Food and your body

I'm not a nutritionist, just someone who loves food, wants to be healthy.... and I love reading.

I had gained some weight during November and December, who doesn't right? Two weeks ago is when I seriously got back into my regular routine. I was sick a few times with this crazy weather. Those freezing cold mornings didn't help because hiking thru the woods in the ice cold did not seem pleasing to me. Can we just go to the gym? No! because that morning cardio in the woods helps you in so many ways. Hiking thru the woods with no music in your ears, no cell phones, just you and your thoughts and your beautiful surroundings helps clear your head. Plus you also get a full body workout. You can walk or run, you still get the same workout. Your heart rate is still going up. Digging your heels into the ground trying to get up steep hills gets your heart rate up. You feel great at the end, ready to conquer the day with a clear head and positive thoughts. We got our cardio out of the way so we go to the gym at night to do weights. We went last night and worked out on the weights for 20 mins hard, I'm in so much pain right now. This morning I weighed myself and I had lost 8 lbs.and I didn't have to starve myself. Lifting weights builds muscle which burns fat and when you mix that with cardio you are building your body. And, don't forget to feed your muscles. Muscles are built in the kitchen.

Some people think that starving themselves and working out hard is the way to go OR working out hard and eating low fat, fat free, lean cuisines is going to help you get healthy. No. I have tried every diet fad and also exercised hard on stationary machines and ate fat free this or that and the results were slow and the only thing that I gained from it was I stopped smoking cigarettes but that only lasted 2 years. When I totally changed the way I saw food and learned about nutrition and what whole foods do for your body is when I finally saw fast healthy changes in my body and I want to continue on that path. The way I see everything is so different and fresh and this is why I write this blog, to share this with you guys. I ate good food and did not go to bed starving and I lost weight. After a very, very long hike I was so hungry and we made our famous tacos with brown rice and black beans on the side. I ate 3 chicken 3 beef tacos with real cheddar cheese, lettuce, homemade salsa, hot sauce and Greek Yogurt with brown rice and black beans and I lost a pound. Explain that? When you eat real food your body can process it. When you eat garbage your body cannot process it so it sticks on your body. So while you are only concerned with calories and fat, you are not reading what you are ingesting into your body. I have been doing this for a year now and I have never seen my hair and skin so healthy. You guys should give it at least 30 days and see how you feel. Try a small challenge at first: no sugar for a week, no fast food for a week, no fried food for a week. Anything.