Are We What We Eat ?

           B 

"You are What you Eat" that's one thing we all might have heard atleast once.

Eat. It's one of the things we all do.

Typically there seems to be a pattern on how food might influence our lives 

• What we eat and 
• How much of it we eat 

I love food. Yes I really do.  If you ask me,  if I 

• "Eat to live ?" Or 
• "Live to Eat ?

I will chose "Eat to Live" although there are days where I feel like I am living to eat.

The reason I say "Eat to Live" is eating doesn't take most of my attention or I don't think of food all the time. Although I have to admit running makes me really hungry and I kind of have high metabolism and I am always hungry. 

But that doesn't make my day surround around food all the time and that might be a bad thing. I binge eat big meals. But I hear eating small portions through out the day is good.

The reason I have been thinking about it is: eating can mean different things for different people.

For some eating could be a 

• Social event - communal meal or
• Something to pass the time by or  you eat when you are bored
• Pleasurable thing 
• A way to stay highly energetic 
• A way to forget about other things

The more I have been running the more I am realizing nutrition is big part of training and running. It makes a huge difference 

There is a saying that could apply for all athletes. As example I am using runners 

"Runners are made in the kitchen not on the track"  it could also be

"body builders are made in the kitchen and not the gym"

Definitely what we are eating and how much we are eating plays a crucial role and it's one of the tasks that we spend a lot of time on. Why not be little bit more diligent of what we put in.

"You get what you put in." Obviously we can't put junk in and expect to be healthy. Do we pour $&@% into the the car engine and expect it to work ?

These days because of running and my desire to stay healthy and active, I have been paying little bit  more attention to what I am eating and how much I am eating 

Luckily I never had an affinity to soda or sugary drinks, so not much problem or addiction there.

But my vice could be chips with salsa, quests dip , nuts, chipotle burritos.....Yummmmm and the biggest challenge of all is the  portion control.

Even though I don't think of food a lot, I eat a lot. I have NO portion control. I have been known to eat two big chipotle burritos with tortilla back to back in one sitting. They are HUGE but I ate them all. I have been known to finish the whole large chips bag with queso dip in one sitting. I am not saying all this, to tell you that I eat like a pig or that I can eat like a pig. All I am saying is "I have no portion control".

But I am getting better. I have become little bit more conscious of my food intake and slowly working on the portion control.

I recently read a book called "Body For Life" which reminded me of some the good points I kind of already knew but never cared to follow.Again it's easy to read about stuff but hard to follow them. "Easily said than done"

 I learnt 

"Let food be your medicine, and let medicine be your food." 

The book mainly focuses on exercise and nutrition the two factors for a healthy life and contribute for our well being 

Facts shared in that book 

• 1. Must train with weights 
• 2. Pay attention to what you eat.
• 3. Resistance exercise helps create lean, toned bodies
• 4. Weight training is for all bodies 
• 5. Muscles grow while you are testing and recuperating 
• 6. High Intensity effort produces the best results 
• 7. Eat six nutritious meals a day
• 8. Overeating is a natural instinct 
• 9. You become fat from "carb overdose". Balance of Carbs and nutrients 
• 10. Count the portions and not calories 
• 11. Take Supplements 
• 12. Drink more water not just when you are thirsty 
• 13. There is no such thing as eating 

It's about Quality, Not Quantity 

Important things in terms of exercise 

• Resistance Training 
• Aerobics Workout 

Drink Water daily in the morning - WATER is IMPORTANT 

Exercise is the spark, Nutrition is the fuel. Without both, there can be no flame - no results.

"Life the ultimate challenge, is not a race to the finish but rather a process of continual growth."

Not sure if I have been following what I learnt diligently but I stopped eating out all the time. That made me plan what food I eat and avoid some of my impulsive eating habits when I am hangry.

Until recently all my grocery shopping was limited to Walgreens and I are out a lot. Yes I was already ridiculed by my friend saying "Walgreens Is not even a grocery store" so recently I found out Trade Joes and I love it. They say Whole Foods is also good and I might have to try it.

Glad I stopped eating out, planning some of the food I am eating, still working on my portion control but would love to get to the state where eating the kinds of foods that will help you stay active and with energy through out the day.

I do believe that the food we take has an influence on our mood for the day. Hopefully I will figure out the kinds of food that will make me stay active and feel alive.

Until then I will try NOT to eat when I am bored ;)