At this time of year especially there’s a lot of talk about Health and Fitness Challenges! Far from being a fad, or one time only deal, we truly believe that a Health & Fitness Challenge can not only produce amazing results in that period of time, but also create some lifelong habits that will exponentially increase the quality and length of your years on earth. Where we all agree that there isn’t enough knowledge though, is around the nutrition aspect. Coaches, trainers, physio’s, nutritionists, and any health practitioner that actually has a clue what’s going on, will all tell you that unless you start getting the food right, all that physical effort you’re putting in won’t achieve anywhere near as much as it could. So we sat down with nutrition expert Katie Larkin from 2 Thrive Holistic Nutrition and got the low down on why what you eat, is going to be the key to your challenge success.

Q: Let’s start with the basics - why does what I eat throughout this challenge matter?

Optimal nutrition is essential for all of our bodily functions - All Of Them. What you put into your body, is literally what your body becomes made up of - when your cells regenerate, they’re doing it with the energy and nutrients you provide them, so it makes sense that the better the nutrients, the better the new cells. Think of it like a car - you can tell the difference in performance when you fill it with E10, versus Premium Unleaded. Best Fuel = Best Performance. Need more:

• The capability to build muscle is reliant on the consumption of protein. The better the protein, the better the muscle.
• Vitamins such as vitamin B1 support the conversion of carbohydrates into energy, rather than into fat.
• Antioxidants manage oxidative stress that is a by-product of exercise, thus preventing overstimulation of our stress response which can lead to fat storage.

And what’s the best way to get protein, nutrient rich carbohydrates, and antioxidants into your system? Food!

Q: How will I feel by switching to a more nutrient rich, fresh food diet?

Eating well balanced, portion managed, and not-full-of-processed-sh*t meals during your 10-week challenge will support your energy levels, and thus motivation towards health goals. You’ll be putting so much amazing fuel into your body that you’ll notice increases in energy levels, better sleep, elevated moods for longer periods of time, and even healthier skin!

I get that this can all be a little overwhelming - they don’t exactly teach us much about what ‘healthy eating’ actually means in school - however when we have convenient and insanely healthy (not to mention delicious!) options like Nourish’d, we can take away the added stress surrounding ‘good’ meal preparation. This will free you up to focus on sticking to your physical regime. Fuelling your body adequately during this challenge is the best way to support the physical work you are doing!

Q. What results can I expect to see?

Initial results when physical exercise is combined with a healthy balanced diet often include (but are not limited to) increased energy, hormonal balance, improved digestion, lowered stress and anxiety, improved immunity (less infections) and weight changes.

Q. These all sound amazing - but let’s not skirt around the SCI part of the challenge. Why is nutrition important specifically for those living with a spinal cord injury?

After spinal cord injury (SCI) changes occur to bowel function, skin elasticity, metabolic rate, nerve conduction and bladder function. Not to mention that medications commonly prescribed in SCI increase the loss of vital nutrients. All of this only increases the demand for good nutrition! Eating a balanced, nutrient dense, diet can support digestive function, mental health, energy levels and lower the risk of further complications commonly associated with SCI.

Want to learn more about how you can access chef-prepared meals delivered to your door through your NDIS or iCare Plan? Give our specialist team a call today on 0434 878 004 or Email Us Here! If you are wanting to utilise a nutrition expert for more details you can find Katie here!