It took me a long time to realize that what I do in the kitchen matters more than what I do in the gym. There is definitely a balance, but if you are not in a caloric deficit, you are not going to lose weight. If you are not fueling your body with proper nutrition, you are not going to build lean muscle. If you are not eating enough calories, it can cause your goals to stall. Who knew!?! I wish I knew that it was ok to eat in my twenties! I am also a big believer in you are what you eat. Eating good, healthy, "clean" calories, as opposed to processed ones. The less processed a food is, the better off you are. I try to keep things in check in my mind before I pop something in my mouth. For example, I can have an entire cup of whole strawberries for less than 50 calories. I can even dip them into a little bit of chocolate syrup if I need a chocolate fix. That would be a better choice than eating an entire chocolate bar. Here are some tips to keep your calories clean.
* Avoid processed or refined foods. The more natural state a food is in the better it is.
* Eat whole foods.
* Read the labels, know what you are putting in your body.
* Drink lots of water. Set a goal, and make it daily.
* Eat breakfast every day.
* Be mindful of portion sizes.
* Cook at home.
* Eat healthy fats daily. They aid in the absorption of nutrients.
Select lean protein sources.
Carry healthy snacks with you.
Take a few minutes each morning to have a plan for your meals and snack for the day