17 Aug
Nutrition

NUTRITION AND FITNESS: THE ULTIMATE FRENEMIES

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Nutrition and fitness are like best friends that don’t get along aka frenemies!!! The two go hand in hand but how many of us struggle with being successful in the gym and the kitchen at the same time?

I know I do!!

What I find most frustrating about leading a healthy lifestyle is the imbalance between the effect that nutrition and fitness have on the body. If I could just choose one to focus on, I would choose fitness. Unfortunately, you really can’t have one without the other and on top of that nutrition holds more influence on weight maintenance.

It feels like my mind and body are never on the same page. I can go hard in the gym but then go home and eat junk OR I can eat clean as a whistle but can’t convince myself to go to the gym. I’ll run a good two miles, do some strength training, be feeling myself, and literally my next thought is… “You deserve some fries!” Like why must I be this way???? LOL. I just want to be healthy AND eat pizza, French fries, and fruit snacks! I basically want to have my cake and eat it too!

That’s honestly why I want to learn more about nutrition. I know I struggle with balance in my diet, but I figure the more knowledge I have and the more research I do, the eazier it will be to form a balanced nutrition plan that I can actually stick with and enjoy!

Keep reading to see the approaches I recommend and use when trying to find an ideal diet.

1. FIND A NUTRITION GUIDE.

Find someone who knows more about nutrition than you do! If you’ve been struggling and you haven’t asked for help, it’s time. There is nothing wrong with getting advice from a professional.

I stumbled upon a Nutrition Coach when I signed up for a meal delivery service. I’m learning that I don’t know what I don’t know and instead of hoping that I’ll figure it out eventually, I’m going to ask!

2. APPROACH TRAINING YOUR MIND THE SAME WAY YOU TRAIN YOUR BODY.

Eating is just as mental as exercise. Working out requires intentionality and intensity and so does eating healthy.

I’ve found it’s a lot easier to stay on track if I set an intention for my nutrition goals and then hype myself up with each meal. What do I mean by “hype myself up?” Take the same phrases you tell yourself at the gym and insert a food/nutrition word. For example: GYM PHRASE – ” You did good sis, that workout was fire!!” FOOD VERSION – “You did good sis, that meal was fire!!” It might sound or feel silly, but it’s really just a way to give yourself positive feedback and make you want to do it again.

3. IDENTIFY HEALTHY FOOD THAT TASTES GOOD.

Some “healthy” food just tastes nasty. It’s literally a fact. It’s like someone made a rule that if it’s super healthy, it has to be bland and disgusting. Fortunately as the market and demand for healthy snacks and meals continues to grow, the recipes and ingredients are improving.

I like going to Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods to try the new new snacks and products on the market. I also get cooking ideas from content creators on Instagram and Pinterest.

4. MAINTAIN BALANCE.

The key is finding what works for you! What is the ratio that keeps you happy but doesn’t hinder your healthy lifestyle goals?

I think mine is probably 70:30. I’m definitely not an 80:20 person. I can consistently eat clean Monday through Friday afternoon, but Friday evening through Sunday afternoon I want to eat what I want to eat. The key is not to do it in excess.

If you’re a foodie like I am, the struggle is real trying to balance a healthy diet, your love for food and your dedication to fitness. Trust me, I get it!!!! I’ve said this often and I will say it again. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. If you can come up with a plan to help you stay on track it will be that much eazier! If you have any tips or tricks you use, drop them in the comments! Also, if you try my approaches, let me know what you think and stay tuned for my journey with a Nutrition Coach!!

22 Jan
Nutrition

energySPARK

•BLUF: Energy is the strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity. It is never created nor destroyed, but merely transformed from one type to another. So why is it, the older I get, the less energy i feel I have?

Between workdays and workouts, a boost of energy is essential to my quality of life. Unfortunately, overdosing on caffeine isn’t the healthiest option. 

•Some years back, one of my best friends @steph.beauchamp introduced me to a product called Spark. We were in college, attending classes during the week, working and partying on the weekends, and we had just decided to take our workouts up a notch. I was feeling low on energy so Steph fixed me an ice cold glass of Mango Spark. Within 20 minutes I had forgotten that i was feeling tired in the first place. It’s not that feeling you get when you take preworkout. You don’t itch, your heart doesn’t race, you simply feel boosted as though you just woke up from 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Now i like to take mine midday right before i begin to feel exhaustion kick in.

•I’ve listed a few of the ingredients below and highlighted some of their benefits.

Vitamin A, C, E Thiamine-enables the body to use carbohydrates as energy. Riboflavin – helps break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Plays a vital role in maintaining the body’s energy supply. Vitamins B6, B12, pantothenic acid (B5), – B vitamins have a direct impact on energy levels, brain function, and cell metabolism. Caffeine – 120 mg ( a little more than 1 cup ofCoffee). Inositol

•Honestly, I think the key to increasing energy is changing your diet. Nutrition is everything, but it’s an uphill battle and in the meantime a healthy supplement is what I’ve chosen to help me get through. @Advocare’s Spark product has been my go to for years now. My favorite flavors are grape and fruit punch. 
Spark is largely sold through advocare distributors. I’ll leave my link at the bottom of the blog. But if you’re looking for an easier way to obtain it’s sold on Amazon!! 

Everyone could use a little Spark! 😏 WWW.ADVOCARE.COM

02 Jul
Nutrition

ADAPT and ZEN!

●BLUF: Stress is real. GT’s has created a tea that may have the ability to help the body adapt to the effects of stress.

●The first time I drank GT’s ALIVE, I was 7 days out from my menstrual cycle. Now I know every woman’s symptoms are not the same, but I think we can agree that that specific time period usually consists of heightened emotions and an overall feeling of what can only be described as “BLAH.” Well that is exactly how I was feeling. Nothing was wrong, but I was stressed and moody, so I decided to try the tea to see if it could give me the pick me up I needed to get through the rest of the day without having a cloud hanging over my head.

●WHAT IS ALIVE? A sparkling, refreshing, lightly caffeinated tea beverage with natural ingredients that offer probiotic and stress reduction properties.

●WHAT IS AN ADAPTOGEN? A natural non-toxic substance that increases the body’s resistance to stress through a non-specific effect. ALIVE uses medicinal mushrooms with adaptogenic properties to enhance the tea.

●INGREDIENTS. Loose leaf teas, medicinal mushrooms (reishi, chaga, and turkey tail), raw apple cider vinegar, and Grade B maple.

●FLAVORS. Guayusa Turmeric which is lightly spicy and tangy, Mate Mint (my favorite) has a mildly sweet mint flavor, and Pu-erh Root tastes like flat root beer. Black lemon, Cascara Spice, and Matcha Vanilla are flavors that haven’t been released but are coming soon.

●BENEFITS. Studies have revealed that adaptogens have neuro-protective, anti-fatigue, anti-depressive, anxiolytic, nootropive (memory enhancing), and CNS stimulating properties. In addition to the general properties, each adaptogen has unique characteritistics. Reishi mushrooms top benefits include anti-aging and immune boosting, Chaga is a powerful anti-inflammatory and natural source of antioxidants, and Turkey Tail is also popular for its immune boosting properties.

●EZ IMPRESSION. While the research for the purported benefits is minimal, it is promising. With any substance, side effects should be considered and a doctor should be consulted. With that being said, after drinking the tea, I didn’t feel this amazing clarity or lift in mood immediately, but gradually I stopped focusing on the cloud, and the sun rays became more apparent. Ultimately, I think that incorporating natural substances that have the ability to enhance your overall well being into your daily routine is a smart move, AND if there are potential anti-aging and anti-cancer benefits, then I’m into it.

The GT’s Living Foods company is most commonly known for their Kombucha drinks but they make a variety of products to include adaptogenic tea, wellness water, water kefir, probiotic shots, and non-dairy coconut yogurt. Their mission is centered around synergy of mind, body, and soul using products derived straight from mother nature. ALIVE adaptogenic tea is not currently being distributed nationwide, but is available in select markets. I was able to find it at Whole Foods in the same section as the Kombucha.

●RESOURCES. /https://gtslivingfoods.com/faq/adaptogenic-tea/ . https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3991026/