Gourmet Coach is Making Precision Nutrition More Accessible
The unfortunate consensus among government and academic researchers is that American adults face remarkable food and nutrition challenges. In fact, more than 80% of Americans’ diets are low ins fruits, vegetables and dairy, per the USDA.
Precision nutrition, a newer field of nutrition research, hopes to change that. This personalized approach to nutrition focuses on cognitive behavior, or changing our thought processes and responses to a situation. Evan Vélez, a retired professional MMA fighter turned certified nutrition coach, is making precision nutrition more accessible through a new lifestyle coaching and prepared meal program focused on one a key element: sustainability.
The NASM-certified personal trainer and nutrition coach recently launched Gourmet Coach. In partnership with Related House Chef, Gourmet Coach is a prepared meal delivery service designed for those who want to take control of their health. It offers personalized lifestyle coaching and education on your nutritional needs, plus easy-to-prepare meals that incorporate universal nutrition principles.
Evan Vélez of Gourmet Coach
“When I was living a performance-based lifestyle, everything had to do with a strictly structured workout routines and regimented nutrition," Evan explained. "There was a date, there was a weigh-in, then something to tackle, and it was usually temporary. After retirement, the biggest transition working for my clients was, how could I use some of these strategies that were helpful from a behavior standpoint to achieve my goals, yet make it more sustainable."
Evan continued, "My job isn’t to turn the current life you are living upside down. It's about how we can sprinkle in some healthier choices, building value around those healthier choices so that they mean something. And my clients can follow the coaching consistently do over time.”
So, what are some of these universal nutrition principles we may have forgotten?
"Every person is individual and unique, so training programs and nutrition should be unique...but in general there is some foundational principles that we should be following that we were never taught," Evan said.
"For example, every plate in front of you should have all three macronutrients (a protein, carb and healthy fat), because all three of those macronutrients have a specific benefit you can't get from the others," he noted. "Another principle is you want to eat the rainbow. Make sure you have a colorful plate because similar to the macronutrients, each color of the rainbow provides its own phytonutrients. If you're only eating green vegetables, your'e not getting the benefit of vitamins and minerals that come with red, yellow or purple ones."
In addition to delivering nutritionally rich meals, Gourmet Coach wants to give clients the know-how to make empowered decisions on their own.
"One of the things I find is that most people are not eating enough protein," Evan said. "Protein is what allows us to recover our muscles, especially if you are on a fitness program. If you are not getting enough protein, you’re not recovering between workouts or meals. Protein is what fuels the lean muscle mass in our body. So if you'd like to lose weight or become leaner, it is important to have a high protein diet because the more muscle you have on our body, the more efficiently your metabolism works. You will be surprised how much more effective you can be at accomplishing your goals if you add a bit more protein to your diet."
Keep reading for a few more tips from Gourmet Coach on foods you should keep in your fridge year-round.
Hibiscus Tea: Keep this concentrate in your fridge and add a couple of tablespoons to your ice water. Hibiscus concentrate is packed with antioxidants, may help lower blood fat levels, may boost liver health and improve liver steatosis. It’s high in polyphenols, which are compounds that have been shown to possess powerful anti-cancer properties.
Carrots: This root vegetable is often claimed to be the perfect health food, beause it’s a particularly good source of beta carotene, fiber, vitamin K1, potassium, and antioxidants. Carrots are a weight-loss-friendly food and have been linked to lower cholesterol levels and improved eye health & their carotene antioxidants have been linked to a reduced risk of cancer.
Tofu: It contains several anti-inflammatory, antioxidant phytochemicals. Remember, the more inflammation you have in your body, the harder it is to lose weight or gain lean muscle, making it an obstacle on your fitness journey. Chronic inflammation also hinders important systems like your digestive track and immune system. As a complete protein source, it has a well-balanced amino acid profile in addition to fiber, potassium, magnesium, iron, copper and manganese. You’ll find it in a number of Gourmet Coach-approved, gourmet meals.
Are you ready to give Gourmet Coach a spin? Learn more about the program’s philosophy here.
The Related Life is written and produced by the Related Life Editorial Team. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest events, news and announcements in your area, and tag us for a chance to be featured @therelatedlife and #therelatedlife.