“There can be no progress, no achievement, without sacrifice, and a man’s worldly success will be in the measure that he sacrifices.”
-James Allen
When it comes to making changes in any aspect of life, for it to work we must sacrifice something. For example, if we want to ensure we get up early every morning and go to the gym we therefore must sacrifice staying up late and watching our favourite show.
And this certainly applies to our nutrition and specific goals that you may have. Be it body composition, performance or health, it won’t just be achieved by doing nothing. Now this does not mean you have to avoid all the foods you love or completely stop drinking alcohol. But instead, can you consider the trade-offs and sacrifices you can make?
For example, this week I’m only going to drink alcohol one night instead of two or I’m only having four drinks instead of eight. Or I’m only getting one takeaway this week instead of three and I will cook the rest of my meals at home. Therefore, you’re making small sacrifices and sustainable change that will contribute to helping you achieve your overall goals.
So, the question is not what are you willing to do but what are you willing to sacrifice?
Random nutrition fact of the week:
Our brain requires 120g of glucose (carbohydrates) per day to function optimally. Think of it no different to a car needing a constant top-up with petrol or diesel. Our brain requires this same fuel as the source of carbohydrates. So, what do 120g carbs look like?
- 6-7 medium potatoes
- 6 slices bread
- 1 ½ packets of microwavable rice
- 200g oats
Nutrition tip of the week:
With last week being stop food waste day, I thought it would be worth sharing some tips to help combat against this, (and save you some €€).
Approximately 1/3 of the food produced worldwide is not consumed and as a result end ups going to waste. So here are some ways you can help avoid food waste:
- Check the best before & use by dates. Best before dates don’t necessarily mean the food is gone out of date, so use your taste and smell before deciding to throw it out!
- Ensure you’re storing food as instructed i.e. does it need to be frozen, refrigerated or left at room temperature?
- Plan your meals before doing your shopping to avoid purchasing food you don’t intend on eating
- Create a compost bin at home – which could be used in your garden, or use vegetables to create broths, juices, smoothies etc
- Fruit and veg don’t always have to be “pretty”, so don’t just throw them out due to them looking misshapen – they could potentially be perfectly fine to consume!
- Freeze leftover meals for later use
- Share any food you don’t want with neighbours, friends or family members. Or check to see if there are any charities or food banks willing to take unwanted foods.
So, what difference do you think you could make?
Performance:
Check out our post from last week!
This week’s simple swaps: Use code ABNUTRITION for 25% off at performnutrition.com!