Food for Fuel

When I began to focus on getting healthy and fit, I examined the foods I ate. Hmmm, Snickers candy bars, fresh potato rolls and chocolate cake are not nutritious fare – delicious, yes, nutritious, no! Darn it! Instead of looking at food as the foe that I had to deny myself – the enemy that I had to defeat – I began to look at food as my ally. Correct food would fuel my body in a way that would maximize my fat loss and give me the energy to pursue increased physical activity – which would be required to reshape my body.

Now when I plan my snacks or my meals, I do so with nutrition in mind. I stay away from “empty” calories (foods that have no or little nutritional benefits for my body – sodas, sweets, chips, packaged and processed foods) and instead try to choose foods chockfull of nutrients. Am I successful all the time? No. But I definitely strive to make conscious decisions about my food before it goes into my gaping mouth!

Here are some of my favorites I eat to fuel my body:

Stonyfield Farm yogurt with a handful of walnuts stirred in.
A handful of almonds.
A whole-wheat tortilla, filled with beans and cheese, and warmed till cheese melts.
Bran flakes cereal with a handful of walnuts and skim milk.
Fresh fruit.
Fresh veggies.
Whole-wheat toast topped with some peanut butter.
Whole-wheat pita bread stuffed with tuna fish salad (made with a little light mayo) and veggies such as lettuce, bean sprouts, celery and cucumbers.
Water, water, water.

These are just a few of the items that fuel my body. I love looking at recipes and other people’s ideas for healthy foods. Have any healthy snack and food ideas?