5 Fueling Your Body - Go Green Get Fit

Summer is the perfect time of year to change your eating habits and make it stick. Food is awesome right now. I re-examined my food intake in the winter...which was hard because there isn't the same abundance of healthy foods so readily available. 

There is no point in working your ass off to get fit if you are just going to fill it with toxins. Look to add more local and organic food to your diet. I try to buy as much organic and local as possible but when I can't get both I stick to organic for the Dirty Dozen and local for the rest. Non organic food can be full of pesticides which in the long run can affect your health. Look at how much processed food you eat. What the hell makes cheesies orange? How much salt is in that pre-made meal? What exactly is in Cool Whip? (I totally just said that as wHip). Cut out as much of that crap as you can and eat clean. I cut back on the amount of sugar I was eating and can't believe how much better I feel. I am less sluggish in the morning and I don't fall into a sugar low in the afternoon. I find most things too sweet now too!

I figured out what I was eating and how to make improvements by tracking my food intake. There are lots of ways to do this but I found the easiest and most useful tool was tracking it online. I use Spark People because there is also an app for my BlackBerry which means I can track my food on the fly and not have to wait until I get in front of a computer. I get real time information on carbs, protein, fat, calories etc. Bonus - it also means that I don't have to use any paper!

I feel like I have my food intake somewhat under control. It doesn't mean I am perfect but it means I know what I need to be doing each day to maintain a healthy balance. My goal for this week is to use Spark People in a different way. I have been tracking my food intake reactively after I eat so this week I am going to use it proactively to plan out my meals for each day to keep myself on track.

Food Tips
* Add spinach to your smoothie
* Use avocado instead of mayo in a sandwich (tuna is especially good)
* Lentils are awesome - use them to make sloppy joe's or tacos
* Steer clear of food canned in tin that are lined with BPA
* Buy in bulk to reduce the amount of packaging waste you generate
* 10 almonds make a fantastic afternoon snack
* Find a farmer you trust and buy from them
* If you eat takeout look for healthier options (veggie burgers, felafel's)
* Cut veggies up and keep in the fridge for a quick snack, for stir fry or salads

Go Green Get Fit Status
Fitness - I am loving spin class but realizing the instructor can make or break it
Strength - I am upping my weights by 5lbs going forward
Food - I'm challenging myself to use Spark People to meal plan
Me Time - It has taken the back burner due to work going on around the house

Go Green Get Fit Blog of the Week - Amanda at The Eco Friendly Family

Related Posts - Check them Out
Finding Balance
Go Green Get Fit Challenge
Decoding Meat