How To Eat Well

"You need to be OK with the fact that your body doesn't respond to nutrition the same way that a 19-year-old supermodel's body will."

I recently put together the 11 Laws of Fitness, a few pearls of lifestyle wisdom that will help folks lead healthier, happier lives. But, lately, I’ve been thinking, why should exercise get all the attention? Sure, No. 11 on the list is “Food and Nutrition,” but given the huge role food plays in our health, doesn’t it deserve its own list of laws?

The answer to that question, my friends, is "yes,” so over the next several weeks, I’m going to roll out Tony Horton’s 11 Laws of Nutrition, a series designed to get you thinking about what, why and how you eat. Hopefully, it’ll inspire you to take all the hard work and commitment you use on the exercise mat and transfer it to the place mat. Here is law No. 4. (And, in case you missed them, here are No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3.)  

Why do we want life to be different than it is? Why do we think about who we were and where we want to be more than who we are right here, right now? Despite all of our daydreaming, life isn’t about predictions for the future or recollections of the past. Like John Lennon sang, “Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.” It’s the thing happening to you as you read this. Not embracing reality will hold you back every time.

That, my friends, is the crux of my next law of nutrition.

No. 4: The Law Of Reality

Actually, there are three parts to this law, and all three of them require a little tough love. The first part dictates that you might do everything right, but there’s still a good chance that you’re not going to have the aesthetic change you’re looking for in the period of time that you want it in. You need to be OK with the fact that your body doesn't respond to nutrition the same way that a 19-year-old supermodel's body will respond to it. The fact that you're making good choices at every meal is the most important thing. Don't get caught up in your ego's view of what you think your food is supposed to do for your physique. Food is about the inside. It's about protecting, healing and allowing the pancreas, the prostate, the liver, the kidneys and all the other internal organs to function better. Next Page >>

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