Food is your fuel

Why do people treat their material things better than they treat themselves? Our bodies are machines that need to be fueled in order to functional at it's potential. "Convenience" takes over in most people's minds are the reason why they don't fuel their bodies properly....but is an apple not just as convenient as a donut? Is exercising not as convenient as sitting on the couch and watching tv? It's time to stop making EXCUSES...you won't buy healthier foods because it's too expensive right? Are you adding up all the bills from various doctor visits too? Because the bottom line is...if you don't fuel your body properly, it will break down.

If you have ever eaten "healthier foods" you know how great you feel...stronger, more energetic, and more mentally aware. That is not to say you can't step outside of the nutritional box and enjoy yourself every once in a while...but you need to be on track 80-90% of the time (dependent upon your goals of course). If you have exercise-related goals, you will need the right foods to get you to the next level. There is a saying that abs are made in the kitchen...and it is 100% true. You can't out exercise a bad diet.

So what is classified as a "good" diet? No diet is right for everyone. You need to conduct a needs analysis on yourself and see what your goals are...obviously a diet for someone who wants to lose weight would be different than a diet for someone who wants to gain weight. You also need to look at a realistic time frame for your goal. A good place to start is to keep a food journal for a week. Are you obviously deficient in anything? (My guess would be protein and fiber) a
Are you over-snacking? Are you not eating enough?As always, if you don't know where to start, consult a professional! It may be an RD, a nutritionist, or someone in the fitness industry with nutrition knowledge.

Before you pick up that donut or drink that fruity alcoholic drink, ask yourself if it's worth it. Did
you just completely erase the workout you did earlier? Having a great workout doesn't mean you can eat crap after it! Not only did you just erase the work you put in, but you also failed to re-fuel your body with what it needs to repair itself. Fuel your body and see results!