Originally, the domain name for this site was Graceful Balanced Health.  After deeming it too long, I shortened it, but it pained me a little because BALANCE is something I strive so hard for in every aspect of my life, yet it is so difficult to achieve.

The variety of this blog is aimed to be balanced:  discussions on fitness, recipes, overall health, grace, and nutrition.

Fitness comes easy for me, and grace… well I receive plenty of that every day so I can certainly come up with specific examples on how to give and receive that.

Nutrition.  Hmmm.

Knowledge vs. execution

Of course I KNOW what needs to be leaving my hand and entering my mouth. Having taught group fitness for 13 years, I’m constantly educating myself on the latest nutritional research.

I’m aware of what a healthy meal looks like and what a quality snack should be.  Being mindful of the quantity is certainly something I’m aware of.

Executing it is a completely different issue.

I fail daily

Rather than giving a Nutrition 101 essay, I thought I’d give this vulnerability thing a whirl and share what my challenges are.  And at the bottom, I would love to hear yours as well.  Maybe we can help each other out on this.

Breakfast

I have the breakfast routine down.  Most mornings I have some version of two eggs with sprouted toast.  Yes!  Protein, whole grains, maybe some veggies in there.  (Win!)

Mid-Morning/Lunch

Typically my exercise for the day begins after breakfast and before lunch.  Depending on what I’ve done I’m often ravenous by the time lunch rolls around.  And by “rolls around” I mean 10:30 or 11.

And here’s where it get’s real, people.  I have actually raided the pantry in search of Cheeze-it’s or Lays or any other quick-digesting carb while my meal is being prepped.  More than once.  More than I care to admit, really.

My meal is 5 minutes away from being complete and I’m foraging the carb shelf like it’s going to walk away. I know I should have a small snack in between breakfast and lunch.  I know I need to refuel 30-60 minutes after a workout.  Sometimes I do but it’s not always the right fuel.  (Lose)

Then, to compound my carb binge with my healthy lunch, I finish the meal with a small piece of chocolate.  And by “a,” I mean anywhere between one and four.

Just like that, I’ve taken a lean protein, maybe some veggies and a quality carb and sandwiched them between junk and crap.

“After-school” Snack

Fast forward a few hours and I’m greeting my boys home from school.  I’m sure I don’t need to explain their explosive hunger level, especially my 12 year old’s.

I find myself, once again, snacking the wrong way.  It might be the right food (veggies/hummus) but the wrong quantity.  Or, just as likely, it is the right food but multiple versions (veggies/hummus AND apples/almond butter AND the remains of the smoothie I made my son).  By 4:00, often I’m full and my interest in the next meal is all but gone. (Another loss)

Dinner

Unfortunately, I have boys who want to be fed and a husband who is more discerning in his mid day food quantities than I, so the meal prep begins again.  On a good night, this is where I will find my peace, so it balances out, I suppose.  Nothing puts me in a more zen state of mind than chopping vegetables with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

Three to four nights a week I’m pretty good about offering our family a well-balanced, nutritious meal consisting of a protein, veggie and carb.  We have easy staples for busy nights that are moderately nutritious, or if I’ve planned ahead well enough I’ll have something in the Crock Pot that is easily served.

Overall, dinner isn’t a huge challenge for me unless we go out to eat, in which case I sometimes act as if it’s my last meal.  That’s another post for another time.   Balancing my hunger with the quantity of food can be tricky for me any time, though.

So there you have it.  In sum:

Breakfast – win

Snacks – lose

Lunch – lose

Dinner – tie

I believe that’s 37% field goal percentage in basketball.  While that would be great for my 5’4″ no-hoops-skilled self, I’m pretty sure no coach or player would strive for such a low success rate.

I know how to play the game…but…

I don’t want to give the perception that I don’t have the knowledge.  I actually do have a decent amount, and I’ve given some great guidance to friends and students throughout the years.  I’ve educated myself from reputable, scientific sources, and fitness certifications.  Moving that knowledge from my brain to my mouth has proved to be more challenging.

For what it’s worth, my approach to food is this:  If God put it on this earth for us to enjoy, then do so wisely.  Consume foods as close to the source as possible.  Eat lots of veggies and fruits, lean protein, complex carbohydrates, nuts and beans.

The “diet” (that word makes my face go sour) spectrum is so large.  We’ve heard about Paleo, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Quick Weight Loss, Atkins, Gluten Free, Vegan and so many more.  If that’s not enough, we are inundated by what I call “engineered food” of protein powders, refuel for post workout, enhanced hydration, and the list is only growing.  It’s overwhelming.

As we delve into options, my thoughts may not mirror yours exactly.  That’s okay.  What’s successful for me may be difficult for you, or vice versa.  That’s okay too.  Let’s just get the basics down, know we are in this together and understand it might look different for different people.

If you could ask any nutrition question, what would it be?  What trips you up throughout the day?  What is difficult to understand when reading recipes, or do you get overwhelmed just finding recipes?  Do you have any tips you’ve been able to apply that could help me or others?  Let’s take this discussion and form it into our own piece of helpful deliciousness.