Healthy Nutrition Choices when Stressed - A Discussion with Milwaukee's Best Nutrition Coach

I had a chance to sit down with Coach C (Catherine Andersen), Milwaukee’s best Nutrition coach and owner of Achieve Personal Fitness, to discuss her approach to nutrition. Coach C is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to eating right.

We all know that we should be eating good healthy foods and, in general, most of know what those foods are. Why is it then, that we simply don’t? It comes down to a simple concept: we don’t have a plan. In order to succeed, you should create a plan and follow it. Think this is over-simplified? Read below for the key points or check out the full interview in video form.

The Meat and Potatoes:

You are only going to be able to be successful with making nutritional changes if you start by creating a manageable plan and then stick to it.

How do you set up your nutrition plans?

  1. Start by Making Lists.
    Take the time to make a list of all the healthy foods that you like. Your list categories should be: proteins (meat and non-meat), vegetables, fruits, starchy carbs, and fats (nuts, avocados, egg yolks, almond butter, peanut butter, etc)

  2. Make sure these foods are available in your house.
    They need to be readily available and convenient.

  3. Write down the plan.
    Decide on the number of meals and the number of snacks each day (e.g. 3 meals and 3 snacks). Then use your lists of healthy options to fill in the blanks. One example for optimal health would be this:

    • Meal 1 - protein, fat, starchy carb

    • Snack - protein & fruit OR fat & fruit

    • Meal 2 - protein, fat, veggies, small starchy carb

    • Snack - protein & veggie OR fat & veggie

    • Meal 3 - protein, fat, veggies

    • Snack - protein

  4. Start looking at serving sizes.
    Yes it matters what you eat BUT it also matters how much of it you eat. You can still be getting too many calories for your needs even eating healthy food. Some people find it easier to just clean up their food choices first. BUT, if that seems too daunting, maybe you just keep eating the same BUT start focusing on correct serving sizes. They BOTH matter. You need to get used to eating the right foods and start to examine how much of each you should be eating.

Need more Tips and Tricks? Here at the Gems from the Conversation:

  1. You can’t out-train bad nutrition.
    It doesn’t matter how much you workout if you’re eating terribly. The only segment of the population that can out-train bad nutrition are the 18-22 year old collegiate male athletes. If you aren’t in that group, you won’t be able to workout enough to make up for bad nutrition choices.

  2. Just start making one good choice at a time.
    You don’t need to completely revamp your nutrition plan all at once. Start by cleaning up one meal at a time. (Dr. Stephen’s friend’s favorite question: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time). Looking at the enormous task of revamping your nutrition plan can be overwhelming. Instead, start small and work your way through it one step at a time.

  3. You need a plan.
    See above! Everyone knows that they need to eat more healthfully but without a plan, it’s nearly impossible to make a long-term change. So make a plan, and then stick to it.

  4. It’s not about being perfect.
    When you have a treat, that’s ok! In fact, you should plan on it. If you plan on having the treat, then when you have it you haven’t fallen off the wagon. Instead, you did exactly what you were supposed to do… and then you continue on with the rest of your plan, which happens to be filled with healthy foods. Work your treats into your plan appropriately so that you can continue to be successful. (and watch the video to hear about the awesome flat tire analogy!)

  5. Drink Water.
    Yes, a gallon of water per day is good for you. Water is used in every metabolic process and you need enough of it to remain healthy. So keep a water bottle with you and start today. The eventual goal is a gallon per day but slowly increase your amount over a few weeks to get there. Track your progress along the way either by noting how you feel each day or by taking pictures. You’ll see a difference!

  6. Some foods can cause Inflammation.
    Poor food choices not only cause weight gain, but they can also contribute to pain.

    Certain foods are pro-inflammatory which cause pain - Sugar, Trans-fats, Refined Carbohydrates, Processed Meats

    Anti-Inflammatory foods include - Olive Oil, Leafy Greens (spinach, kale, swiss chard, collard greens), wild-caught fish, berries, colorful vegetables, herbs and spices.

    For more info on an anti-inflammatory diet check out this link for a resource from UW-Madison’s Integrative Health’s Group

Building a healthy nutrition plan is the best way to ensure success. Use the tips above and if you need any more help, we are here as a resource!

If you’d like to get in contact with Coach C:

AchievePersonalFitness.com
FitCoachC on Instagram
414-416-5873 by Text or Call

stephen sherman