FUEL YOUR BODY FOR OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE

Something you will hear me say if you talk to me about nutrition is, “don’t drink your calories”.  I drink water and tea (mostly green) throughout the day, but I will not waste my calories on a soda, fruit juice or any drink that rhymes with frappuccino.  I want every calorie that enters my body to be useful so I focus on eating real food.  This eliminates cravings and allows me to maintain my energy level throughout the day.  I hear all the time that people feel tired in the afternoon.  This is a direct result of what you ate (or didn’t eat).  If you feed your body small, balanced meals every 2-3 hours, then you will not experience the highs and lows during the day.  Don’t wait until you are hungry.  Set the alarm on your phone if you need to and listen to your body.  For me, my body wants my largest meal between 3 and 4 in the afternoon.  This is a due to when I work out, get up and go to bed – yours may be different.  Listen!  Your body will tell you everything you need to know about what it wants.  Extra bonus for eating regularly is that your metabolism increases and your body has the fuel it needs to build muscle.  Yay for more muscles and a high metabolism.

Here are some ideas for small meals and snacks.  

*Anytime I eat I also drink a large glass of tea or water.  I also consume water and tea between my small meals.  

Snacks

• Raw almonds and an apple
• Raw almonds are great anytime - they fill you up and are a good source of fiber
• Raw pistachios – get them in the shell and make sure they are raw and unsalted
• Greek yogurt and blueberries
• Banana and peanut butter
• String cheese and a few whole grain crackers (I love Kashi 7 grain crackers)
• Hard boiled eggs
• Veggies and a small amount of dip (something made without corn syrup and fake stuff)

Small Meals (these should fit on an 8” -9” plate)

• Chicken breast and spinach salad (spinach, mushrooms, tomato, avocado, balsamic dressing)
• Rice, turkey meat balls and brussel sprouts
• Sweet potato cubes mixed with brown rice and egg (sounds gross, but don’t knock it till you try it)
• Greek yogurt with cinnamon, granola and flax seeds
• Whole wheat toast and peanut butter or almond butter and a couple of strawberries
• Protein pancake topped with greek yogurt, cinnamon and blueberries
• Whole grain pasta, chicken, broccoli and sauteed mushrooms

When you start paying attention to your body you will notice that you can control how you feel through food.  Everything from upset stomach and heartburn to your energy level is related to the food you eat.  Take control of how you feel and fuel your body for optimum performance.