42 | BOROMAG.COM | FEBRUARY 2015 BODY & SOUL the Correct Informatio n Story by Hayley Bridgewater I don’t know if this experience is universal, but in my circles it seems like inevitably a majority of conversations end up on the topic of food. More specifically, these are discussions about particular diet patterns, opinions, and beliefs. Friends, family, coworkers, even the local barista, almost everywhere I go someone will ask me about what I eat, how often, and why. And in turn, everyone has an opinion. “Should I eat several small meals or a few larger ones? No food after 8 p.m.? What do I think about Paleo? Have I tried a juice cleanse? Will I lose weight if I don’t eat any carbs? Meat? Dairy? Sugar?” The interesting thing about all of the diet talk we hear—and take part in—is that it rarely centers on nutrition. Seriously, when was the last time you heard someone concerned about protein, calcium, or iron needs? Do you think the average person really has an idea if they are getting enough B vitamins? Or in this city of fluorescent-lit cubicles, how many of us are aware if we are vitamin D deficient? In this day of fast technology and media, there is quite a bit of information out there, but people still remain pretty uninformed about nutrition. Perhaps they don’t know where to look, what to trust, or simply don’t have the time to wade through it all. Let’s say that we are able to locate reputable information—it still remains difficult to know what applies to each of us. For just as we as people are not all the same, our diet and nutrition needs are not all the same. People vary greatly in build, activity level, environment, genetics, and health concerns. It would be an amazing feat if someone were to come up with a ‘one size fits all’ diet plan. But that is not going to happen. So we might as well take it down to basics, start at the beginning; simplify what we understand about nutrition. Truth be told, there are some really great books and studies out there, but for those of you who don’t always have time to find a book and finish it—believe me, I’ve been there—I thought it might be a great idea to do some research and share with you some quality information in easy to digest—pardon the pun—format. Being that he teaches college nutrition classes, of course, I am going to ask my trainer for a podcast recommendation. He quickly threw out the name Dr. John Berardi, and I was on my way, ear buds in hand. Being the owner of Precision Nutrition, the world’s largest online nutrition education company, means you probably know your stuff—and after listening to hours of his talks and interviews, I can assure you that he is a smart dude with an impressive resume. But I think the true brilliance is in what does comes down to how the information is organized and presented. We all know that it is very difficult to make changes in our lives, especially when we’ve just managed to figure out a way to cram everything into the day. The idea of overhauling the way we eat seems like a quick way to throw a wrench into the gears. Dr. Berardi believes in breaking everything down to the simplest of steps, and very literally tackling one thing at a time. Building piece by piece until you’ve created this complete nutrition-minded lifestyle instead of just some diet plan you tried to put into place but wouldn’t stick. It is solid teaching, simply put, that incorporates human behavior patterns to aid in success. I have got to say, pretty much a thumbs up. He is a regular guest on popular nutrition podcasts: www.thefitcast.com www.fatburningman.com www.garagewarrior.com www.supernutritionacademy.com Vlog interviews and podcasts with Dr. John Berardi can be found en mass on www.youtube.com/user/PrecisionNutrition I am very aware that being able to live a vegan lifestyle is important in many communities including my own, so I didn’t want to leave those folks out. I will admit, I am not a vegan, and I am not at all educated in the specifics of the vegan lifestyle. I do however, have a handful of very close friends that not only live a strict vegan lifestyle, but are hardcore endurance athletes. They are continually concerned with getting the correct fuel and healthy nutrients needed to stay at peak performance. When I inquired about a podcast resource, all pointed me to No Meat Athlete Radio. After listening to a handful of episodes, I understand the appeal and can appreciate the way that it is presented, and even though I am not within the demographic, I am sure to give it a listen from time to time. If you are a plant-loving distance runner, triathlete, or endurance junkie, this might just be the podcast for you. No Meat Athlete Radio www.nomeatathlete.com/radio-archive/ Much of this information pretty much aligns with what I know to be true for me, and mirrors habits that I try to put into place every day. I am lucky to have grown up in a fairly athletic family with the mindset that food is fuel and you eat to perform. That isn’t to say that we all shouldn’t relax sometimes—we definitely should—but let’s face it, if you eat terrible, you feel terrible. I know that many of us have made some lofty goals for 2015, and if getting a better grasp on nutrition is one of them, I hope this helps.
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