At this very moment, you are capable of achieving greatness.
Hold that thought, mull it over for moment, and now apply your newly acquired confidence to your attitude towards your diet.
Losing weight, building muscle, and increasing performance are fitness goals that may be earned step-by- excruciating-step in the gym or by pounding the pavement, but your potential for reaching a state of enlightened health is compromised if you fail to meet your body’s nutritional needs. By asking yourself in what ways your diet could improve and what aspects of your diet you are most proud of, you narrow down the possible changes that may make the difference between merely feeding yourself and truly nourishing your body, mind, and spirit.
Once you have considered both the pros and cons of your current diet, take the appropriate steps to build up excitement for the changes that will lead you to feeling and looking your best.
Step 1: Believe it
Put your doubts aside and convince yourself that you are making good decisions about your diet. You may feel confused by the ubiquitous flow of information regarding food choices, but trust that you are an intelligent person with your best interests at heart. No one knows your nutritional needs better than you do, so act like the expert you are and believe in your choices. When you eat, maintain this level of belief, sweeping aside fear and anxiety which may inhibit proper digestion.
Step 2: Improve one meal
Improving a meal may actually mean incorporating it into your day for those of you who skip breakfast or lunch and may overeat at dinner-time. Focus on the meal that you find to be most troublesome and make it into something fabulous without worrying about improving your entire diet. For example, if you know that late at night you feel hungry before bedtime, eat a few pieces of lean turkey and a handful of almonds to soothe yourself instead of eating the last two pieces of birthday cake. Placating your hunger while at the same time giving your body the nutrients it needs before you go to bed will not make you fat, it will stabilize your insulin levels and lead to a more restful sleep.
Step 3: Subscribe to a healthy food periodical
Who doesn’t like opening their mailbox to find a new magazine? Periodicals often contain the most current and relevant information pertaining to a particular topic and the information is delivered in a manner concise enough for most readers to quickly gain valuable tips and ideas. Additionally, recipes and corresponding photos make reading healthy food magazines a requirement for stimulating a current of excitement about eating well. Healthy food magazines such as Cooking Light, Eating Well, and Clean Eating also offer an array of health-related information regarding fitness and weight loss, menu planning, and new product ratings.
Step 4: Take a probiotic
The nutrients contained in food are only relevant to good health if your body is capable of using them. Poor lifestyle habits contribute to a less-than-optimal environment for the beneficial bacterial species in your intestinal tract to prosper and hence aid digestion, synthesize vitamins and nutrients, metabolize certain medications, and support the immune system. Probiotics, found in over-the-counter supplements or foods such as yogurt, kefir, natto, and kimchi, supply the body with a healthy dose of ‘good’ bacteria, thus increasing your odds of absorbing the nutrients from food and delivering these nutrients to cells.
Step 5: Trust your gut
There is a reason why we experience digestive problems when we feel stressed and overwhelmed. The neurons lining the ‘gut’ communicate directly with the brain, sending direct messages to our conscious thought when something seems off balance. Taking a moment to consider your food choices and being honest about your ‘gut feeling’ may help you to better choose both the amount and type of food that is best for your body. Only you can communicate directly with your gut to ensure that what you put in your mouth coincides with the common sense rules of healthy eating, so pay attention to your inner guide and trust that you have the right tools and information to nourish yourself.
Whether you are training for a 10k, recovering from an illness, or striving to fit into your favorite jeans, there is no clear path to optimal health and performance without cleaning up your diet. There are self-starters and there are those who feel they need additional social support, guidance, and education to achieve their nutritional goals, and if you identify with the latter camp, there are options available to you. In the Portland area, find nutritional counseling at Eat for Health, Root Whole Body, or find a local certified nutritionist/dietician at healthprofs.com.
Sources:
http://www.medicinenet.com/probiotics/article.htm
http://theconsciouslife.com/top-probiotic-foods.htm
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