Category: Precision Nutrition

25 ways to eat well on the go.

23 Mar
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Game-changing tips to help you, or a client, stick to the plan.

By John Berardi, Ph.D.

Traveling for work? Going on vacation? Running your kids from soccer game to violin practice? Being away from home is one of the most common nutrition challenges I hear about. So I asked Precision Nutrition’s coaches for the tips and tricks they use to help clients eat well on the go. Below, 25 ways to stick to your plan, no matter where life takes you.

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The ideal:
You sit at the dining table and calmly, slowly, peacefully enjoy your food.

What really happens:
You lose track of time while finishing up one last work email, forget to eat, and then rush out the door to pick your son up from school so you can take him to rugby and then drive your daughter home after swim practice.

Somewhere in between:
A half-eaten KIND bar, a Granny Smith apple, and some cashews.

The truth is, life isn’t ideal for anyone. But you still have to eat. And you’re allowed to prioritize healthy eating even if you’re extremely busy.

Indeed, there are strategies for eating well even when you’re busy. And, in this infographic, I’ll share 25 awesome ones that’ll help you stick to your plan, no matter where life takes you.

Why you can’t stop overeating junk food. Plus 7 ways to get control.

23 Mar
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By Jennifer Broxterman, MSc, RD

Can’t resist the chips… the cookies… the ice cream? Actually, it’s normal to feel like you can’t stop overeating certain types of foods. Processed foods, in particular, are explicitly designed to be hyperpalatable and irresistible. Here’s how it works — and what to do about it.

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In the car… at your desk… with friends at a party… waiting for your partner at a bar… standing over the kitchen sink.

In our modern lives, it seems like there’s no context that’s not right for crunching on cheap, delicious junk food.

And how often do we keep the indulgence to one handful… a couple bites… just a taste? Once that package is open, most people end up eating more than they meant to. Much more.

There’s a reason this experience of losing control with processed food is so universal. The food industry has expertly created cheap, easily accessible products that our taste buds — and our brains — cannot resist.

By pairing perfectly-engineered, lab-created flavors with emotionally appealing marketing campaigns, food manufacturers devise products that make us feel powerless in the face of their tastiness.

They even take advantage of our evolutionary preferences for certain types of textures and flavors. Yup, our brains are actually hardwired to want more of these artificial concoctions.

And while this junk food might be delicious and fun to eat, there’s a big problem: It’s creating a vicious circle of cravings, guilt, and feeling out-of-control — not to mention poor health.

But here’s the good news: It is possible to beat the system.

In this infographic, we’ll explain exactly how manufacturers make junk food so irresistible, plus why we’re incredibly likely to overeat when faced with it. Then, we’ll outline 7 strategies to help you explore your relationship with processed food and take back control of your grocery cart, pantry, and eating habits.

For an even more in-depth look at junk food and how it leads to overeating, check out our accompanying article, “Manufactured Deliciousness: Why you can’t stop overeating (plus 3 strategies to get control).”

The power of sleep.

23 Mar
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Why sleep is so important, and how to get more of it.

By Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD, CSCS

If your eating and exercise are on point, but you still don’t feel or look the way you want, poor sleep may be to blame. Here’s how to tap into the power of sleep and make rest a daily priority.

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Struggling with your weight? Feeling bummed out? Sluggish during workouts? Or just sluggish in general? These are common complaints from new Precision Nutrition Coaching clients. And poor diet isn’t always to blame.

Everything from lucid thinking, to good decision making, to proper digestion, to high performance is heavily dependent on getting good quality sleep.

Unfortunately, more than a third of adults get fewer than 7 hours of sleep each night, the minimum needed to keep your risk of health problems in check.

And that’s not counting the millions of folks who likely over-estimate how much sleep they’re getting, or whose sleep quality is poor because of other, seemingly unrelated lifestyle factors.

In this infographic, we unpack early indicators that you’re not getting enough rest. Then we share exactly how to prep for the best night sleep, starting with when you wake up.

There you have it: Why sleep is so important, how to tell if you’re not getting enough, and how to engineer the perfect day for a great night’s rest.