Dos And Don'ts of Nutrition Coaching - Fitbudd

Raw Food Diet

The raw food diet is based on the idea that you should only eat raw, unprocessed foods. It can be tedious to adhere to if you don't have easy access to fresh, healthy, nutritious foods and ingredients.

Nutritionists praise and encourage the consumption of fresh produce and avoiding processed foods, but many say that this kind of diet is difficult to sustain in the long run as we are all surrounded by cooked and processed food.

This diet can also cause nutrient deficiencies as it is quite restrictive and might create an imbalance in your body.
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The Juice Cleanse Diet

Another popular fad is the liquid "detox" diet.

This diet is based on the idea that you can cleanse and detox your body by drinking only juice for a certain period of time. However, this diet is very low in calories and can leave you feeling fatigued and lightheaded, especially if your daily life and work activity requires physical activity.

This diet can be unhealthy, as it eliminates the key nutrients like high-quality protein and fiber from your diet.

The juice cleanse diet can also lead to weight gain when you resume eating solid food. Needless to say, such a liquid diet cannot become a sustainable diet plan.
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A Way Forward: Diet Sustainability Strategies

In fitness and nutrition, there is no cookie-cutter or one-size-fits-all approach. What works for some clients may not work for others.

That is why it is crucial to find a sustainable nutrition plan that fits your client’s lifestyle and individual needs.

This may take some trial and error, but it will be worth it in the long run!

There are a few key things to keep in mind when helping your clients find a sustainable nutrition plan.

Focusing on Whole Foods 

To maintain good health, the first step is to focus on increasing the intake of whole foods.

Whole foods are nutritious food because they are not processed or refined in any way. They are regarded to be healthier and more nutrient dense foods because they meet all of the body's nutritional needs.

Here are a few examples, all of which can be easily bought at your local supermarket.

• Grains – Wheat, whole grain rice, quinoa, bulgur wheat, oats, and barley.

• Nuts and seeds (not salted) – almonds, walnuts, peanuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds

• Beans and legumes – lentils, kidney beans, lima beans, split peas, chickpeas

• Fruits and vegetables – all of them!
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Make the Sustainable Nutrition Plan Achievable 

A sustainable nutrition plan will be "sustainable" if it is easily adaptable and achievable.

So your next step is to make sure that your clients' diet plans are realistic and achievable. Your clients should be able to stick with it for the long term.

There is no point in setting your clients up for failure by asking them to do something that is impossible and asking them to go on a diet that has too many restrictions.

There should always be a fine balance between healthy and enjoyable eating. Eating should be a pleasurable experience, so make sure that your clients are still enjoying their food even if it is healthy.

For example, if a client is accustomed to larger quantities, break down their meals into smaller portions. Suggest recipes that are tasty and contain essential nutrients. 

If someone has a habit of snacking or nibbling, before urging them to entirely stop snacking (which is more difficult and not sustainable for everyone), you can suggest low-fat snack foods.
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Look at the Overall Health

A nutritious diet certainly contains essential health benefits. But human health is also dependent on lifestyle and other activities.

The third step, therefore, is to encourage your clients to get active and exercise more!

An effective fitness plan with a proper exercise schedule and meal plans can have unparalleled health benefits. Eating the wrong foods can undo all of your hard work at the gym while eating the right ones can help boost your performance.

Exercise also improves the overall nutrition absorption by our body and the quality of life.
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