I love playing detective and sitting down with clients and figuring out what their diet is missing, what they are consuming too much of and helping them shift their food and supplement intake to meet their goals. But when it comes to women, I can sit down, look at their 3-day diet record and over 90% of the time I see the same pattern. Athletes or non-athletes, most of these women fall short on the following nutrients: protein, heart-healthy fats, calcium, vitamin D and iron.
- Protein - why are women short on protein? Because many prefer carbohydrates, sweets and pre-packaged carb snacks. And I am right there with them. I’d rather eat good bread than poultry, meat, fish or a pseudo-meat product. But I know better. I know that too much carbohydrate at one meal is the surest route to falling asleep on my keyboard. And if I want to keep every ounce of muscle tissue I have and gain strength, protein at every meal is a must. Plus, protein keeps you full for a longer period of time. So what do you do if you tend to fall into the carbo-lovers category? Find protein foods you like and try new dishes. I know what protein-rich foods I like and I stick with them and keep them in my refrigerator and freezer. Plus, I consume good quantities of whey protein. Its convenient, portable and one of the best types for athletes or those women who are training.
- Fat - there seems to be some fat-phobia left over from the 90s or possibly the calorie-rationing theory at work here. Calorie -rationing (aka points rationing for those on Weight Watchers) works like this: “I have 200 calories I can eat at this snack so rather than blow it on a tiny serving of nuts, I’ll consume crackers or a bagel.” Skimp on fat and you’ll end up hungry with dry skin. Plus good fats are necessary for the absorption of fat soluble vitamins, hormone production, a healthy brain, heart, and keeping inflammation at bay. Nuts, seeds, nut butters, fatty fish, oils – are all great choices.
- Calcium & Vitamin D - take one look at my fridge and you’ll see dairy in every form possible – cheese, milk, yogurt, Greek yogurt… I have yet to hear a valid reason for skimping on dairy intake. Milk is basically the star of vitamin D (unless you want to bake in the sun without sunscreen – great recipe for bad skin). If you want calcium and vitamin D (and trust me, you do), consume milk, milk products fortified with vitamin D or whey shakes with D and calcium. If you don’t, go get your vitamin D tested asap (especially if your skin is dark, you use sunscreen or you are over the age of 60).
- Iron – Yes, leafy greens contain iron. So does my all time favorite cereal – cream of wheat. But, you won’t absorb much iron from plant foods, grains etc. (the iron is a different form than the kind in meat). If you like red meat, eat it once a week. If not, choose dark turkey or chicken every once in a while. If you are a vegetarian, (especially a vegan), load up on plant based sources of iron and get your iron checked the next time you go to the doctor.
I’m waiting for my next female client who breaks this pattern by consuming 20-30 grams of protein at a meal, isn’t fat phobic, consumes dairy and somehow, some way gets their iron .
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