The Fitness Mantra: Nutrition, Nutrition, Nutrition

Location, location, location.  This mantra is chanted and drilled into every Real Estate Agent’s brain as the number rule of real estate.  The sale of the house, the value of the property, all depends on the location of the property.  Let’s put it into a fitness perspective.  Trainers and Nutritionist are taught that body development, health and energy all depend on nutrition.  Taking into account what you put into your body and the results you see all focus on your nutrition, what you eat. 

I am a firm believer in “you are what you eat”. I ate massive amounts of carbs (pasta, bread, pasta, bread, you get the idea) to the point where my stomach looked like that of a Hawaiian Sweet Roll.  Some may disagree and say that because of my natural small size that that is farfetched.  However, I am here to say that my biscuit belly theory is indeed fact.  When I began taking what I ate more seriously— watching my carb intake, cutting out sugar, low sodium, more leafy green veggies—my stomach began to go down.  I no longer saw what looked to be another life form in my midsection, but I saw a flat stomach, and, dare I say, abs! 

Many people think if you lift enough weights and do enough cardio, the results will show and instantly have the body they’ve always wanted.  Without nutrition being at the core of your fitness regimen, you will end up looking the same as you started.  It goes without saying that nutrition plays a major role in your body’s progression and its overall state.  In order to be healthy you have to eat healthy.  It does not seem possible to eat hamburgers and hotdogs and expect six pack abs overnight.  Your body takes time to develop and has to be fed foods that will aid in its growth.  Below is a food guide that will help curb your food cravings into healthier food choices:

Instead Of:                                                          Eat Instead:                               

Chocolate                                                 Nuts, veggies, fruits

Sugar                                                        Fruit, eggs, nuts, spinach, cranberries, raisins, sweet potato

Carbs (bread, pasta)                                Fish, beans, nuts, high protein meat    

Greasy food                                              Milk, cheese, leafy green veggies

Salty food                                                 Milk, nuts, seeds, fish

Nutrition can be easy but it needs to be drilled into our head, almost chanted, for us to understand its importance.  Just like that of the Real Estate Agent’s mantra location, location, location, your body and overall health depends on your nutrition.  You can work out 6 days a week for 2 hours.  You will see your body change slightly, however, it’s nothing compared to when nutrition is firmly at the center and becomes the factor of restructuring your body.  When it comes to fitness and you are seeking results, just think nutrition, nutrition, nutrition.

Boosting Your Immune System

Any time someone sneezes or coughs, I instantly get tensed.  I think of the many germ particles floating in the air, looking for the perfect body to camp out and make a new home.  As hard as I try to shield them, they move too fast, even for me.  The moment their “owner” pushes them out of their body, they are released and no running or rolling the window down can save you from them.  That is why it is imperative to boost your immune system to ward off any illnesses seeking to disrupt your spring and summer-time vacation plans.  Essentially, your immune system acts as a protector against germs so that your body will not shut down.  Incorporating healthy eating choices into your diet and generally understanding your body and how your immune system works allows you to develop a more conscious and healthy lifestyle.

We inhale thousands upon thousands of germs each day.  Take a moment to think about that.  Each time you breathe, you are breathing in millions of germs surrounding you, just floating around in the air without a care in the world.  Knowing this, it makes sense to prep your body for illnesses attempting to attack it.  That's why we boost our immune system.  The same way a company gives out incentives to its employers to boost or strengthen the morale within the workplace so that everyone is happy and on the same page, is the same way our immune systems are boosted.  We want our immune system strengthened so that when germs (bacteria and viruses) attempt to enter our body and shut it down, it will serve as a blocker against them.

Ways to boost your immune system:

1. Drink water - we want to flush out the toxins from our bodies.  The way to do that is staying hydrated.  Another benefit is it helps digest food.  A strong digestive system allows nutrition to distribute adequately.
2. Eat smart, eat healthy - eating gobs of hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, pizza, and drinking soda sounds like a good time, and it's an even better time for those germs to slip in and take over because your immune system is not receiving any nutrients from these types of foods.  Citrus fruits loaded with Vitamin C, foods rich in protein (chicken, fish, turkey, lean cuts of beef), quinoa, black beans, spinach, lemon, ginger, garlic, broccoli, kale, sweet potatoes, all are better alternatives for boosting your immune system.
3. Adequate amounts of sleep - it goes without saying; if you do not get enough sleep, your body will shut down on you.  It needs rest to refuel energy levels so that you can do what you did the day before 10 x's better the next day. 
4. Proper hygiene - it is simple; wash your hands, use hand sanitizer, brush your teeth, wash your hair, face and body.  Period.
5. Check-ups - it is necessary to make sure your vitals are still vital and your ticker is still ticking. 
6. Exercise - this one is my favorite, naturally.  Maintaining a consistent workout plan throughout your week strengthens your body, while your blood is able to flow easier and pumps rapidly.

In order to stay healthy, we have to be healthy.  Learn how to take care of your body and protect yourself. 

Kale vs. Spinach; My Preference and Benefits for Fitness Modeling

My trainer and I have gone back and forth on kale and spinach.  Both are clearly healthy choices in the leafy greens department, you can't go wrong with either.  Some nutritional facts point to kale (all hail kale!), where it is high in vitamin A, C, & K, low calorie, anti-inflammatory, lowers cholesterol, good source for bones, eyes, skin and reduces risk of heart disease and cancer.  Then you have spinach that lowers blood pressure, fights cardiovascular disease and stroke, aids in digestion, contains folate/folic acid (this is especially important for women who are pregnant), high in iron, fights psoriasis, acne and wrinkles.  And who can forget this being the go-to veggie for good ole Popeye, so naturally it's a good source of fiber and strength as well.  So why the back and forth?  Because one says eat more kale and the other insists on eating spinach.

Being a fitness competitor I have to make sure I have a balance of nutrients in my diet during competition prep, otherwise my body will not hold muscle, I'll be weaker and my workouts will be tougher to manage.  Ideally, it would seem as though I would include both kale and spinach in my diet because of all the health benefits tied to each, right?  Not quite.  While both aid in muscle growth I can't help but feel as if I'm a spinach kind of girl.  Not to say there's anything wrong with kale.  In fact, if cooked properly, kale tastes a little better than spinach.  A little.  The texture is a little tough, but so is steak and kale actually has more iron than beef.  So what's my beef with kale?  There isn't one.  I just love the way spinach cooks and the things I can prepare with it.  I love making spinach casserole dishes, and pairing spinach with fish and mixed vegetables.  It is an elegant presentation.  Or drizzling some olive oil, sprinkling some pepper and salad seasoning and splashing some vinegar on it makes a wonderful meal.  Now don't get me wrong, there are many ways to prepare kale and making it presentation worthy, not to mention kale chips are amazing, but I can't let seem to let go of the idea that spinach is my go-to leafy green.

Some people may think it is a little outlandish to think that one is better than the other, especially if you are in a sport like body building where both greens would work better for your body if equal amounts are consumed.  I do not dismiss those claims.  However, I believe as long as you consume one or the other rather than none your body is happy regardless.  It's not uncommon for people to prefer one food over another.  It just so happens I prefer spinach over kale.  Both good sources of nutrients, both excellent agents in minimizing fat storage and building muscle, both good sources on the road to clean eating.  But I like spinach.  It's not a crime.  But my goal next year is to incorporate more kale into my diet so I will have a good balance.  But I'll still prefer spinach.  Period.