Back to Basics

I ran a talk yesterday for a few ladies from the Running Room and it brought me back to what the very beginning of nutrition basics are.  We all have the understanding of the rights and wrongs of eating but we find ourselves making excuses for why it's ok if we have the chips, or the cookie, or the wine.  One of my favourite quotes I have come across is "we eat to live, not live to eat".  To me this means that everything I put in my mouth should on some level do something to make my day better.  Will it give me energy, repair or rebuild my muscle, provide me with essential vitamins and minerals that my body doesn't make?  Think about how you feel when you eat a bunch of junk food in a day that the body can't use... note how sluggish and fatigued you are and how heavy your body seems.  Try a few days of eating only things that you know your body can use.  I gaurantee that you will feel infused with energy and your body will feel tighter.

Nutrition Tips to make these few days really work for you:

We are as woman supposed to eat 7-8 servings of fruit and vegetables a day, for men it is 8-10.  I believe that the best way to achieve this number is to make sure that every time you eat (hopefully 4-5 times in a day), that you consume at least one vibrantly coloured fruit or vegetable. 

WATER!!!  Women need 1.9 and  men need almost 3 litres of water a day.  If you have a hard time getting it in cut a lemon, lime or other citrus fruit into 6-8 slices.  Place one slice in a glass of water as the day progresses.  It is an easy way to count how much water you have drank by how many slices you have used and will also help you achieve one of your fruit servings for that day with the bonus of vitmain C from the citrus fruit (tis the season)!!

The last focus for this post is if you are currently eating anything that is white.  White bread, pasta or rice... make the switch.  The body responds very quickly with white products to eliminate the sugars that these foods put into your blood stream causing you to crash and feel tired.  Whole grain options are packed with fiber which allows the body to respond slower and keeps you feeling energized and full.  A huge benefit!!  I understand that the food does not taste the same but you only get one chance to live in the body you have and you might as well fuel it with the best option for maximum energy and longevity.

I ask you to implement these for a few days and really concentrate on what your body is telling you.  Give yourself the chance to feel less bloated and more energized... I bet you will like it !!