OD'ing on Spinach

Hi guys, Happy Weekend! How are you keeping active today?

Today's post is on how important nutrition is. What you put into your body will definitely affect how well it performs. It's common sense, but sometimes we don't really stop to think about it.

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Over the past few weeks, I've been bad with keeping up with my clean-eating. In between Lunar New Year celebrations (fried goodness galore), eating out, work parties (cake for breakfast!), Valentine's Day chocolates, & just being surrounded by goodies everywhere I go - really doesn't help the situation. Lack of self-control while being on temptation island also doesn't help.

*Side note: V is really good at resisting temptation island, especially at work parties. Me on the other hand, I will have a little bit of everything. And don't get me started on sweets, I have the biggest sweet tooth ever known to mankind. Plus I love to eat! Who doesn't?

We are all for having cheat days and indulging. However, when it starts affecting my workout, I know something's off. So back to my story. I wasn't terrible - I would still have my veggies, but quite different than my usual leafy green salad (specifically in the form of turnip cake - pan-fried deliciousness that's a standard Chinese New Year dish, thanks to mamabear). Also on the menu, pork buns, cheese muffins, cupcakes, grilled spareribs, etc. Mamabear was on a cooking rampage! And of course, I had a little bit of everything (if this was a Survivor episode on temptation island, I would never make it).

I kept telling myself that it's no big deal, I will just fit in an extra cardio session. I was doing more HIIT routines and more running. But, I couldn't go the extra mile or do the extra burpee or keep my form up. I felt sluggish and was just totally sucky (for lack of a better word). I was also moody and pissed off because I didn't have satisfying workouts. My body didn't feel the greatest and I had the craziest breakouts. I'm really OCD about my skin, so when it starts acting up, I really start to notice. I realized only a few weeks after, that it must be my diet and I wasn't used to all these foods that I was "fueling" my body with. I was barely finishing my usual cardio or strength training routines. As an afterthought, what I was eating wasn't fueling my body in the way it should be!

I slammed on the brakes before it got too far. I went on a grocery haul; I was focused on stocking up on spinach, other fruits & veggies, lean protein, while avoiding the junk food section. I was back on track with my healthy-eating regime. I went for a run yesterday, and lo & behold I was a running maniac! I was going so much faster for longer and my energy was just out of this world! I felt the difference almost immediately - and I have to say, I owe it all to spinach :) I even texted V to say "spinach is my new best friend". I shouldn't be surprised though, besides giving me the energy to pump iron, it's a top superfood that's also rich in vitamins.

Of course, I'm just using spinach as an example - any other diet consisting of leafy greens, veggies & lean protein will yield the same result. Instantly, my mood has been better, I'm more alert and less tired (I'm blogging on a Saturday morning). If you're going through the same thing, we've come up with some tips to get you back on track.

Top 3 tips for preventing your work or home from becoming Temptation Island:

1. Write up a grocery list consisting of nutrient-rich foods and bring it with you to the store. Empty your cupboards & desk drawer of junk food and make sure only healthy snacks are available.

2. Make your own meals & pack a lunch for work! It's all in the prep work. Pack your meals before bedtime if you don't have time in the mornings.

3. Get your family members on board.  All it takes is for one person to start baking cupcakes...and next thing you know, you live on Temptation Island.

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Happy grocery shopping! Hope you have an amazing weekend :)

xoxo, V&L

*Fun Food Trivia: Did you know? Foods that resemble the body parts that they're good for (Source):

Tomatoes: 4 chambers, just like our heart. Loads of Lycopene for preventing heart disease.

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Carrots: carrot slices resemble your eye's iris and they improve your vision.

Mushrooms: to improve your hearing, load up on Vitamin D.

Celery: they're not good just as a side to your chicken wings. They also improve bone strength and consist of 23% sodium, just like our bones!

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Avocados (this one I'm surprised to learn about): resemble a woman's uterus. They balance hormones & prevent cervical cancers. It takes exactly 9 months for an avocado to blossom into a ripened fruit! Coincidence much?

Walnuts: huge source of essential omega-3 fatty acids. They look uncannily like the human brain, so it's no surprise that they help to improve nerve health & memory.

Ginger: resembles your digestive tract and you guessed it! It reduces nausea & prevents colon cancer.

and saving the best for last, Wine: looks like blood and helps increase circulation. Try to limit it to 2 glasses per week though ;)