Before I was a health coach, I tried out a lot of nutrition advice. But after awhile, it felt like everything I saw or read was trying to convince me to focus on something different…

“Calories in vs. calories out is all that matters”   “Strict Paleo is the best way to lose weight”   “Eating meat is bad for you”   “Keto is the only way to become a fat-burning machine…”

Ugggh. It’s no wonder I didn’t even know where to start. And I meet a lot of people these days that feel similarly.

But through education and experience, I’ve found that the process of changing one’s diet can really be condensed into one simple idea:

Quality before quantity.

Ah, doesn’t that feel a whole lot easier?

Now there’s a case to be made for quantity first. But for most people, I believe this is the simplest nutritional path that will lead you to not only look your best but also feel your best.

But let’s not stop there. When it comes to nutrition, application is half (ok 90%) the battle, so let’s break this idea into two simple steps.

“High quality” food includes pretty much anything without added preservatives, sweeteners, or unnatural ingredients. Think fresh fruits and veggies, nuts and seeds, wild-caught fish, grass-fed and organic meats, and healthy oils like coconut and olive oil.

So yeah, high-quality food basically includes all Paleo foods. But I think it can also include other non-Paleo choices that are unprocessed (or very minimally processed) and still have nutritional value like organic dairy, oatmeal, rice, and quinoa.

And, if I’m being honest here, the real key to this step is getting comfortable in the kitchen. It’s really the only way to ensure solid food quality on the regular.

So if you’re not already eating fresh, high-quality food most of the time, then make your #1 focus developing the basic cooking skills and habits to incorporate more of these foods into your diet — consistently.

(Yes, even before worrying about carbs and calories and gluten.)

Once you’ve cleaned up food quality for meals and snacks at least 75%ish of the time, then move on to Step 2.

By “quantity,” I’m talking about numbers and portion sizes like calories and grams of macronutrients (i.e. protein, carbs and fat).

Sure, counting calories while you’re still eating lots of processed food can certainly help you lose weight. But the people I see that focus on cleaning up the quality of their diet first have a much higher rate of long-term success.

They also create the foundational habits needed to be consistent enough to then count their macros and calories if they choose to.

So first, assess. Look at what and how much you’re eating now. How do you feel? How’s your hunger and energy throughout the day? Are you recovering from your workouts? Do you need to add food to give your body a break from dieting?

From there, make adjustments and assess again.

Of course, the quantity side of this is highly individualized. The ideal amount of carbs, protein, and fat is different for everyone.

If you need help dialing in the quantities that are right for you (or you’re feeling stuck on Step 1) I highly recommend finding support.

Nutrition has too big of an impact on our lives to stay stuck and struggling for long.

These two steps are exactly what I help my one-on-one clients with. I’ve also created a group program called The Paleoish Challenge that’s all about helping you make progress with Step 1 in a fun, actionable way.

The next program kicks off October 22nd. You can go to ThePaleoishChallenge.com to find out more and sign up.

And if you’ve got questions or confusion around your own food quality or quantity, feel free to email me and I’ll help however I can!

To your evolution,

Hanna