Gold's Gym Saipan

Rut-Busting Nutrition Tips

A dozen smart, simple ways to overhaul your diet.

A well-balanced diet is the essential foundation necessary to reach your health and fitness goals. Adam Friedman, a Gold’s Gym Fitness Institute trainer, is quick to point out how large a role your diet plays in your health. “Everyone’s body is different,” says Friedman, “but on average, diet accounts for somewhere between 70% to 80% of a person’s overall health and fitness.” Luckily, with Friedman’s help, improving your diet doesn’t have to be an all-consuming undertaking. Here are a dozen of his top tips for making smart, simple food choices throughout the day. While Friedman points out that “there’re no set rules that apply to everyone,” these everyday tips offer healthy alternatives to common nutritional pitfalls.

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Eat the whole fruit, not just the juice

Fruit juices are high in sugar; so instead of drinking juice with breakfast, eat a piece of fruit. You’ll 

Make it an open-face sandwich

Bread, particularly those made with processed flours, can be high in calories and sugar. Removing one piece of bread from your sandwich is an easy way to make lunch a little healthier.

Make your own dessert, island-style

Frozen coconut milk makes a great replacement for ice cream. You’ll still enjoy the rich, cold, creamy taste, but your body will thank you for skipping the added sugars.

Vary your veggies

Foods like kale and avocado are having a cultural moment. Both make terrific additions to a meal, but it’s never a good idea to consume one vegetable exclusively. Balance your nutritional profile by eating an assortment of them.

Use the right oil

Vegetable oils are high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fat, which, when consumed in large quantities, can be deleterious to your health. Cook with coconut or grapeseed oil, instead.

Snack better

Eating healthy doesn’t mean giving up snacking altogether, but it does mean avoiding processed foods that are high in fat and sugar, like chips and candy. Instead, try pairing apples with any nut butter (some good ones are almond and walnut).

Ditch the piña colada

Mixed drinks that include fruit juice, while tasty, are often high in sugar. For a healthier choice, try mixing liquor with water or club soda. Or keep it classy and order a scotch—neat.

Graze throughout the day

Instead of three large meals, try eating smaller meals whenever you feel hungry. This is a good way to avoid overeating and will also help you maintain a consistent blood sugar level, instead of spiking after a big meal.

Get a food scale

Especially if you’re just beginning to monitor your diet, a food scale can be an invaluable ally. Weigh out single servings of food to help control your portion size.

Write it down

Keeping a food journal is a great way to fact-check your eating habits to see when you’re reaching for unhealthy foods or snacking too often. In addition to recording what you eat, jot down how you feel after each meal. Over time, this can help you decide what foods are best for your body.

Buy a glucose monitor

Test your blood sugar before a meal, then test it again two hours after eating. This way you can figure out if certain foods cause your blood sugar to spike, which will help you learn how your body reacts to different kinds of foods. Information like that helps you gain greater precision in constructing your optimal diet.

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