What are Exchanges?
Even if you are familiar with CorePerform, there may be some tools you didn’t realize we had to offer. We want to highlight one of those in this post: Exchanges.
You may have tracked macronutrients (that’s proteins, carbohydrates and fats) in the past. Maybe it worked great for you, but you’re tired of the counting and measuring. Or maybe counting macros always seemed overwhelming and you’ve never tried it but would like to have a better understanding of how much your body really needs and how what you’re eating matches up with that. Enter exchanges.
Exchanges are a way to generally understand the amount of macronutrients and calories in our foods without weighing or measuring. We will be honest, just like anything worthwhile, it takes a bit of initial effort to understand and the get comfortable with. But once you have done that (guided by your supportive CorePerform coach) it is a very sustainable way to make healthy choices and maintain a healthy weight.
How Do Exchanges Work?
So how does it work? In The Exchange System, foods of similar macronutrient make-up are grouped into six categories: starches, proteins, fats, vegetables, fruits and dairy. Within each category, different foods are listed and a serving size is assigned to it. For example, in the starches category one serving may constitute 1 slice of bread or ¾ cup of unsweetened ready to eat cereal. One serving will be set equal to a defined calorie and macronutrient amount, such as one serving equals 80 calories, 15 g carbohydrate, 0-1 g fat and 3 g protein. One serving equals one exchange.
When you follow The Exchange System, you will have given amounts of exchanges assigned to you based on your individual nutrient needs. As an example, you may have two starch, one protein, two veggie, one fruit, one fat and one dairy exchange available for a given meal. Then, given the example above, you could choose two slices of bread for your two starch exchanges, as one slice of bread equals one starch exchange.
Why CorePerform for Exchanges?
We mentioned that The Exchange System can be a less complicated way to understand your nutrient needs and what you choose. However, being that it still involves measured amounts, such as cups or ounces, how exactly is it less complicated or not “measured?” Well, the system, like anything, takes some getting familiar with. You might find it helpful to measure at first so you get an idea of what a serving is of the foods you eat the most, and as time goes on you get comfortable knowing what amount constitutes a serving and what that looks like on your plate.
We at CorePerform take our clients’ wellness, both physical and mental, to heart. With that in mind, we continue to provide a strong tool kit of options to support gut health and performance goals that aren’t provided by any other coaching protocols available online.
If you are ready to learn more about exchanges and learn to make healthy food choices without all the measuring, reach out to us and get started today.
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How to Start Tracking Exchanges