Every other day, chances are you hear about somebody, somewhere, starting a new or another diet. It may be their first time, or their tenth time. Either way, the chances of them staying on dedicated to it, or it being successful, are low. The problem is, everyone is different, every BODY is different, and everyone has different tastes and preferences.
      The biggest problem I see is not eating enough, and what is eaten is not quality. Long story short, when you don’t eat enough, your body starves. Your metabolism will slow down, what you do eat will be stored as none other than fat, and you will have inadequate energy for lean tissue growth and everyday activities. If you were lying in a hospital bed after surgery, inactive for a week, you would still need energy intake for bodily functions, organ maintenance, and cellular repair and maintenance. The other problem of when what you bring in isn’t quality, can lead to more complications. Processed food can change DNA and alter genetics, and can also disrupt your digestive tract and nutrient absorption. Carbonated beverages cause a major disruption to digestion, and soft drinks can cause calcium depletion from bones, which may result in osteoporosis. The negatives highly outweigh the positives.
      The best way to start changing your health is to first plan to eat something approximately every 3 hours, even if it’s something small. The second thing is to try to get a majority of your food in the most natural form as possible. Fruits, vegetables, unaltered lean meats, whole grains, nuts and seeds are a great start. If you can’t pronounce the ingredient in something, or have no idea what it is, it probably should not going into your body. Use herbs and spices to season your food, and if permitted by health, salt very lightly. If you put good in, you’ll get good out. Try these few tips, and I guarantee you’ll notice a difference in just a short time.
      Jack Wilkins is a personal trainer and owner of Four Point Fitness, 8391 Market St., Boardman, a one-on-one, appointment only, training facility. Cardio-kickboxing classes are one of the many specialties offered.
      For more information visit www.fourpointfitness.net or call 330-565-0352. Check out Jack’s weekly blog at http://jackshealthandfitnessspot.blogspot.com/