Healthy Strong

Getting your body back - a primer. 

 Nutrition is the key factor for your life. What you put in your body for fuel will decide on the returns you get in the form of energy, concentration, mental well-being, everything. Food is like a drug, a very addictive drug. Your brain as well as your body will become accustomed to the way you eat, especially if you eat for pleasure. Once you decide that you want to take a step toward a healthy lifestyle - the key to success is the old phrase, "One Step at a Time". For anyone trying to accomplish anything big or small, this idea is paramount. Alcoholics and drug addicts repeat "One Day at a Time", because they are trying to accomplish a huge lifestyle change and only have the energy or ability to focus on one day. If addicts try to look forward to something in the future, they have a greater risk of relapsing into drug use, because the change is so enormous, their defenses are weakened. It really is no different when it comes to nutrition changes. Some folks may say that it is even harder to lose weight than to quick alcohol and drugs. This may be  a bit naive of an idea - but I get it - it's damn hard to do.

So, if you have just recently decided to change your nutritional lifestyle you have to create your own mantra. Most people need something to focus on, a photograph of how they want to look or something they wish to achieve by reaching their goals. I would suggest your goals are small, short-term and achievable. It is easier to drop 50 pounds when you are only striving for 5 at a time. You will often have to deal with plateaus and such which can discourage you at around the 35 pound mark. Then you may go drown your sorrows in a garbage plate(s).

I only wanted to make sure that it is understood that, as important exercise is, nutrition beats it hands down. get yourself on a good eating regimen.

Calories in vs Calories out. The math is simple and difficult.
Physics is the study of mathematical and physical laws that exist in the universe. Imagine your body is this universe and it controls the physics. The only problem is, everyone's body is an ever so slightly  different universe and so the rules are all slightly different. I cannot get into all of it right now - but metabolism (your universe) is the key to your body's math.

So you have to eat at a deficit to lose the weight (and you really need to lose fat and not weight)
But that is all the complicated mess for another day.

First step is changing your lifestyle and eating right. We will concentrate on the nitty gritty later.

Anyway....

Firstly eat only clean foods 90% of the time. One cheat meal per week if you really must.
The closer to nature the better.
The fewer the ingredients the better.
Microwave meals are loaded with sodium and other preservatives.
Fresh or frozen veggies only, canned stuff is pack with sodium and sugary syrups.
Try a 50% clean carbs - 25% Lean Protein - 25% Healthy fats (75% Monounsaturated fats - 17% Polyunsaturated fats - 8% saturated fats).
Eat loads and loads of leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables.
Some fruit is OK, but watch out for the Glycemic Index!

So this is what I am doing now..

Fitz