NUTRITION

The Happy Hour Nutrition Philosophy is based on four different pillars: Food, Supplementation, Community and Love.

FOOD 

 

Have you ever stood in front of the bread display at a grocery store and realized you just spent 20 minutes reading every label and you still don’t know which one to buy?  “Gluten-free”, “whole wheat”, “100% whole grain”,”sprouted”,”honey oat”, “white wheat”.  I usually walk away not having bought anything at all because my brain just hurts at that point.

Choosing food shouldn’t be this hard!  I want to help you sort through the information out there so you can chose the best foods for you and your family, while also taking into consideration your busy schedule and budget.

Foods have the power to heal our bodies.  They can be either acidic or balancing, inflammatory or soothing, toxic or cleansing, fatiguing or energizing.  I won’t sit here and tell you whether you should be vegetarian, vegan, Paleo, or anything else.  I will tell you the best foods to chose so as not to spike your blood sugar and avoid causing inflammation in your body.  I will also tell you the recipes and foods that have worked for me as I’ve healed my body from endometriosis and other inflammatory conditions.  I have lost weight and kept it off.  More importantly, I feel better than ever and am confidant I’m feeding myself and my family foods that contribute to our longterm health.

Oh, and I love chocolate and wine and have them regularly.  No deprivation here my friends!  Just a love affair with good food.

SUPPLEMENTS

This is just as important as what you eat!  There are a few important things to know:

1) You can’t get all the nutrients you need from foods.  Even if you eat the healthiest diet on the planet, your body will still need proper supplementation to fill in the gaps food can’t provide.

2) Your cells need a certain amount of nutrients in certain combinations to perform optimally.

3) Not all vitamins are created equal.

You can read my story here, but I’ll summarize by saying I believe whole heartedly that one of the keys to health is taking the highest quality vitamin out there.  The only vitamin I trust is USANA Health Sciences.  I trust them because of the research I’ve done and because they changed my life.  They were developed by Dr. Myron Wentz, who is an internationally known and recognized immunologist and microbiologist.  They are all science-based and are ranked #1 in the Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements.  They are regulated closely by the FDA and so I know what it says on the bottle will actually be in what I take.  I trust them implicitly for myself and my clients. You can find them here. 

COMMUNITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

The Happy Hour Nutrition Philosophy includes making conscious choices about the foods you eat and purchase.  You cast a vote every time you buy something at the store, and your vote counts.  I chose to promote small farms that raise their meat humanely and organically.  I chose to promote local farmer’s markets.  I support friends who have chickens for eggs and hydroponics for veggies.  I chose to promote restaurants that serve local and sustainable foods.  What do you chose?  Whatever it is, make it purposeful and share it with your kids and family.  Pass on the knowledge that how we eat affects our bodies, our relationships and our land.

LOVE

The final piece in the Pilates Happy Hour Nutrition Philosophy is that eating should be enjoyable.  Yes, there are strategies for eating that will keep you healthy and help you lose weight, but this should’t feel like punishment or deprivation.  Learn to love the delicious foods that feed your body.  Notice how you feel after eating a plate full of local and beautiful foods versus a sleeve of Oreos.  Chose the foods that are important to YOU and enjoy them if you want to indulge!  I don’t like Snickers so I don’t waste calories on them.  I do love really good champagne and salted almonds and yogurt covered pretzels, so I chose that when I want a treat and I enjoy it.  I don’t feel guilty the next day because I made a purposeful choice and tasted it and savored it.  Chose and prepare foods that will allow you to be the best you can and love others around you.  Laugh at meal times instead of stressing about calories.  By feeding your body properly, you are allowing yourself to enjoy life even more.

 

Cheers!