Are you thinking like an athlete after watching the Winter Olympics in Sochi for the last 2 weeks?  Maybe you are inspired to move more because the daylight hours are increasing.  I know that the bright sunshine in the morning and the birds chirping are making getting up so much easier.  My next step is to do my 20-30 minutes on my spin bike (too much snow for road biking)  before my busy days crowd it out from happening.  Still working on the executing of my exercise plan.  How are your exercise plans going?

Like athletes, you need to nourish your body.  If you want to experience renewed energy, decreased cravings and improved sleep, your food choices matter.  Whatever you subscribe to as your dietary philosophy, you need to be in tune with how your body feels when you eat certain foods.  Remember, just because a certain eating plan worked for you a couple of years ago doesn’t mean it the best choice for you today.  Your body changes and so might what you put into your body.  I will discuss this further in tomorrow’s blog.

Almost every “real” diet has a foundation built on plants — fruits and vegetables.  Yes, those luscious greens and bright colours that make a lovely salad or the succulent juicy nectarine that might drip down your chin are a necessary part of every diet.  In addition to “plants,” you decide where the bulk of the calories are coming from.  For athletes, they like to include protein for muscle building and supporting a strong immune system. As well, including  other carbohydrates from sources like beans and legumes.  For those losing weight, protein is also important, because if you aren’t consuming enough healthy sources of protein to create amino acids, your body will take it from your muscle tissues.  Whether your proteins are from local, grassfed, free-run meat and poultry sources or plant-based choices that is your decision and preference.  By making your choices healthy and balanced and with consciousness and awareness, you will move closer to your optimal health.