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Mary Client of the Week

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Nutrition Principles

When you eat, there are some very important things to keep in mind.  I’m not going to call them rules, because I don’t want to completely take the joy of eating for you.  It should be enjoyed, and you should never take that out of food. With that in mind, there are some principles below that you should follow, and the first one is the biggest one of all:  FOOD IS FUEL.

to stop.  The power over food is in your hands. 

Nutrition Principle #1 – Plan your Meals (So You Don’t Have to Think About Food!)

I can’t say it enough times, so I’m going to say it again: food is fuel!  You can enjoy it, but don’t waste your life thinking about it twenty-four hours a day.  Can you imagine if, after you’ve filled up your car and driven away, you kept thinking about the next time you got to go to the gas station?  It sounds ridiculous, but there isn’t a huge difference. When you’ve finished your meal, you shouldn’t have to think about food for three hours…until it’s time for your next meal.  

Even better than thinking about what you’re going to eat every three hours, create a meal plan.  Then you only have to think about it once. Also, don’t be afraid to be a little adventurous and try new, healthier foods…and make sure your meals are balanced.

At our camps, people often tell me that they dislike certain foods and want to eliminate them from their meals.  Oddly enough (sarcastic) these foods are usually fruits, vegetables and whole grains. It is no surprise that there is a strong correlation between picky eating and obesity⎯if all you want to eat is calorie-laden food that is bad for you, you’re going to have a whole lot of unnecessary fuel and a motor that doesn’t work very well.  To say that is a bad combination is putting it mildly.

If you’re unaware of what foods are out there for you, there is a list later in this chapter, as well as a ton of nutrition and cooking options and advice on fitclubtv.com⎯be sure to take full advantage of that, because to perform at your best, you need the best fuel!

Nutrition Principle #2 – Avoid Alcohol

Don’t freak out quite yet.  I’m not saying you must abstain completely from alcohol.  I have nothing against moderate drinking if a person is of age and not an alcoholic.  However, it’s best to avoid alcohol until you have developed solid, healthy eating habits.  Then you can get as hammered as you want. Kidding…like everything else…in moderation and responsibly. 

Alcohol has a unique effect on each person differently. Alcohol can have a 48-72 hour effect on metabolic process so in other words slows metabolism down so just having a glass of wine a day dan mean that you are working at a deficit in order of metabolism . 

Nutrition Principle #3 – Be Cautious in Restaurants 

I think we’re all well aware of the overeating dangers of fast food restaurants, but traditional restaurants may pose an even greater threat.  They are notorious (especially in America) for serving ridiculously large portions. When you get a hot, heaping plate of something delicious, the temptation is there to down the whole thing and say, “Well, they wouldn’t have given me all that food, if they didn’t want me to eat it.”  As I said earlier, it’s a good idea to ask for the “to go” box before you even start eating, put half (or more) in there and save it for yourself or someone else later. If that doesn’t work, remember back to being a teenager and pretend your mother is telling you to eat everything on your plate.  Then just say, “You don’t understandI, Mom! It’s my life! You can’t tell me what to do!” But don’t storm out of the restaurant without eating some of your meal and, of course, paying for it.

Nutrition Principle #4

No Cheat Days (Look at the Math!)

Rome wasn’t built in a day, but it could be destroyed in one.  Balance, moderation, and making good choices are habits that must be strengthened through repetition⎯one cheat day can offset all the “good” days. 

Some regimens allow people to take off one day per week and eat anything and everything they want.  This is a completely ludicrous approach. Eating right and making good choices is a habit, and habits always get stronger through repetition.  If someone were trying to quit smoking, you wouldn’t tell the person she could smoke a pack of cigarettes on Sunday and then quit again on Monday. That would be absurd.  it’s just as foolish to treat overeating this way. Also, if you overdo it during the weekend, you will be less likely to get back on your program when Monday rolls around.  Why? Because you’ve fallen out of the habit of thinking and acting in terms of balance and moderation. 

While some people think they can handle the “cheat day,” there’s a powerful reason against it that no one can refute⎯the numbers.

Imagine a cheater consuming an extra 5,000 calories on the binge day, throwing down some pancakes with butter and syrup, a big slice of chocolate cake, a half-pound burger with fries, a dozen cookies, a couple of pieces of fried chicken with mashed potatoes.  I know, all that stuff sounds really good, but let’s take a look at the impact of that feeding frenzy.

If you eat an extra 5,000 calories once a week for a month, you’ll put on about five pounds.  Five pounds from one cheat day per week! Do you know how much effort it requires to take off five pounds?  To lose five pounds, you’d have to walk 175 miles! (We burn about 100 calories walking a mile. There are 3,500 calories to lose or gain  one pound of fat , or 17,500 calories in five pounds.) There is no point to work against yourself this way. Keep the mindset of balance and moderation.  Before you know it, you’ll feel and look so good, you won’t want a cheat day!

You could have worked out everyday burning 500 calories a day and still be to the bad- 1500 Calories.

Nutrition Principle #5 – No One Food Is Right for You (And No One Food Is Wrong for You!)

Don’t make food the villain.  You are the hero because you can choose what you’re going to eat and how much.  Listen to your body and your taste buds. Your body will tell you want it wants to eat and what it needs.  Don’t complicate food⎯it’s fuel and sometimes it is entertainment, not something to be feared. 

THREE DAYS OF HEALTHY MEALS

You will find nearly endless healthy meal options on fitclubtv.com, but I’ve included three days here…just in case you haven’t signed up yet…which you should do immediately!

A quick note to allay any fear you might have⎯the recipes below as well as the recipes on Fit Club TV are merely options I’m giving you…delicious and healthy options, but just options.  I understand that you won’t always be at home, or have the time or access to prepare these meals, so Fit Club TV allows you to track meals you eat out.

Onto the recipes!

For more details click here to contact #1 Fitness Retreat in California
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