I am feeling particularly blessed on this Tuesday. It definitely is not the cold rainy spring day. I feel happy, healthy, awake, energized, loved, and supported. Spin class is partially responsible for a few of those feelings, it was really awesome this morning when Derek came in with a map of Giro d'Italia stage 5 for our ride this morning [happening tomorrow in real time]. We followed the map of the stage as close as possible and it was a cool feeling of accomplishment that is hard to come by when you are sweating on a stationary bike. He may be one of the best spin instructors of all time, he better not go anywhere! Last night I received my sister's med school graduation announcement in the mail, I am SO PROUD of her. Very excited to spend Memorial Day in Chicago to celebrate her amazing accomplishments [and birthday!]. Friends and family are doing amazing things all around me and I feel very blessed to be part of their lives.
I am currently partaking in a 3 week weight loss challenge with two of my best friends from college. Just for the hell of it. This is what former track athletes do on their free time. Since I already workout like a crazy woman, I had to think about how I was going to be competitive. Obvious answer - diet overhaul [in addition to adding a couple of 30 min cardio sessions a week]. So the other problem is I also eat really healthy. Unfortunately/fortunately I can't just stop eating fast food and drinking pop and drop 10 lbs. My diet is already full of lean protein, veggies and fruit with the occasional complex carb. So I knew this was going to have to be more extreme. Solution? A bodybuilding fat loss diet. Four meals a day consisting of all lean protein [egg whites, chicken breast, white fish, tofu] and dark green veggies. You can sprinkle fruit and a complex carb here and there but very sparingly. No salt, no oil, no dairy, no nuts. You get the general idea. I may be a total weirdo for saying this...but I actually like it. You feel SO incredibly clean and healthy. Tomorrow is our second weigh in so I will see how the diet is working, I'm pretty excited [in a really dorky way].
The reason I bring this competition up is because I think it is really important for everyone to understand the influence of diet on your overall health, especially if you are looking to change your body in any way. Obviously I am passionate about exercise, but that only gets you 25% of the way there. You can exercise for 4 hours a day, but if you don't put the right foods in your body you will be stuck at a plateau...forever. I am a firm believer in putting the right kind of calories in your body. Programs like Weight Watchers encourage simply counting calories, and science suggests that as long as you burn more calories than you consume, you will be fine. I strive for more, I strive for clean, whole foods because in the long run I think that has a huge influence on your health. Nothing packaged, nothing processed, and I eat all organic foods. The standard visual I like to remember is to fill 1/2 your plate with dark green veggies, 1/4 with lean protein, and 1/4 with a complex carb [no bread, pasta, potato etc]. I tend to eat a bit more protein and less carb, but the optimal combination is different for everyone. I also stay away from gluten and dairy, most bodies don't digest these food groups well, so you are only doing yourself a favor.
One of my favorite phrases is 'it takes 2 weeks to create a habit'. Everyone has something they can do better when it comes to eating well. Do this one thing [or multiple things if you feel ambitious] continually for two weeks and I think you will see huge results. Always remember, food is fuel. Only in modern times has food become a leisure activity. We eat to live. Feed your body the best fuel possible, since you only have one shot. My current goal is to eliminate excess salt from my diet, pepper is my new best friend. Flavor with lemon or lime juice, or delicious spices. Salt is the primary cause of many health issues, so why tempt fate?
Next time you are looking to lose a couple of lbs or you just want to feel healthier and happier, look no further than your next meal. Exercise is fabulous for all aspects of your body, mind and soul, but diet can easily outweigh all the work you put in at the gym. If you need some advice on how to eat cleanly and healthy, check out books written by Jillian Michaels or Tosca Reno.
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