Nutrition vs. Diet

What do u think of when u hear the word "diet"?

    - Temporary fix
    - Starvation
    - Food limitation...

Now what do u think when you read the word."nutrition"?
   - Lifestyle
   - Health
   - Long term

      New years day is my favorite day! The gym is packed with people, there is a line at the treadmill, the weight area is exploding with sweaty people and loud yelling.  However, by January 3rd, those same people I was so happy to see flood the gym, start to disappear. Spring is more of the same. People start up at the gym with a brand new goal of getting ready for summer. They want that bikini, beach ready body in just 3 short months! Adding to that mindset are millions of people and companies cashing in with miracle weight loss pills and programs.

   While there is nothing wrong with wanting to fit into that polka dot bikini in just a few weeks of running your butt off at the gym, there is a much easier and less stressful way to realize that goal.

   Most people make the resolution to "get fit" or "loose some weight" or even, "lead my family to a healthier lifestyle". But what is their first step? They join a gym. While that remains a great step, one could run on that elliptical or do bicep curls for days on end, but if we don't change the food we put into our bodies, we will never see the change we want.

   My 5 year old son asked me the other day; "Mom? Why do u work out?" To which I replied; "Why do you think I work out?" Keegan then said; "So you can eat more food?" Funny kid. However, that is what many people think, and it couldn't be farther from the truth. It is interesting to me that so many people will put in sweat, blood and tears in the gym yet don't want to take the simple step of winning that battle at the grocery store. That is where the real change comes!

  Our bodies need healthy fats, they need carbs, the need protein, and they need vitamins and minerals found in fruits and veggies. When we put high saturated fatty foods in our bodies, or over load it with sugary carbs, we have a harder time burning that ineffective fuel off. It truly comes down to putting the right type of gasoline into your vehicle.  You can't run a diesel engine on water, it will stop the engine quick, fast and in a hurry! Our bodies are the same. They are a machine composed of many parts that function simultaneously in order for us to live. If we stop taking care of that machine, if we start putting junk into it, it will stop working.
 
  Next week I will post about what kinds of food we need to put into our bodies to help them function at their highest ability as well as keep that metabolism going. For now, if you are making a goal to get fit, or lean down or just start getting healthy; lets start with our nutrition. Make it more than just a diet. Change your life, change your mindset, and find a nutrition plan that works for you!