Nutrition is as important as exercise for healthy weight loss… if not more!

Exercise is crucial for long term weight & body composition management but it’s nutrition that is
the essential element to reach your healthy weight, as food plays a vital role on our fitness.
Healthy eating habits are the best way to improve overall health by reducing risks of diseases
related to unhealthy weight gains. In fact, healthy eating habits would contribute to 80% of
healthy weight maintenance (Genes 10%, exercise 10%).

Healthy food intake means more than making the right choices and should always be a key
component of any training program. This way you will lose fat while maintaining/gaining muscles
and increasing your metabolism for durable results.

A key tip when it comes to food is CHOICES:

1) To choose the right quality food:
• to drink 3-6 liters of water per day (~30ml/kg of weight),
• to eat preferably raw or lightly cooked vegetables (3-6+/day), and 2-4 fruits/day
• to eat lean protein: plant protein (legumes, nuts, seeds) and animal protein (unprocessed
or lightly processed) – (1-2/day)
• to include healthy fats in your diet (Ratio 1:3 Omega 3: Omega 6) ~6g/day
• to incorporate superfoods
• to reduce or eliminate processed foods and to eliminate refined sugar

2) To have a balanced diet:
• to eat 5-6 smaller meals a day instead of 3 big meals
• to reduce alcohol & coffee consumption
• to eat the right thing at the right time of day – Before, during and after exercise, for
breakfast/ lunch/snacks/diner
• read the food labels to make sure you get the maximum nutrients – general rule is the
less amount of ingredients, the better the choice!
• to include all macro-nutrients in every meal,

3) To control portions:
• Drinks, cereals, soups, fresh fruits, salads, casseroles : 1 cup/250ml
• Pasta, rice, beans, potatoes, cooked vegetables: ½ cup/125ml
• Beef, pork, poultry, fish: 3 ounces/85g
• Peanut butter, sour cream, cream cheese: 1 tbsp/15ml
• Butter, margarine, mayonnaise, oil : 1 tsp/5ml