Nutrition Basics

We talk a lot about transformation. About giving your body a chance to stand up against the onslaught of modern daily life. You know what it’s like to be in a rush, struggling to find time for yourself and your health.

We also believe in the famous saying that if you don’t find time for health and fitness, eventually you will have to find time for illness. When you do find time to eat healthy, the benefits are incredible.

You can give your body what it needs. It’s not hard to do, but it takes some knowledge and planning to pull it off. We would love to help you learn how to eat clean, so you can live a long and fulfilling life.

Check out the information here in the Nutrition section of our website. For starters, Nutrition Basics is a quick read that will help you understand the big picture. We also offer a free program called LiftOff that teaches you the basics of a lifetime healthy eating plan.

If you’re ready to learn all the details on healthy eating, take our 21 Day Healthy Habits Program. The UpLift trainers and Staff Nutritionist Christina Swigart developed this easy-to-follow course that walks you through everything you need to lose weight and feel great. It’s not a “diet.” It’s the way all people should eat, all the time.

Take what you learn in the 21 Day and use it for the rest of your life. One of our missions is to help more people discover that this is all it takes to prevent up to 70 percent of all illnesses – and to love what they see in the mirror.

To better health and a better life,

Jill Strand & Chris Radke, UpLift owners and trainers

Beautiful smiling woman and fresh fruits

Nutrition Basics

For our bodies to function properly and stay healthy, a nutritious diet is crucial.

Foods are made up of 6 classes of nutrients – macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fats), micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and water. If you don’t have the right combination of these 6 items, it’s hard to live a healthy lifestyle and achieve weight-loss goals.

Sound nutrition does amazing things. Get to a healthy weight and you also reduce risk of chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, some cancers, diabetes and even depression.

Protein

Protein provides the building blocks of muscle and helps release fat-burning hormones.

When you eat foods containing protein, they are broken down as amino acids. These amino acids are then used to build and repair muscle tissue. Every tissue in your body is made up of protein, so it’s important to consume enough throughout the day, to replenish it. Protein is also needed to help your immune and nervous systems.

Carbohydrates

Carbs have gotten a bad rap over the years. You need carbohydrates on a daily basis. They give you energy to function properly. When carbs are ingested, your pancreas releases a hormone called insulin. Insulin helps carbs be stored in the muscles or as fat. Stored carbs are known as glycogen. Glycogen is important to have in your body before working out. It is an energy supply that enables you to achieve better fat-loss results.

Carbs need to come first from vegetables, then fruit, then whole grains (such as quinoa, wild rice, brown rice, and sweet potatoes).

Fats

You need fat to burn fat. Stored fats are our main source of energy. They keep our body warm during cold weather and lubricate our joints. They also store fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K. And a big plus, fat stabilizes blood sugar and controls hunger.

The trick is understanding which fats do positive things. You want to have more polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, and limit saturated fats.

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals found in food are important, to function properly and allow chemical reactions to occur at a faster rate. Vegetables and fruits are very good sources of these. Shoot for 6 to 9 servings per day!

Water

Water is needed for our bodies to survive and is as important as any aspect of a healthy diet. It also acts as a detox and cleanse for your body. Getting enough water will help with weight loss, energy, digestive health, heart health, and even reduces cancer risk.

An easy formula to know if you are getting enough: half your body weight (in ounces), not to exceed 150 ounces. If you weigh 140 pounds, drink 70 ounces of water every day, or about 9, 8-ounce glasses. (64 ounces = 1 gallon.)