I’ve been sticking to the same kind of nutrient-dense diet for quite some time, and it’s really working for me. Sure, I get the occasional junk food in there, and the holidays are always hard on me, but overall, I’m eating great. The funny thing is that a lot of people judge my meals as being boring. They assume I’m sacrificing a lot in what I’m eating so that I can reach my physical goals. Not true!
A Nutrient-Dense Diet is Delicious!
I’ve never been one to be a slave to fad diets. Even when I’ve tested them out, I’ve always returned to my same nutrient-dense diet as always. It is made up of simple ingredients, but they’re also packed with flavor. Not only are they great for my body and leave me feeling good, but they taste good, too.
By choosing a nutrient-dense diet, my food is filling, satisfying, and doesn’t leave me feeling bloated or tired after meals. The funny thing is, I’m eating more like my granny always does than I ever have before. The reason it’s funny is that I always thought my gran had such boring meals! Turns out that she has been on to something.
I’ve Tried Fad Diets, But Don’t Need Them
I’ve tried a number of diets. I’ve tried Paleo, other high protein, high fat, or low-carb. I’ve tried various types of fasting. The thing is that they’re all short-term. I do them without the intention of keeping them up for long. Not only do I feel hungry or gassy or something else that I don’t want to feel (constipation, insomnia, and depression are among the fun side effects I’ve experienced), but I don’t get the results I want from my fitness routine.
At the same time, following a diet like that makes me frustrated. If I want to eat cheese or bread, I’m going to do it. I’ll just do it while balancing it in the bigger picture of the rest of my diet. Yes, there are days when I’ll eat a whole pizza. That said, for several days around it, I’ll treat myself with only a nutrient-dense diet so I don’t lose my progress.
What I Eat on a Nutrient-Dense Diet
The thing is, I eat just about everything. Nothing is completely out of bounds. However, on the average day, I pay attention to my calories (I keep them within a certain window, which is pretty wide), I try to make sure I get a pretty good macronutrient ratio, and I eat whole foods in lots of colors. I chop up tons of veg and toss it all in the same pan of olive oil to lightly sauté them as a side to my protein. For that I eat lots of chicken, turkey or cold water fish, among other things. I do eat beef, but lightly. I eat pork lightly, too. I use tons of herbs and spices, and it all tastes fantastic, if I do say so myself (okay, okay, Bree does a lot of the cooking, too…).