Be Aware of What You Eat

Hey everybody! I hope y'all have been up and moving this week. If you haven't then get up and move today! Do something today for your health, even if it's small. A little something is always better than nothing at all. :)

I wanted to write a little about good eating. Eating healthy is so important to your overall health, well being, and how you feel. With so many chemicals, preservatives, processed foods, etc. on our grocery store shelves, it may feel like it's getting harder and harder to make healthy choces. But just remember these few tips. On a daily basis, you should be eating a proper balance of protien, good carbs, and healthy fat. Buy plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits. Eating veggies raw is obviously the best way to consume them to ensure you're getting the most bang for your buck as far as their nutritional value, but if you don't like raw, chop 'em up and saute' them in a little olive oil and fresh garlic. YUMM!! Buy lean cuts of meat, whether it be chicken (skinless), pork, beef, or turkey. Nuts are a good source of healthy fats as well as salmon and talapia. Natural/Organic peanut butter is also a good source of fat. Just try not to overdue it. PB is a tough one for me because it's so good. I have to watch my intake so I don't get too much of it. Good carbs would include fresh potatoes, sweet potatoes, brown rice, whole grain/whole wheat products, etc. And remember correct portion control is important! Protein portion should be the size of your open palm. Carb size should be the size of your fist.

Next time you go to the store, try picking up some of the foods that I've mentioned. Try to stay away from so many boxed/packaged sugary foods. Try to buy as many natural sources as you can. If you feel that you can't switch over to completely eating clean all at once, just start by trying to replace some of your meals with healthy ones. Do this for a few meals next week, then a few more the week after, and so on. Before you know it, you'll be eating clean, feeling better and will have a happier, healthier body!

It's Time to Move

It's time for the Corporate Body-for-LIFE Challenge 2011! I'm glad they decided to start it earlier this year because I was ready! I started a few weeks ago working out and eating clean but ended up with a sinus infection. I made the decision to see if my body could fight it off without having to put any antibiotics into my body. (I'm not recommending anyone do this...if you feel like you should go to your doc, by all means, go see them). It took 2 weeks of drinking lots of water, sniffing Ocean Nasal spray, and eating lots of oranges, but my body fought it off. But during this time, I wasn't working out since I was wanting to save energy to help my immune system gain strength. So glad to be done with that!

So this week I started the corporate BFL challenge with my employer. I have set pretty lofty goals for myself this time, all of which surpass my results from last year. One thing I'm planning to do different this time is making myself drink more water. I bought a refillable 32 oz. water bottle and a new pair of running shoes. Sometimes I find it helps to motivate me to get a fresh pair of workout shoes, new w/o pants, shorts, etc. Since starting the challenge on Monday, I've already been drinking more water daily and am hopeful that by doing this, it will enhance my results. A lot of sources say to drink a gallon a day of water. I'm up to drinking a little more than 1/2 gallon daily at this point. Might be a while before I can get to a gallon! That's a LOT of water. :)

For those who may wonder what the BFL workout plan looks like, in a nutshell, it consists of 3 days of weight training and 3 days of cardio. Alternating muscle groups in each w/o to give time for recovery. In weeks to come, I'll go further into detail and give specifics about my w/o routines as well as my eating plan.

This week's blog title is It's Time to Move. So what are you waiting for? Find some time everyday to get up and move! Take a walk or jog around the block. If it's too cold outside, head to the mall and walk around there! Just do something to get up and get moving! Do this consistently and your body will thank you.

Hope everyone has a great week!