So you signed up for this fitness challenge and have decided to start rolling on the ways to meet your goals. As someone with a strong nutrition background in my education, you may or may not agree with my nutrition philosophies that I have maintained steady for 20 years. I am not talking about my boring eating habits, but what I think about the word “Diet.” I think anything that alters you from a poor choice eating path is a positive thing, but that “diets” in general are a waste of time and energy. I remember my mom with the grapefruit diet, friends on the Atkins craze and all the nutty things I watched athletes do over the years. I have not eaten anything that walked the earth for 30 years, but not saying that is the key to your diet. And lord knows I have a family of carnivores. The bottom line is, anything that is not a permanent lifestyle change, will ultimately fail.

Here are my diet/nutrition secrets and philosophies – take them or leave them:

* No matter how great your metabolism was in your youth – it will change! Exercise and diet modification can help with some of that.
* If you consume a lot of one item – consume less of it! Example: If you have 4 cups of coffee a day – cut down to 3. I always work on this.
* Exercise! Yes – exercise and diet go hand in hand. Trust me – after a good run, the last thing I want is fried food. I would be more likely to go for fruit…may take some time to change – but it will happen.
* Get into an eating routine that pretty much works for you. I am a creature of habit and if I vary too much – I will gain weight just like any of us!
* Make better choices. Sounds way too simple to be secret! Keep healthy choices on hand so you can grab one instead of the unhealthy choice.
* Cut out daily regular soda intake. I kid you not – when I quit diet soda and did not change anything else – I lost my first 5 pounds! There is research out there on the reasons why.
* Don’t deny yourself anything you love. Just do it in moderation.
* If you must have sweets – do it sensibly. I love my chocolate pudding with cool whip!
* Smoothies!
* Drink lots of water.
* Do not let yourself get too hungry.
* Lots of fruits and vegetables.
* Have an eating cut off time. I try not to eat after 6, but that varies on workouts and family scheduling.
*** As for counting calories – never have – never will! Maybe you think that is crazy and against anything you ever believed. I make sensible choices is all. If in Smoothie King – I look for the lower calorie choices!

And of course, I am not running a popular TV show here or giving medical advice. This is just general advice but I hope it motivates you to make a change in your way of life. Also, you will need to schedule your food intake with your workout schedule. That is a routine you need to get comfortable with. And do not deny yourself food when you have a good workout, just don’t think you owe yourself a big treat every time you do it!

2 Replies to “Fitness Challenge Diet: #GeauxGetFit”

  1. i’m not one to enter races since i don’t run…but i do spin and do Xtend Barre. This combo has really done a lot for me, i’ve lost 10 pounds and feel much much better and plan on losing another 10! i am also planning on getting certified Xtend! 😀 And I’m hoping to start teaching spin again….

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