Manic Monday ~ Optimal Fuel

How was your 2016 Thanksgiving? Did you stay on track with last week's challenge (see the 11/21 post) or did you create a belly waiting to explode? Well, either way...there is a way to give your body a revival. I know we all hear "you are what you eat," and that phrase is really true. Your body is made up of millions and millions of cells. Think about the cells in your skin, your organs, your blood, your muscles, your bones, and your brain. All living cells. Your cells need fuel to survive. The initial fuel that we rely on is what enters our mouth (oxygen, liquid, food). From the mouth, the fuel gets broken down, processed, and distributed to all of our cells in various forms. Now, let's just stop here and really think about this: If I'm going to fill my car up with fuel, would I just start pouring in a bunch of unknown liquids into my gas tank? Absolutely not! I'm going to find a gas station and fuel up with the best possible fuel option I can. Otherwise, chances are I am going to ruin my engine and be out of a car. We ALL know that. We ALL go to the gas station to fuel up. We ALL know that anything other than gasoline will have damaging effects on our vehicles....which is very costly.

Now, why is it that we fuel up our bodies with cruddy fuel? I believe it's because we don't see the damaging effects right away. Our bodies are made to adapt and to run in an overtime phase if need be....to "fix" things. Most machines do not fix theirselves. And since our body has been crafted in such an amazing way, we take for granted that these multiple self-fixes" or adaptations can wreak havoc on our bodies and begin to cause onset to many types of diseases, illnesses, or cancers. There are many times we get into such a poor habit of consuming cruddy fuel that in the process we learn to adapt and we don't realize how cruddy we really feel. My husband and I watched a reality show one night about a personal trainer who took on an overweight individual as a client. This trainer decided to try a new approach of connecting with his client. He wanted to understand his client's struggles so he gained 60 lbs ( with the idea that they would lose the weight together). It was amazing to watch his journey from being in extreme health mode to extreme crud mode. The first few days he began his journey to gain weight, he ceased all exercise and started eating the common fast processed foods Americans rely on. At first, he was in heaven. By the end of the first week, he was feeling TERRIBLE. He looked it! He literally felt like he had been through the ringer. His journey had the effects of our car analogy. The problem is, most people are killing their engines in a slow process that deters them from realizing what the real problem is: living unhealthy. Don't you want your millions and millions of cells to be fueled with clean optimal fuel? Because clean optimal fuel means clean optimal cells.

I'm sure you are saying "yes!"....,and if that's the case then get into gear! Invest some time in preparing mentally. Research these key words: "clean foods," "alkaline foods," and "whole foods." All are optimal fuels. All can be used in various recipes for meals the whole family will enjoy. If anything, be reminded of the car analogy and fuel. It rings true even for us.

May your fuel be optimal!

Rachel Zimmerman, Certified Personal Trainer and Life Coach

ACE/NSCA

Wife, Mother, and Friend