You are what you eat!

I was recently inboxed a question about diet and supplements, and my response was quite simple: I don’t take any supplements, not even protein powders, (unless I’m in a real pinch), but rely on getting all my vitamins and minerals from my nutrition. I eat only whole foods, that means I eat the whole package with all edible parts intact, as nature intended, and as our bodies were designed to digest. That means for the most part I am eating fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grain products, whole eggs, dairy and meats, and cold-pressed oils and animal fats. Since I began competing, I also stick to the classic body-builder protocol of eating smaller meals of fairly balanced marcro-nutrients, throughout the day. When I was just practicing yoga I have to admit that I wasn’t nearly as conscious about what I was putting into my body. Bikram yoga practiced with intent is a serious calorie burner as well as hormonal enhancer, so my metabolism was always quite high, allowing me to eat whatever I wanted with no harm done. Bikram yogis also like to take loooong gaps between meals, especially around and between classes, so it wasn’t unusual for me to go several hours without eating. But I knew that as I was gettig older, improving my nutrition would be important if I wanted to enjoy optimum health throughout the years, and for that alone I am deeply grateful for all that I have learned from body-building. I am now much more conscious about balancing my meals, I’ve been able to integrate what I know about nutrition and food preparation into my daily life, and my skin, eyes and general outlook on life, (my moods) have never been better. It’s as though I’ve been given back my twenties in terms of health and vitality, but without all the baggage, lol.

2 great books to read are AnnMarie Colben’s, “Food and Healing”, and Dr. Colgan’s, “Optimum Sports Nutrition.

Enjoy!