Welcome to Volume 5 of F45 Training’s Fact or Fiction: Nutrition series, where we unpack common food and fitness claims and turn them into practical, evidence-informed guidance. With support from registered dietitian Ashleigh Kidd, each edition helps you better understand how to fuel your body, build sustainable habits and navigate Challenge with more confidence.
In this edition, we’re exploring whether meal prep has to mean eating the same foods every day, how to stay balanced at events and social gatherings, and why carbohydrates are an important source of fuel — not something to fear.
Let’s separate the nutrition myths from the habits that can genuinely support your goals.
“I have to meal prep and eat the same things to see results”
Fiction!
Satisfaction is so key when building health habits (it’s not realistic that you’ll want to eat the same foods over and over and over again forever). Learning to put together a meal that is balanced and satisfying will help prevent boredom and leave you feeling your best physically and mentally.
Something that I highly recommend is “meal prepping”. If you’re not someone who wants to prepare all your meals at once for the week, this is much more flexible option. It can look like prepping your foods for the week so that they are easy to grab and fix each day. i.e. washing and chopping your produce so that part is already done for you when it comes time to prepare your meal.
Including a variety of foods and also your favorite foods is one way to ensure that the health habits you’re building are as sustainable as your fitness routine.
Check out our guide to how to build a balanced and satisfying plate, and refer to our recipe library on the challenge app for recipe inspo!
“When you have fitness/health goals you should avoid events/gatherings to stay on track”
Fiction!
Here are four tips to keep in mind:
- Leading up to the event (or holiday), resist the urge to skip meals or restrict in anticipation of the event. Instead, eat how you normally would leading up to the event or holiday, aiming for balance at most meals (protein, fat, carb & fiber). When we restrict, we actually put those foods on a pedestal, and we’ll likely overeat or binge when we get around those foods again.
- Give yourself permission to eat your favorite foods at the event (and leave the ones you don’t care for!) Avoiding your favorite foods will again likely result in overeating them later. Remember, there are no good/bad foods. Eat, enjoy, and move on. It’s one meal at one event.
- Practice mindfulness: Asses your hunger before, during, and after your meal can help you to feel more in control. Remember that seconds will always be there. Once you’ve finished your meal, take 10-15 minutes and remove yourself from the dining area. If you’re still hungry, go get more, if you’re not, enjoy the rest of the event!
- Remember that the event isn’t just about the food. Try to focus on being present with your friends, family, or colleagues.
“The food you eat can affect your productivity levels”
Fact!
Our brain requires a constant stream of quality fuel to keep us energized, motivated, and focused throughout the day. However, the type of food we fuel our body with can either set us up for a productive day or leave us feeling groggy and unmotivated. In fact, the World Health Organization has noted that those who have adequate nutrition are more productive and therefore able to learn more efficiently (1). F45 Sport Nutritionist Kim Bowman highlights the key differences between foods that boost productivity and those that leave us in a brain fog.
How does the food we consume affect our work productivity?
The key to avoiding brain fog and midday fatigue is to consume quality foods that promote a healthy blood sugar balance. Glucose (blood sugar) is what provides us with constant energy, allowing us to perform everyday tasks efficiently while keeping the brain alert and focused. Foods vary in the amount of glucose they produce in the bloodstream, which plays a large role in how much energy we have and our ability to focus throughout the day.
Foods that hinder mental focus and productivity
Foods with a high glycemic index (GI) break down into glucose very quickly, causing an immediate spike in blood sugar and energy. However, the problem with these foods is that they do not supply a steady stream of energy—instead, they hinder our mental focus shortly after consuming them. These include all forms of processed and refined sugar-packed foods like cookies, crackers, breakfast cereals, and granola bars.
Foods that optimize mental focus and productivity
Nutrient-dense whole foods with a low glycemic index (GI) provide energy at a slower, steadier rate, which is key for optimizing focus and staying productive. These foods also naturally provide our body with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which boost brain health and optimize overall mental health. Additionally, foods that boost our digestive health are key to incorporate due to the strong link between our gut and our brain. By choosing gut-supporting foods (fermented foods) like Greek yogurt, kefir, fiber-rich vegetables, beans, lentils, and fresh fruit, we can optimize our gut microbiome. Ultimately, a healthy gut microbiome benefits the production of brain-supporting hormones to minimize feelings of stress and keep us feeling motivated and productive.
What are the best proteins, carbs, and fats for productivity?
Proteins
Oily fish such as salmon, tuna, halibut, and snapper are some of the best protein sources for brain health. They are rich in healthy fats, including omega-3 fatty acids, which are key for brain function and development. They also help to lower inflammatory markers in the body and protect the neurons in the brain from excessive inflammation. For vegans and vegetarians, nuts, seeds, beans, and lentils are great options for keeping blood sugars balanced while providing a quality source of protein to optimize mental focus.
Carbs
Whole grains with lots of dietary fiber, such as rolled oats, ezekiel bread, and quinoa, provide a slow release of glucose into the bloodstream for consistent energy. Additionally, fiber-rich fruits and vegetables will benefit gut health and stabilize blood sugars to optimize productivity.
Fats
Avocados, nuts, and seeds are all excellent sources of fat to support brain health. They are energy-dense but provide a quality source of fuel for our body to keep us feeling fuller for longer throughout the day while optimizing mental focus.
The simplest way to boost productivity is to incorporate quality whole foods into your diet on a regular basis while avoiding processed foods and refined sugar. The Mediterranean-style diet is one that has been positively recognized for its brain-boosting capability. The premise of this diet is to incorporate plenty of whole grains (brown rice, quinoa), lots of fruit and veggies, legumes, quality fats from plant-based oils (olive, avocado), and omega-3 rich fatty fish like salmon and tuna.
“Carbs aren’t good for you”
Fiction!
Every week we get a variation of this question/statement, and it’s understandable because of the misinformation all over the internet (and what a lot of us grew up learning!). Carbohydrates are absolutely essential for our bodies to function properly. They are our bodies main and preferred energy source.
When we cut out carbs there are possible risks and side effects like:
- Losing out on fiber, antioxidants, whole grains, and vitamins/minerals
- Increased fatigue
- Blood sugar imbalances
- Hanger (aka being hangry, yes this is a real thing!). Our mood is greatly affected when we don’t eat enough or any carbohydrates
- Weight cycling: when we cut out macronutrients (such as carbs), it’s not sustainable. So you’re left starting the diet cycle over and over again. This can effect our metabolism, hormone function, mental health, and increased risk of developing a chronic disease.
There are different kinds of carbs. Some are higher in fiber and keep you fuller longer, and might even have some protein. While others have less fiber and your body will use them faster. Both of these offer different nutrients and can fit into your daily life.
Rather than good/bad, I encourage you to look at carbs for what they are: fuel. Check our our guide to removing good and bad food labels to learn more.
Keep building your nutrition confidence with Volume 6 of F45 Training’s Fact or Fiction: Nutrition series, where registered dietitian Ashleigh Kidd explores sleep, bloating, sugar cravings and pre-workout fuel for strength training.
