I’m a Level 1 Eater, Now What?
Congrats! You’ve decided to take your eating habits, lifestyle, and health to another level! Whatever your reason for wanting to be a better version of yourself, we at PP support it and want to see you thrive. You’ve probably looked at our What Level Eater Are You? article and feel confident you are a Level 1 eater. So, what do you do now?
What we have found works best with our Level 1 eaters is to work on the basic habits that will allow you to succeed. I also have a little secret for you… being a habit driven eater who does the small things right consistently is the fastest way to move on to level 2 or 3!
Which habits? That will depend on you, but here are some common Level 1 Habits we recommend:
- Limit mindless eating and snacking -- BE PRESENT! When was the last time you were eating and actually took the time to think about what you were doing? We know for busy people this is tough. There are emails to answer, people to text, dog videos on IG to watch… we get it. The next time you eat, try putting the phone down or turn off the TV and just focus on eating. You’ll find that you are more likely to feel full and eating with attention will limit you from eating random foods that add up quickly to divert you from your goals
- Eat slower – see above. Most people rush through their food to get onto the next task at hand. Eating slowly will allow you to feel your natural “fullness” and will help prevent you from overeating. Your goal is to stop eating when you feel about 80% full.
- Don’t miss meals – We’ll get more into the 4 Components of a Perfect Meal should look like, but for now, just worry about eating every few hours. Understanding when you feel hungry is important and noticing that is also good. Don’t wait until you are starving and try not to go for too long without eating as that can also be negative for some people.
- Clean out your junk food from your house, apartment, barracks, or dorm – this step will help you with your habit building. Long time nutrition coach and Precision Nutrition coach John Berardi has famously made it his first rule; “If a food is in your possession or located in your residence, either you, someone you love, or someone you marginally tolerate will eventually eat it. In other words, keep only food or drinks that you should actually consume.” So, limit what’s in your house to limit temptation.
- Drink less soda and more water – to piggy-back off the last one, when you are purging the pantry, cabinets, under the bed, etc. go ahead and get rid of the soda too. These extra calories and sugar can lead to big problems long term and we want to limit them as much as possible. There are some good low calorie and low sugar options out there.
Starting with some or all of these basic tasks will allow you to slowly improve your daily habits and long-term health. Check out the Level 2 Eaters article to see long term goals and how their habits are similar to yours, just building on top of the great habits you’re forming now. Just work on small improvements daily and be consistent. You’ve got this!
FAQ’s –
- Can I progress from one level to another?
- Of course! As you improve your cooking skills, nutritional knowledge and maturity, and your compliance it is possible to improve and move up levels. Some people also have times when they need to go down a level because of life, work, or other circumstances and that is another easy fix.
- Is there anything wrong with being Level 1?
NO! Make sure to read our “What Level Eater Are You?” article which explains how we are looking to meet you where you where you currently are and show you how to improve with small daily habits and tasks. Many of our athletes and clients are extremely successful Level 1 eaters who become better versions of themselves.
Want to figure out your level and then have someone meet you where you currently struggle to start building great habits and skills to be successful? Click Here to talk with our Powell Performance staff.