I always thought I knew how to eat. I thought I had balance and I ate my fruits and veggies and a little of this and a little of that. I thought I knew proper portions. I ate what was put in front of me. I worked out so I could eat to refuel myself.
Little did I knwo I was doing it all wrong. I thought I was eating properly but I really didn't know what proper eating was because nobody ever taught me. There wasn't a class in college that taught me how to cook for myself and my family and how to make sure we were eating for the right reasons and getting the right balance of all the food groups.
I guess I could have gone to a nutritionist but how many people actually do that?
I am so fortunate to have finally figured it out though. I learned through the 21 day fix and I didn't realize until I was put into an old environment and surrounded by temptations that I finally know how to eat and to fuel my body.
It isn't about restricting yourself or going without. It is about the proper balance and portion size. Look at our society and the amount of food that is served. Look at serving sizes on containers and who actually eats that small amount? 8 Chips? How about half a bag!
The 21 Day Fix ironed it out nice and simple with color coded containers. No looking at serving sizes, measuring foods and eating real foods. What did I learn? I can really eat all day long. I can't eat 10 servings of fruit a day. 2 a day are all my body needs. Protein is the best fuel for my body. I need to at least eat 3 servings of protein a day and my protein is the greatest amount of food I eat. All natural and organic does not meat as much as you want of this. The more simple the food is the better it is for you. A bagel is more carb than you need in a day. 2 small carbs a day are good and they should come from something more natural than a bagel and pasta. Peanut butter is ok but a teaspoon is enough. It doesn't need to be half a cup.
My body reacts to foods. A simple protein and veggie diet makes me feel energized and fresh. Heavy foods, processed foods, and sugars bog me down.
Working out is such a minor piece of changing your body and feeling good. Nutrition is so much more important and plays a much more significant role. I can run a marathon and workout 3 hours a day and see very little change in my body. I can eat the right way and see significant changes with only working out 30 minutes a day.
It is amazing what you can learn when you think you know. I am amazed at how great I feel and am blessed that I was given this gift. I realize that is very easy to live your whole life and never really know how to eat.
Nina Pears
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