MPP Coach Newsroom
Handpicked articles, infographics, papers and industry reports from the most trusted sources, so you can find your own way to wellnes following the best advice possible.
Get cozy and enjoy your reading!
Show your veggies some love!
Do you find it difficult to incorporate vegetables into your meals? You'll hear me saying that, to achieve our nutrition goals, every meal should contain a portion of veggies adapted to our own needs... even breakfast!
Vegetables or legumes can be added to almost any savoury dish for extra nutrients and fibre. Add vegetables to enchiladas, pasta sauce, stews and casseroles.
To make a recipe vegetarian, you can often replace the meat. Try tofu in a stir-fry instead of chicken, or lentils in a wrap instead of shredded pork.
Here is an article by James Heathers, PhD and Jennifer Nickle, from Precision Nutrition, with tips on how to eat more greens.
"Regardless of where you’re starting [...] there is a simple formula you can use to make bitterness less intense, more palatable, and much more enjoyable."
Dig in!
On how walking in nature may help you reignite your training routine
There's no doubt about it: walking offers numerous health benefits to people of all ages and fitness levels. It improves your wellbeing in many ways, is free and easy and, most important of it all, we can scale it up and down to fit it into your daily exercise routine. And that's why I recommend it to (almost) everyone, from the client who is starting out exercising to the advanced athlete.
So, what's up with walking in nature? I introduced the concept of "deep health" in my Home page as the unique balance in six different but strongly connected areas of our health: physical, emotional, mental, environmental, existential and relational. Turns out that walking in nature in a mindful way, taking in all those sensations and being present on your walk, boosts every single one of those aspects in a subtle but effective way.
It may give you the nudge you need to get moving, having a ripple effect on your training routine, by helping you out to get back on track and enjoy your exercise routine once again.
Let's see why in the following article by Harvard Health Publishing.
Dust off your sneakers and head out to your closest place in nature!
Fun facts:
-Environments that promote use of active transport (walking, biking, and public transport use) are known as "active living environments".
-This study shows that "walkability is one of many built environment characteristics that should be considered when trying to understand the relative contribution of the built environment to a person's weight and overall health."
On how a kitchen makeover can change your relationship with food
“One of the best ways to make changes in your life is to change your environment. This then changes you”
— Robert Kiyosaki
Do you struggle with overeating? What would you say if I told you that a simple action as cleaning out your fridge, pantry, freezer, and other places where you stash food would have a huge impact on your overall health? By changing the environment you're limiting the choices, narrowing them down to the ones that most benefit your health.
On the other hand, it’s easy, and incredibly common, to underestimate how much we eat. Keep a detailed food journal for a week and you will be astonished by the results. The principle of energy balance applies, although, keep in mind this is not The Holy Grail for losing weight.
Finally, consider fasting for just 24 hours on a planned day, when you don't need to be at the top of your game. This will make you experience how hunger signals are not an emergency for your wellbeing.
Want to know more? Check out this article on these three strategies, written by Precision Nutrition's Julia Malacoff, Pn1, CPT.
When sticking to your dietary goals seems impossible
Most of us are well aware of the impact that the menstrual cycle can have on every day life. The hormonal changes we go through our menstrual cycle can have a major impact on our state of wellbeing. The dietary intakes vary significantly: one study shows that women tend to eat more food, especially carbohydrates, per day during the 10 days after we ovulate than during the 10 days before.
Another study shows that there's is "a significant decrease in women's weight during the peri-ovulatory phase, with a significant increase in caloric intake during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Divergent results have been reported by other authors and the physiopathology of these changes is still poorly understood."
We need to understand (and internalize) that there is nothing wrong if we experience some, or all, of these symptoms, that may lead us to a change in eating habits throughout our cycle. In fact, it presents us an opportunity to reevaluate how we label our food and the impact it has in our whole wellbeing.
If you're interested on the relationship between your menstrual cycle and sleep, check out the latest infographic from the National Sleep Foundation, which showcases how your period might affect your sleep — and what you can do to make sure you rest soundly during that time of the month.
To learn more about the influence of sleep on diet, check the article below.
Finally, read more about this topic on this phenomenal article , written by Helen Kollias, PhD, CSCS, for Girls Gone Strong.
Back To The Basics - Nutrition 101
I have a tendency to get ahead of myself and talk with my clients about macronutrients, micronutrients, supplements and other nutritional concepts. But not today!
Here is a clear approach to some of the most common misconceptions surrounding the basics of nutrition, written by Molly Galbraith, CSCS, co-founder of Girls Gone Strong.
If you're interested in learning the basics about carbs, dietary fat and protein, click the link and enjoy your reading.
