We’re heading into the healthiest time of the year. And by that I mean the time of year with the BEST INTENTIONS for health. And for many folks, that includes getting some killer abs. It’s a goal for LOTS of folks. That’s probably why every fitness/health magazine you pick up features some kind of ab workout. It may involve crunches. It may involve kettle bells. It may involve machines at the gym. But no matter how you choose to whittle your waistline, there’s one thing that can get in the way of that 6-pack… your food.
And it’s so true! You can spend half an hour a day just devoting yourself to crunch after crunch. And you still won’t sport the ripped abs you’re looking for if you’re not eating clean. “People think it is all in the exercise,” she said. “I used to be one of those people until I became educated by my trainers that this is not the case.”
Don’t think that means you don’t have to put in your time crunching it out on the floor. You DO have to log some sweaty time at the gym! But it will all be for nothing, if you don’t have a clean diet.
So what does it mean to have a clean diet? I e-mailed Keely and asked her to expand on that thought. “Clean means the right kind of carbs, the good carbs I call them and no sugars except the sugars found in fruit and even those are limited a bit,” said Keely.
No sugar… yikes. That’s kind of my favorite food group.
But she’s right! And the good carbs she mentioned? They’ll give you energy to finish that workout! Here are some examples of good carbs: almost any fruit or veggie, beans and nuts, sweet potatoes, brown rice, whole wheat pasta and breads. That’s a pretty good list! So throw out the idea you can’t have carbs. The idea is to keep your food as pure as possible, without succumbing to the additives and processed-ness of foods that have been packaged or boxed.
Still confused on clean eating? I had a trainer tell me once: If you can’t kill it or grow it, you shouldn’t be eating it. That about sums it up.
So as you dive head first into that resolution to get your health in gear, don’t forget that what you’re eating is BEYOND important. That means that before you spend any money on a gym membership or a trainer, head to the kitchen. That’s where fitness REALLY begins!
