You Can't Out-Train A Bad Diet

Did I catch your attention with that picture? That would be my typical snack or even breakfast in the past- but no more! I'm here to tell you that you CANNOT out-train a bad diet. You truly are what you eat from the inside (how you feel) out (how you look).  I have family, friends, and clients that will argue with me on this...feel free to leave your comments here and we'll debate. But if you are starting a new training regimen please learn from some of my bad habits and save yourself some agony. Here is my story in a nutshell: Over the years I've trained my body in many different ways and changed my eating habits just as many times. I've been a competitive swimmer, trained for Ironman, and have spent many hours a day teaching Spinning, Running, Zumba, and Bootcamp-style classes. I've been a meat-eater, sugar addict, vegetarian for most of those years, and vegan. Along the way my build has at times been average, skinny, muscular, and it's even been 'more to love.' I've also been sick often with a shoddy immune system, to say the least. It's not until my diet is cleaned up that my body responds in all the right ways, rewarding me with good health, stellar physical performance, and ideal body composition. It's really not rocket science! Clean up your diet and the rest falls into place.

This post is not meant to be full of big words and data. I want to keep it simple because I believe that health is quite simple. This is as science-y as I'll get on you: Although calories in (food) and calories out (exercise) factor into body composition, you cannot exercise your way to healthy. And vise versa- if you eat well you still need to move your body to maintain muscle mass, bone health, cardiovascular health, etc. If you stick within your allotted calories or points or however you might track food you're likely to reach your goal of weight loss, gain, or maintenance. However, this is no indicator of true health. First, find definitions of 'healthy' and 'fit' that resonate with you. Does getting to a certain number on the scale tell you if you've reached that health and fitness status you are trying to achieve? The number on the scale or the amount of points allotted in your diet program does not mean there is an absence of disease or a presence of healthy organs, muscles, and cells in your body. Next, take steps to truly get healthy and fit. This should be a combination of things, not just one product you take, exercise you do, or diet you follow. You'll likely need a team of experts and resources to help you get there.

You can pay me to be your Personal Trainer and we can workout seven days a week together. You will get stronger, leaner, more flexible and better coordinated but you will not be healthy if you leave our sessions and eat junk. I don't mean potato chips and Twinkies junk, I mean any food that isn't nourishing to your body functioning optimally. Not being a Registered Dietician I will not tell you what specific foods to eat, but I bet with a little heart-to-heart, soul-searching, and brainstorming we can come up with a new way of eating that suits you better than what you are doing now.

Try asking yourself before every bite or sip you take "What is this doing for me?" If you are happy with the answer then keep it up, great job! If you don't know the answer, go find it! And if you are unhappy with the answer it's time to reach out for help and make some changes!

Take a serious look at your life. Ask yourself if you are truly making healthy choices for your body. Running, Spinning, doing CrossFit, Barre Method, and Pilates are all great but are you sabotaging your health by not eating well? I sure don't have all the answers when it comes to food but I am eager to share what I know in regards to goal-setting, meal planning, kitchen raids & replenishing with nourishing new foods, grocery store visits, food preparation, and of course mixing it all in with some exercise! If you are not at a place where you're willing to dig deep, release, and grow then now is not the time for us to partner up. But get in touch with me today (because the new you is not a procrastinator) if you're ready to cultivate change for yourself and just need some tools to help you in the process.

Much love,
Amanda