Congratulations to our Giveaway Winner
Kerry Arguijo
March is one of my most favorite months of the year because I get to celebrate two things: the birthdays of some very special people in my life, and one of my passions?nutrition! And since I am so passionate about nutrition, I?ve got some pretty cool stuff planned for this blog this month! It?s all a bit hush-hush, so you?ll have to check back often to see what?s going on, but I will tell you one thing: There will be a weekly giveaway! :-)? You in? Awesome! Let?s go!
Good nutrition is so important! When you fuel your body with nutrient-rich foods, you?ll feel great (both physically and mentally), accomplish more, and have an all-round healthier body. The reverse is also true?if junky, low nutritional value foods are your fuel of choice, you?ll feel lousy, get less done, and have health issues.
In order to be healthy, our bodies need the right combination of what I like to call the Fabulous Four: protein, carbs, healthy fats, and water. Here?s why they?re the foundation of good nutrition:
- Protein builds and maintains muscle, bone, skin, hair, and pretty much every other body part and tissue in your body. It?s so important for weight loss because muscle burns calories like an inferno, so the more muscle, the more calories burned! Protein also breaks down more slowly than carbs and fat, which burns even more calories and helps you feel fuller longer.
- Carbs are the preferred fuel source for your muscles and organs. They come in healthy versions (vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes), and not-so-healthy versions (cakes, cookies, soda, doughnuts, candy, and many processed foods). Healthy carbs are also crucial for burning calories, and since they break down more slowly than the not-so-healthy kind, they keep your blood sugar and energy levels steady, and your calorie burning furnace hot so it burns more calories!
- Healthy fats (unsaturated fats) eaten in moderation help the development and function of your eyes and brain and help prevent heart disease, stroke, depression, and arthritis. They also help keep your energy levels steady and keep you from feeling hungry.
- Water is an important ingredient in regulating your bodily functions (digestion, circulation, temperature, and many others), as well as keeping muscle fatigue at bay and for healthy skin. And an adequate water intake is imperative for losing weight! We recommend drinking half your body weight in ounces of water (150 lbs = 75 ounces, for example) every single day.
And since I want to help you have the best National Nutrition Month ever, here are some ideas to help you get started with your own celebration:
- Adopt one new healthy habit each week.
- Be adventurous! Try a new fruit or veggie.
- Host a healthy luncheon or dinner party.
- Try out a new recipe each week. Here are some of our favorites: Garlic Parmesan Chicken, Protein Waffles, Gluten-Free Pasta Perfection, and Sweet Potato Brownies.
- Make a weekly meal plan.
- Try out our Carb Cycling program!
What are you going to do to celebrate National Nutrition Month? Leave your ideas in the comments below and you could win a signed copy of Chris? book, Choose More, Lose More for Life!
?This giveaway is now over. A winner was chosen randomly and announced on Friday, March 7, 2014.
Let the celebration begin! 🙂
306 Responses
I have already started National Nutrition Month by making better choices. Making small changes will get me where I need to go!
For National Nutrition Month I am going to be eating a higher protein and vegetable diet. As well I am doing a workout regimen (more HIIT’s), to try to lose these last few baby weight pounds and I have encouraged 3 other Mommies to do it with me. I have also decided to do one meatless meal a week, in which I am introducing new veggies to my husband that he has never eaten or use to not like,but now he like it (ie cauliflower:)) As well as wearing my baby and going on 40-60 minute walks a day. Yay to Nutrition and Fitness!
I am going to try to cut out as much sugar/snacking foods and wheat as I can and now the the weather is warming up, start walking to work(only about 8 blocks one way) 🙂
i am going to work harder on my meal planning/meal prep. i am also going to focus more on my weekend snacking habits. i’ve been doing better at snacking healthy at work, but totally fall apart on weekends! i also want to pay more attention to how foods affect my body/digestion.
For the month of March I’m VERY excited to pick up Chris’s “Choose More, Lose More For Life” Book and get started on a new carb cycling program!!! I’m in need of a change to jumpstart my weight loss back on track and I’m super excited as to what the future holds 🙂
I started drinking water on January 11 and have not touched a soda or any beverages with caffeine or sugars. I FEEL SO ACCOMPLISHED. I never in my life thought that I could do this but I proved my self wrong. I plan to make a change every month this year, whether it’s nutritional or just other things in my life. I am confident but trying to find a balance in my eating habits. God bless. Keep inspiring the world one person at a time.
Water intake has been a huge goal for me. It can be difficult, but I feel overall so much better!
I am happy to say that my 2 teenagers and myself have joined a gym together! It is going to be awesome to get the whole family involved and working towards a healthier life style.
This month I have decided to precut all my fruits and veggies and precook any veggies that I have planned for up coming meals during the week. This way everything is ready to go and right there so that I can make better choices for snacks and meals.
For national nutrition month, I am going to start planning for my Girl Scout silver award project. My project is called “Take a Step: Making Our Community Happier and Healthier” and is about trying to end obesity in America. Silver award projects are about trying to get to the root cause of issues. In my opinion, the root causes of obesity are lack of knowledge and lack of motivation. Take a Step will be getting towards these root causes because along the way, I will be educating people about nutrition and fitness and providing motivational opportunities for people to get healthy. Throughout my project, I will be organizing events such as 5K’s and 10K’s, biking and other athletic events, nutrition classes, and food sampling. There is no better time to start my project in than now!