Nutrition is Key!

    When you start any kind of nutritional program, you have to know your body for it to work. You have to know what foods your body can tolerate and what foods that your body needs to function. I am not a nutritionist. I had a semester of Nutrition in nursing school, but that does not make me an expert. What I do know, and what has been drilled in to every single one of us for as long as we can remember, is proper portion control. All of our bodies are different; different shapes, different sizes, different genes. We have to know how to eat for our own specific body type, yes, but portion control is used for everyone. I will be starting the 21 Day Summer Slimdown challenge in May. It is all about proper nutrition and portion control. That is the basis for every Beachbody program that I have participated in. This is not about dieting and deprivation. If you do that, your body is going to continue to crave those nutrients that you are not giving it and you will never be satisfied no matter what you eat. You can have your sweet and salty snacks, in moderation. I know it is hard to let go of those bad habits (like eating a whole pint of Ben and Jerry's in one sitting) but being able to overcome those type of obstacles will help you achieve your goal. I really do think that the 21 Day Fix program from Beachbody is the best program to begin with. It gives you what you need in order to teach you portion control. It does not just give you a list of menu items and say "here, only eat this forever". You get your portion control containers, you get a caloric range (not just 1500/day but a range of 1500-1799) according to your body's needs, and you get a list of food that each container corresponds to. The program teaches about complex and simple carbs, proteins, veggies that can be carbs, etc. It is an educational program. You learn how to be healthy. Then, once you get the hang of it, it just becomes habit! I am so excited for this challenge to start! If anyone else in interested in joining me on this journey, just let me know. I think any one wanting to learn about nutrition will enjoy this program. You always have to remember, it is not about dieting; it is about changing your lifestyle and making better, healthier choices. It starts small and grows into a change. There is nothing worse than a grumpy person who is always dieting yet always hungry. I am not here to sell you a diet program, I am here telling you about a program that can lead to a change for the better. It's not about pills; it is about good, old fashioned nutrition and exercise. Anyone can do it. Just remember, be the best you that you can be and you will always inspire someone!