Nutrition Tips

It is the beginning of March and the gyms may seem a little quieter now with those who have given up on their New Year resolutions. If you are one of those people, shame on you for giving up so easily. Assuming time permits you, please try and get back on your healthier fitness and nutrition path. And if you're one of those who is still making those improvements and achieving results which is very important, excellent work, well done, and keep it up!

For both the people who have given up and intend to get back to it, and those who are still doing the right thing, here are some nutrition tips to enhance your hard work and hopefully help you achieve those results you're aiming for, faster:

- Keep a food journal. You'd be surprised at how many calories you may not be aware you're consuming. I personally use and highly recommend the CalorieKing Nutrition and Exercise Manager software available at www.calorieking.com

- Eat breakfast to boost energy, metabolism and mental focus.

- Get your recommended 5-a-day of fruit and vegetables.

- Drink 2-3 litres of water every day as it can help to clear out all that fat you've been burning through your workouts.

- Focus on what you eat. That means sitting down and enjoying it. Avoid eating and/or drinking while walking down the street at all times.

- Don't drink alcohol. Period. There are many that will tell you alcohol has various health benefits. I don't know if it does or not. All I know is that it can be high in calories (or wasted calories in my opinion) and bad for your liver- so I say no to alcohol at any time. There is no need to let peer pressure or social gatherings force you into doing something when you know it's wrong.

- Read labels. Any food product that doesn't list nutrients on the packaging should be avoided. Lindt Chocolate is particularly bad with this on UK packaging and so I would recommend avoiding until they do start listing the necessary details. That being said, should you wish to know, those details can be found at http://caloriecount.about.com/lindt-nutrition-m1153

- Reduced Fat does not mean Low Fat.

- Make sure you get enough Fiber, Protein and Calcium (which is very helpful when it comes to weight loss) each day.

- When it comes to applesauce, jam and canned fruits, aim for the no added sugar variety. They are usually available at health food stores. In the UK that would be GNC and Holland & Barrett.

- Be careful when it comes to portion size. Ask yourself if you really need that much to enjoy the flavors and textures of the food. That happened to me today. I managed to avoid buying that Ben & Jerry's Fossil Fuel ice cream at Blockbuster. For the record, 2009 is the last year that Ben & Jerry's Fossil Fuel ice cream will be available so get it while you can- just in moderation.

- And finally- Fitness & Nutrition- They work best when done together!

Here's hoping you have a fit, nutritious and healthy March, along with every month of this year and every year!