What am I putting in my body???

I worked out late last night and sleep called before I had time to make a post so I'm making up for lost time tonight. My energy is definitely increasing as we're getting the diet regulated and my heart is getting stronger. I'm also pleased to say that today's workout reminded me that exercise can be fun. To be half-way through week two is quite satisfying. I wasn't sure how my body and my mind would take to such drastic changes but I'm feeling more productive and more rested all the time.

Julian and I met after lunch today to talk about diet and nutrition. We pretty much re-wrote my internal perceptions of what I need to eat to maintain my body as well as how to approach food pairing and portion sizes. Without going into all of the details (if you're really interested, I'm sure he'd sit down with you), we all need to eat unrefined, unprocessed, clean, local foods as often as possible. At each meal and snack, simply ask yourself, "What am I putting in my body?". Many of the things that you might think are really bad (like a potato) are really fine when properly paired with other food groups. On the flip side, some of the things touted as "fat free", "low calorie" and the like are packed with chemicals derived from food products that have been robbed of their nutritional value. Needless to say, when a grass-fed local steak was presented to me this evening at dinner, I ate it with joy. Two days ago, I would have turned it down for fear of negative impact on my weight goals. I guess the bottom line is this:
We've all heard so many half-truths, downright lies, and wise tales about food. It is imperative that many of us wipe the slate clean on our knowledge of food and start over with sound scientific information. If you thinking about making better food choices, throw your preconceptions to the side and go out to learn what your body really needs to be healthy and happy.

One more thing. Today, like most days, was pretty stressful around the office. As I headed to the gym to work out, I thought of at least 10 things that I needed to do other than workout. After overcoming the desire to return to the office, I jumped in and had a great workout. I even added on an additional 30 minutes of interval training on the cardio bike. Afterward, I hit the shower and headed back to the office. When I returned, I was focused and efficient. I knocked out the to-dos and noticed that several outstanding issues had worked themselves out while I was gone. The Lesson... Work will always be there. Physical activity is wonderful for detachment from stress and reflection. If you are like I used to be and don't feel like you have time to be active, just make 20 minutes. It can make all the difference in the world. I know it has for me.