Food is Fuel

How many fad diets can you think of off the top of your head? Ready go!

I can name a few of the different diets that are out there... Keto, Paleo, Atkins, whole30, the cabbage soup diet (no thank you...) The point is, that there are a lot of different ones out there, but they all have one thing in common, they are a DIEit. Flip that around and you get IT DIE(s). Adding the "S" in there to attempt to be a little more grammatically correct. Meaning they are not sustainable, they will not allow you to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Sure you can drop weight fast, but what does that teach you about nutrition? How often do we hear of or see someone who goes on one of these diets, loses the weight, and then gains it all back?

Hey, all I am saying is you can't deprive yourself of good complex carbs for a long period of time and tell me that you still enjoy life...

Actually me when I don't have carbs for a day --->

My point is when it comes to nutrition I have learned that sustainability should come before anything. I have tried every diet under the sun and they did not last long. I was either hangry, unhappy, did not enjoy food, or too tired to even work out. Finding and listening to what your body needs is KEY! I go to the gym 6 days a week (on average) and usually am going pretty hard. So when I say I fuel my body, I FUEL MY BODY. Because contrary to popular belief, food is actually GOOD FOR YOU! (mind blowing I know). The thing that we have to focus on is, what food are we eating? Are we eating high sugar, unhealthy carb loaded, completely processed foods? Or are we fueling our bodies with good, wholesome, complex carbs, and foods that we can pronounce the ingredients on the back?

Shameless plug, I am an Herbalife distributor, consumer, and coach. These products are sustainable, high quality, and super tasty. The company literally has the word "life" in it because the products are meant to be used for LIFE. I have found something that works for me! Also side note, I love when people say that Herbalife people don't eat.... because trust me, we know how to EAT!

I enjoy food so much more now because I have learned that food is not my enemy, it is my fuel. Also because I have learned everything is good in moderation, simple as that. I started to get into macros because my body is not making the progress I desire for the amount of work I put in. Essentially I was too far in a calorie deficit that I was depriving myself (no wonder I was always hungry). This is where we have to listen to our bodies. I was under the belief that a huge calorie deficit was what would make me lose the weight, but my metabolism suffered because of it. I am in the "resetting" of my metabolism and getting it on track trying to reverse all of the damage I have done to it over the past years. I eat 1,900 calories a day, 159 grams of protein, 177 grams of carbs, and 64 grams of fat. Do I hit those numbers every single day exactly? NO. But I am darn close. And the best part... I feel full, I feel fueled, I feel GOOD!

I'm not saying you have to count macros (all though it's fun to me now), but I am saying LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! It usually will tell you what it needs. When you are hungry, eat! But make sure you are eating things that are beneficial to and loving towards your body. So, fruits, vegetables, lean protein, rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, etc.. don't subside that hunger with sugars, white breads, heavily processed foods.

Your body is dependent on your decisions in order to keep it healthy and keep up your level of quality of life. Imagine yourself fueled properly, eating well, moving daily, and just feeling great! How much would that change your attitude and outlook on life? How could it even better your relationships around you because people see you glowing and you are happy and healthy, and that attitude is attractive and something people want be around? Imagine that you have energy to do what you want to do on a daily basis!

Quality of life is so so important because we only get one life to live. I don't know about you but I want to go through life feeling incredible. Yeh, things that are out of our control are going to happen and there are going to be tough times. But I at least know that I can control how I am fueling and taking care of my body, and I intend to take care of it well.

Building a healthy lifestyle can be difficult at first, but worth it in the long run. We don't need to only eat 900 calories a day, kill ourselves twice a day in the gym, run with trash bags on (do people still do this?) We just need to learn what works for our body. What are we eating? What should we not be eating? I believe in the 80/20 rule. 80% nutrition and 20% fitness. IF you are busting your booty in the gym but going to get a BigMac afterwards, there might be the reason you are not seeing results, and why you don't feel better the next day.

Let's shift our mentality from food is the enemy, to food is fuel. And let's focus on how to fuel our bodies. Invest in yourself and take care of yourself, because no one will do it for you.

If you need help creating a healthy lifestyle please reach out. I am here to help!

Real is empowering.

XOXO- Kels