Nutrition

I try to eat healthy and focus on good nutrition but I don't always succeed. I lack self control when treats are brought into the office. I can never have just one. When chocolate is brought in I am ecstatic. The reason may surprise you. I am allergic. Which means I don't have to have self-control the chocolate does it for me.

Self-control is not my only food issue. I don't always make ideal choices. When we go out to eat I ALWAYS veer towards the meals that come with fries. Fries are my downfall. I know that ordering fries is not a bad thing but it isn't good that I ALWAYS order them.

I know that to run the 1/2 marathon and meet my other future goals (see my kids get married, maybe a triathlon or a full marathon) I need to focus on my health. Therefor I have been working on making some life changes. The first change was my exercising. Now I am focusing on my nutrition.

These are some of the life changes (not a diet) I am trying to incorporate:

• eat a fruit and/or veggie with every lunch and dinner. Ideally both but sometimes thats just not possible.

• Drink more water.

• Focus on lean proteins, fruits, veggies, and whole grains as snacks. At work I always have a morning and afternoon snack. Those snacks are one of the following:

- hard boiled egg and fruit

- Pretzles

- yogurt with granola

- nuts

- apple or banana

- raw veggies with ranch dressing

- english muffin or frozen waffle with peanut butter or honey

- and my most recent favorite: a whole grain wrap with peanut butter, honey, and apple or banana slices.

• Eat Breakfast

• Eat dinner at the table. Until recently we were eating dinner in the living room in front of the tv. This is not good for any of us. It makes us eat in a hurry not focusing on what or how much we are eating. At the table we are focusing not only on what we eat but our family too. Eating at the table has also been shown to minimize the amount of food that you eat, helps digestion (you eat slower), and helps families bond.

• Finally one of the simplest yet most difficult - AVOID THE OFFICE CANDY DISH.

These are just a few steps I can take to be healthier and ensure that I have the proper "fuel" to make it through the day. None of these steps can be considered a diet they are simple "rules" that will aid in making better choices most of the time. And none of them force me to deprive myself of the things that I love. I can still order fries, I just should get a side salad too.

So there you have it my thoughts on nutrition and how I plan to work towards a better diet.

PS I did my 3 mile run today - however I missed my 4 mile run on Sunday.

Reference: These are some of the places that I got my info to help me make better choices.

http://www.mypyramid.gov/index.html

http://www.fat2fitradio.com/