Have a plan when you eat
You are probably thinking that this is going to be about meal prepping but it’s actually not.
It’s more about what order you should eat your food when you are eating. It may sound strange but the order in which you eat your foods can have a profound effect on how your body responds in the way of digesting it.
Research has shown that the most that is affected is your after meal blood sugar. Other factors come into play as well but this what’s been studied the most.
What the research has shown is those who consume the protein dense foods first before the rest of the food have a lower blood sugar after. The conclusion to this effect is that protein digests the slowest out of any macronutrient so by consuming protein first, it slows down the absorption of rest of the meal and thus, minimizes the effect on blood sugar.
Personally, I follow this protocol for every meal but I structure it in a different way. Below is the hierarchy in which I consume my foods.
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Protein – this helps minimizing the effects on blood sugar for after the meal
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Fats – Fats are also slow digesting so this will further slow down absorption of other foods in the meal.
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Vegetables/Low-Glycemic foods – Vegetables are high in fiber which minimizes the production of the hormones including ghrelin that are responsible for telling you that you are hungry.
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Fruits -Although have high fiber, they are considered high glycemic but by this point, I’ve consumed foods that are both slowing down the absorption of the fruit so it won’t have a huge impact on blood sugar levels.
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Refined Carbohydrates(If any) – I always leave the least nutrient dense foods last because by this point, I’m feeling pretty full so there won’t be much room to consume the refined carbohydrates!
In my opinion, the whole food diet approach is the best approach to eating since it will ensure I eat adequate amounts of protein, healthy fats, and fruits/vegetables to meet all my nutrient needs on a daily basis with minimizing exposure to preservatives and other additives that are harmful. Of course, there is room for flexibility around holidays and special gatherings but its really about what you are consuming 80% of the time.
As always, if you have any questions that are fitness and health related, I’m here as a resource to help you get healthier!
Coach Evan
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