by Kerry Taylor

What we put in our bodies will determine the results in what we see. As some of you know, I have been trying to start "distance" running a little bit. It has been a bit of a challenge so far because I am built for speed and power, NOT distance. In order for me to run for distance, it's in my best interest to drop some weight. In order to do that, I had to adjust my eating habits. The past month or so has been very clean eating 24/7. I wasn't sure if I would be able to do it, but I have been pretty consistent 90% of the time. That other 10% is my reward.

The key to it all has been how I game plan everything. I have had to change my approach altogether on how I go food shopping. I used to just go in, get whatever I liked to eat, and go from there. But, now the plan has changed. It's pretty simple...stay out of the aisles 90% of the time. That other 10% is to duck down an aisle for spices, condiments, and sometimes some oatmeal. Once I grab what I need, I get right out. I know that if I stay in the aisle too long, my eyes will wander and I will tempt myself to get some of the things I know I don't need. To take it a step further, sometimes I will try to think ahead and plan out my meals for the next week or two. Once I have that put together, I create my food list from there. If I know what I should be buying, there will be no room for mistakes. And again, I go in with the same mindset- STICK TO THE PLAN.

I know we all love to eat, but remember, it plays a big role in everything we are trying to achieve. Whether it is to sleep better, train harder, have more energy, recover faster, lose weight, or gain weight, the way we fuel our bodies is essential to getting there. Hopefully you can start to create a game plan and get yourself on the right track. The right track is what you feel it should be; just make sure it's consistent with your goals. Next time you go food shopping, go in with a plan and stick to it. Resist temptations. So far it has worked to my benefit. My times are dropping for my runs and I have now lost 14lbs and counting...