Let's Talk Food.......

Does what you eat really affect the way you feel? 
Oh, you bet it does!!!!!
 I know this not only from hours and hours of research and studying, but from
personal experience as well.
Case-in-point: I decided to "let my guard down" and enjoy a weekend of movies and junk with my kids.
Just so you all know, this is a rare thing for me to do. Not the enjoying the weekend with my kids-the junk food part. It wasn't always that way. There was a time when I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, and I didn't care or pay attention to what the consequences were. Then I learned to care.
Anyway, back to this past weekend. I actually broke down and drank a carbonated, caffeinated beverage-and felt sick to my stomach for hours afterward.
I ate pizza, chocolate, licorice, Swedish fish-pretty much anything that was in my face. Within an hour, I was feeling sick to my stomach. My body was on such a sugar high that it didn't know what to do. Then, it happened.......I came off that sugar high, and my body crashed. For the remainder of the weekend, I felt sluggish and tired. My joints felt stiff, my stomach hurt and I was irritable. I had no motivation to do anything other than be lazy. Not only that, but my clothes fit tighter than usual, which didn't help with my irritable mood.
Then, I really paid the price for it this morning, when I went to work with my trainer. From the get-go I had almost no strength or energy for the workout my body was being put through. I seriously struggled both physically and mentally. Before the workout was even half over, I vowed to never again eat junk. I promised to be good forever. I don't ever want to experience that Hell again.

So, back to food. I can promise you this: by eliminating carbonation, cutting back on high-sugar, high-fat, high-sodium and processed foods, and replacing them with more fruit, vegetables and lean meats such as chicken (white meat) and turkey- all with portion control, and drinking plenty of water, not only will you most likely lose weight, but your body will begin to have more energy for longer periods of time. You won't  go through the energy yo-yo that sugar puts you through. Your joints and your stomach will function better than they do now.

If you find that you can't do all of it at once, start with eliminating the carbonation. (What? No more Diet Coke?! Oh, No!) Yes. Plain and simple-carbonation is bad for you. I don't care if it's diet or not, it's bad. It's not good for your joints or your digestive system. Plus, did you know that the average person drinks enough soda throughout the year that it can make as much as a 15 lb. difference in their weight? Yeah, it needs to go.

If you can't stand drinking plain water, then add the Special K Protein Drink Mix (I like the Pink Lemonade flavor) or some Crystal Light. When you feel your sweet tooth coming on, reach for some fruit instead of those cookies, brownies or pop tarts. I have found that I eat what is readily available in my house- if fruit is available, I eat it. If cookies are available, I eat it. So, I don't keep the fattening sweets available. I have a bowl of apples, oranges, bananas and kiwi on my table at all times. I have also found that what I eat, my kids eat. They eat healthier when I do, and so I try to lead by example.

Next, cut back on red meat and eat more lean white meat. It is easier for your body to digest and it's healthier for your heart. Now for grains: start by replacing the white bread with whole wheat, and eventually to whole grain bread. Replace white rice with brown rice. Regular pasta with whole wheat or whole grain pasta.
Yes, it may take some getting used to-that's why I said do it gradually. It was an adjustment for my family, but within a few weeks, they were used to it and now, love all of it.

Just by doing these simple things, you are more likely to lose weight, have more energy, and decrease your risks for diseases like Heart Disease, Type II Diabetes and certain types of Cancer and Stroke, just to name a few. Yes, food does make a difference in how you feel and how you perform. Food also makes a difference in the quality of life you want to have. It's not too late to start making those changes in your life.