself. Slowly transcend into the lifestyle that suits your goals and is customised around your life (kids, business, enjoyment and any medical issues).
• You will need commitment and discipline to move into this lifestyle, however, the minute you start seeing results, you won’t look back. You can never get tired of looking and feeling great.
• You’ll also experience a massive decrease in mental fatigue, anxiety and stress as training significantly tackles these very common issues in today’s society.
• Many people are confused and overwhelmed when it comes to knowing what and how much to eat. Yes, a deficit-based diet will drop body fat and weight, however it is not a sustainable lifestyle and often leads to feeling hungry, drained and exhausted.
• The goal is to be able to increase your metabolic capacity to enjoy more food, build muscle and lose significant body fat for both males and females. But it’s important to remember that this takes time and is also dependant on age and other (for example medical) issues.
• Our bodies all work differently and we are all unique, but it’s important to remember that the more we fuel the body, the better performance, stamina, energy and endurance we create and obtain.
• You can eat carbs ‘after hours’, if your body is absorbing efficiently and you are training regularly. The fad dieting concept of ‘no carbs after 2pm’ is inaccurate and can lead to negative long-term results.
• Don’t under-eat to get results. Find the foods you enjoy and comprise them into a daily diet that you feel does not bloat, yet gives you the energy to perform your daily needs and training routines.
• Enjoy the process! We are all human and we all make mistakes. See training as a part of your lifestyle. We will never eat at the exact times and will never be absolutely perfect with our diets, but following a daily plan means you are structuring change.
• Believe in yourself, step of out your comfort zone, eat different foods and, when you make mistakes, who cares? Get up and do better the next day!
Details: Nick Robert, ECT: 078 800 9345, [email protected], www.ectfit.co.za
