Friday, August 13, 2010

Food as Fuel!

So you've found the right clothes, and shoe and even the perfect music to motivate you through your workout but before you hit the gym or the road, make sure you have the right fuel to keep your body going.

I came into health and fitness in stages.  It was a true evolution of weight loss using caloric reduction followed by exercise.   Today I maintain my weight watching my caloric intake and by healthy food choices that not only feed me but fuel me.

Not long ago I was a lot like most people that thought that if the scale said the right number then I was healthy and fit.  Soon I began to realize that I was feeling drained through my workouts and tired throughout the day.  It was at this point that I realized that I needed to start introducing more effective and efficient foods into my diet.  Foods that would sustain me throughout my entire day.

The world wide web has several sites where you can find an easy formula that will tell you what your healthy weight should be based on your height and age and the amounts of foods you should ingest based on your activity level.  I armed myself with this information and I stopped eating those easy, on-the-go breakfast bars and I started to eat actual foods like nuts, all grain breads, fresh fruits, lean proteins.  Before I knew it, I was still maintaining my ideal weight while feeling energetic.  I compromised nothing, except the extra sugars and sodium that came with what I perceived to be healthy and quick food solutions. 

The other benefit that came from adopting these new food choices was the overwhelming empowerment I felt.  Until this point food was something that either fed me or brought me some form of enjoyment.  Now food is a healthy and happy combination of those things but with an added bonus, that I can use it to build a better and healthier me!

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