More than 70 percent of domestic firefighters are overweight or obese, a rate slightly higher than the general population, according to a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The fire service is losing, on average, 50 firefighters every year in the line of duty from cardiovascular issues. As a fire service, we have to make changes to reduce these preventable deaths, and part of that involves proper nutritional intake and making better lifestyle choices to achieve a healthy lifestyle.
With this in mind, I offer five simple nutrition-related habits that can help you live a healthier life. The five habits, when followed, will naturally lead to improvement in calorie-control nutrient timing and food selection. In short, it’s about how many calories you are consuming versus burning each day, and how to consume the right nutrients at the right times to reach your goals.
1. Eat slowly
Let’s face it, we’ve all been at that point where we knew we didn’t need another serving of that amazing dish but went back anyway. And about 20 to 30 minutes after stuffing down that last bit of food, you feel so stuffed that you have to let a notch or two loose on your belt.
It takes around 20 minutes for the stomach to send the signal to the brain that you are full. If you slow the process of consuming the food, it will allow the stomach time to “catch up” and signal to the brain that you are full.
So how can you help yourself slow down? First, make sure you are seated. Standing or eating on the fly will not help the body’s process work when in a rush. Turn off distractions, such as TV, radio, the computer, phone, etc. Use the mealtime to chat with someone; this could be your significant other, a fellow firefighter or a friend. This will allow the stomach and brain to communicate better so you don’t overeat.
Further, take smaller bites and chew the food completely, really tasting it. Try putting the fork down after a few bites, and taking drinks more often to break up the eating. This will give your body that catch-up time it needs.
2. Eat protein-dense foods
This has been a controversial topic for many years. Some experts say it’s bad to eat protein with every meal, that it is somehow harmful. From my vantage point, however, the research is clear: In healthy individuals, a higher protein diet is safe. And not only is it safe, it may be the one thing that will help you achieve the best performance on the job.
Here’s a good rule of thumb for the types of protein to eat: The fewer legs on the protein source, the better (fish, chicken). Mix it up; don’t eat the same source of protein for every meal. For example, have a chicken breast in one sitting, a can of tuna (packed in water) in another and a London broil or top sirloin in another. With red meat, it’s best to consume the leanest cuts.
Portion size is also key. The ideal amount of protein equals about the size of the palm of your hand. On average, men should consume two portions (40–60 grams) per meal, while women should consume one portion (20–30 grams) per meal.
3. Eat vegetables with each meal
Vegetables are packed with micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) as well as important plant chemicals (phytochemicals) that are essential for optimal physiological functioning. Different phytochemicals are linked to different colored vegetables, so eating a variety of colored vegetables will mean that you’re ingesting a variety of different phytochemicals. And each phytochemical benefits your body in a different way, so it’s good to try and mix it up whenever you can. The different compounds are linked to the prevention of chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.
Vegetables are low in calories and can also help regulate overall food intake. Because vegetables have a low calorie value, you can consume a larger quantity of them without the higher calorie intake. It’s best to include at least two servings of vegetables with each meal. One serving is a half-cup of raw, chopped vegetables or 1 cup of raw, leafy vegetables. Ten servings of vegetables per day is ideal, but you’ll probably need some time to build up to that if it’s not a part of your daily routine.
4. For fat loss, eat majority of other carbohydrates after exercise
Want to eat breads, pasta, rice or sugary foods? You can, as long as you do two things. First, focus on the unprocessed varieties. Unprocessed carbs are carbohydrates that haven't been broken down or made into other foods. These complex carbohydrates and nutritious simple carbohydrates contain more fiber, vitamins and minerals than their processed counterparts, and typically have less of an impact on your blood sugar. Processed carbs, such as refined white flour and white sugar, have less fiber, and your body converts them into glucose quickly.
Some examples of unprocessed carbohydrates include whole grains, like brown rice, wheat berries, bulgur, steel cut oats, millet, buckwheat and quinoa. Fresh vegetables, fruits and legumes count as unprocessed carbohydrates as well, because their sugars break down more easily. When they're fresh or minimally altered, they contain fiber and a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Processing them into juices, jams, pies, candies and other foods typically removes the fiber and strips away the nutrients.
The second key to consuming carbs is to do so after exercise. Please note that this is NOT a low-carb “diet.” This is considered controlled carbohydrate intake. For fat loss, you should get most of your carbs from vegetables and fruit, with very little coming from sugary sources during exercise (like supplemental high-sugar sports drinks) and a small amount of starchy sources post-exercise (e.g., sweet potatoes, brown rice).
5. Eat healthy fats daily
About 30 percent of your daily intake should come from fat, with the optimal range between 20 and 40 percent. The most important number to consider is the total fat intake; it’s best to have one-third of each type of fat:
- Saturated: a type of single-bond animal or vegetable fat, as that found in butter, meat, egg yolks, and coconut or palm oil, that in humans tends to increase cholesterol levels in the blood.
- Monounsaturated: a class of fats that lack a hydrogen bond at one point on the carbon chain and is associated with a low cholesterol content of the blood relating to a class of vegetable oils, such as olive oil, the molecules of which have long chains of carbon atoms.
- Polyunsaturated: a class of animal and vegetable fats, the molecules of which consist of long carbon chains with many double bonds. Polyunsaturated compounds are less likely to be converted into cholesterol in the body. They are widely used in margarines and in the manufacture of paints and varnishes.
What is good nutrition?
Now that we’ve looked at these five habits, let’s tackle the overall concept of good nutrition.
Any good nutrition plan and healthy lifestyle approach must meet several important marks. First, it must properly control your energy balance. Think of this balance like a scale. A positive balance will lead to weight gain, as you are bringing in more calories than you are burning. A negative balance will lead to weight loss, as you are burning more calories than you are consuming. A neutral energy balance will lead to a stable weight, as you are bringing in the same number of calories that you are burning.
Second, a solid nutrition plan must be high in nutrient density. Put simply, this is the ratio of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, fiber, etc.) relative to the total calorie content of the food. Foods with a high nutrient density would contain a large amount of key nutrients (protein, iron, zinc, B vitamins, etc.) per 100 calories of food. High nutrient density foods include bright and deeply colored vegetables and fruits, high-fiber foods (e.g., spinach, brussel sprouts, almonds and raspberries), unprocessed grains (oats) and lean meats (loin or round red meat cuts and chicken). Low nutrient density foods/drinks include table sugar, soda/soft drinks, white flour and ice cream.
Calorie density is defined as the ratio of calories (which are merely units of potential energy in food) to the actual weight of food. So a food with high calorie density would have a lot of calories per 100 grams of food, while a food with a low calorie density would have fewer calories per 100 grams of food. High calorie density foods include cookies, crackers and bacon. Low calorie density foods include fresh vegetables, broth-based soups, fresh fruits and chicken breast.
At the end of the day, a solid nutrition plan will equally benefit three key categories:
- Health (overall, less medications, less diseases, lower medical cost)
- Body composition (move around better, look better)
- Performance (physically, on and off the job, mentally)
Where to start
In order to make that lifestyle change to start living a healthier life—not just within the fire service, but as a whole—you need to have realistic goals and obtainable outcomes. Nothing wrong with setting a large ultimate goal to strive for, but everyone should set smaller goals to work toward in pursuit of that large goal.
The nutritional aspect of living a healthy lifestyle is only half of the equation. Physical fitness of some type needs to be included as well. If you have just decided to make a lifestyle change and are taking part in physical fitness activities, the key is to find something you enjoy. It doesn’t have to be running mile after mile. Start out with something that will get your blood flowing and up and moving. Taking these small steps will help you in the long run.
Make that change, not just for yourself but for your family, coworkers, department and the citizens you serve as well.
