Nutrition, Nutrition, Nutrition.....Where do I start!?

We've all heard it said, "You can exercise all you want, but if you're not in control of your nutrition, you won't see results." It's 100% true - if you don't give your body what it needs to function in a healthy way, it will not respond to the effort that you're putting forth through exercise.

Think of your body as a car. What does your car need to run effectively and efficiently? Gasoline.....FUEL! Fuel makes your car run the way it was designed to: efficiently and energetically. Now picture going to the gas station and filling your car with glue. How do you imagine it will function? Slow....sluggish....inefficiently.... It might not function at all. Your body is a vehicle, beautifully designed to function - efficiently and energetically - when given the right FUEL!

Here are eight tips you can start TODAY to give your body what it needs to be healthy AND to maximize the results of your hard work at the gym:

1. Eat Breakfast! Breakfast literally translates to "Break the Fast". You should eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking each morning. When you "fast" (which is what you're essentially doing overnight when you don't eat for 6-8 hours) your body will begin breaking down your muscle for energy. Break the Fast!

Eating breakfast first thing each morning does two great things for you: First, it fuels your metabolism and gives it a kick-start into calorie-burning mode each morning. Second, it prevents your body from using your muscles for its energy source. After all that work in the gym, we don't want to break those muscles down...we want to preserve them. Eating breakfast will do just that!

2. Eat Smaller Amounts, More Often Eat 5-6 smaller meals a day instead of two or three larger meals. Think of a fire....if you throw 5 big logs on a fire, it will burn strong for a short time, then quickly fizzle out. But if you feed the fire with smaller logs, more often, it will burn consistently for a longer time. You're body's metabolism is just like that fire. It will burn calories longer and stronger when fed consistently with good things. Eat 5-6 times per day, every 2 1/2 - 3 hours.

3. All calories are NOT created equal! 100 Calories of Cotton candy, white bread, or high-sugar fruit juice are NOT the same as 100 calories of whole grain bread, broccoli or lean protein. Your body will get a quick rush, then crash from those first options, but be fueled and function efficiently with the others.

4. Look for Lean Protein Lean protein is essential to a healthy diet. When looking for lean protein, use this guideline: The less legs, the better. Fish is a slightly better choice than chicken, chicken is a slightly better choice than pork or beef. All are good, however. The serving size should be about the size of a deck of cards. Cottage cheese, skim milk, low-sugar yogurt, and low fat cheese are also good choices.

5. Look for Fabulous Fats! Avoid Saturated fats. Unsaturated fats compliment your body's function and decrease inflammation from exercise. Natural oils from fish, olive oil and flax seed oil are all unsaturated fats that are important for your body's overall health and function. Read labels - you'll quickly discover which foods contain saturated and unsaturated fats. Seek out the unsaturated options.

6. Build your meals Intelligently It's simpler than you might think - just follow this simple guide: A lean protein the size of a deck of cards, a colorful vegetable the size of your fist and healthy, unsaturated fats. If you're choosing a carbohydrate, choose a whole-grain, natural, unrefined option like a colorful vegetable, a slice of 100% whole wheat or grain bread or brown rice.

7. Snacking is Good! Going back to #1 - you're body NEEDS consistent fuel throughout the day! A healthy snack in between your meals is necessary for your body to stay energized throughout the day. Smart snacking will: 1. Fuel that metabolism all day long 2. Give you energy all day long and 3. Keep you from overeating at mealtime. Snack away - just make good choices!

8. Stay Hydrated! Water, water, water.....!!!! Water makes your body systems function properly, keeps your metabolism high, and helps control your appetite. Sometimes we think we're hungry, when actually, we're just thirsty. Make it a goal to drink 64 ounces of water every day.