emily's mini-book on everything you need to know about nutrition

i feel so lossstttt sometimesssss.....

concerning the afore-mentioned obsession with food & exercise blogs, magazines, etc.- i wish people would just make up their freakin' minds!! i feel like i have read so much conflicting health info over the years that my head could explode!!

even if i take out the extreme out-liers.... the crazy cabbage soup diets or quick weight loss pills... the reasonable-lifestyle looking stuff still bewilders me in it's inconsistency.

i.e.: should i eat 1. low-fat dairy 2. full-fat dairy 3. either of the previous in regular, organic, or just all-natural 4. stay away from dairy altogether

or.... should i lift: 1.very heavy weights few times 2. very light weight many times 3. medium weight some medium number of times 4. use my body weight

do you see what i mean?! (that is just a very small smattering of the confusing contradictions)

so... based on my extensive research, i have decided on the following, and i will call them

"emily's rules for being healthy and happy and hopefully looking hot in a bikini"

1. eat (mostly lower-fat) meat and veggies. i think this should form the base of your diet along with some eggs and good-for-you nuts.

2. fruit is delicious and nutritious. eat it. but, don't go overboard cause that yumminess packs calories along with the vitamins. when you eat it, it's probably best to stay away from melons and tropical fruit... that stuff will go straight to your (i want this to be flat and toned in that bikini) mid-section (some would say hips but, let's be honest... nothin' has ever gone to these hips... all my indiscretions sit right there in that lower belllyyy.... mmm....hot!)

3. don't eat processed junk. even if it says "healthy choice" there is always a better option.... let's preserve our bodies through our healthy decisions, not by pumping them with chemicals. eat fresh as much as possible.

4. cook. i know that this may seem burdensome at times but, its soooo worth it! i try to cook one or two big things on the week end to last for the week. make enough to freeze the leftovers then as you use your leftovers, you can add variety to your two-meal weeks.

5. experiment with spices. salt is not healthy. figure out ways to make things taste yummy with less of it. that being said, use sea-salt when using salt because it takes less to add the delish!

6. get moving!! move as much as possible. go to the gym 'cause all those other bikini-ready or not-so-bikini ready bodies will give you real motivation! the more i read, the more i think that lonnnnggg bouts of cardio are just not necessary. i like to combine moderate to quick-paced cardio with all out sprints. sprints will wear you out so fast!! also, don't be afraid to mix it up with a class. and, get outside whenever possible cause it's sooo much better!

7. lift heavy things (i took that from mark) again, i mix it up here. i appreciate the current cross-fit craze (and i think it will last because it seems to work). i think stuff that uses multiple muscle groups simultaneously just makes sense. it's a great way to get out of there quick And rev up the old metabolism. the goal is hot & toned all over, not, in my opinion, ridiculously huge biceps and chicken legs. i hate chicken legs. but, i digress.

8. when you treat yourself, make it good. mcdonalds is not worth it. a perfectly cooked filet mignon and a couple of bites of garlic mashed potatoes are.so.worth.it.

9. (i hate and do not abide by this rule but am going to say it cause i know it's right) don't.drink.soda. there i said it. but, i don't have to do it if i don't wanna. nanny nanny boo boo. also, caffeine in general should be used only in moderation.

10. don't be too hard on yourself. if you... for instance.... eat 500 calories of dark chocolate pretzel bark... you have not ruined your life. you will still fit into all of your clothes. your sig. other will still think you're hot. however, if you let that one slip in judgment allow you to make 10 more ("i've already blown it... might as well sit my fat ass down and watch tv and eat twinkies for.ever because i am always going to be fat") your sig. other may still think you're hot but your doctor will be angry and you will probably have to spend a lot more during the course of your life on prescription drugs, ever-larger clothes, etc. (also... you won't look good in a swimsuit, probably).

11. eat chocolate. it will make you happy. and, a healthy lifestyle is, in the end, about happiness for many, many years to come. (obviously when you are eating chocolate choose wisely and do so in moderation)

so, there you have it - the 11 things that i think are absolutes (or close to it) for a healthy life. and, while i haven't reached that "i feel so fit i am going to go running in just my bikini and tennis shoes today" place... i think some day i just might. (but, i promise... even if i feel good enough to do that, i won't actually do it cause... come on... that's just wrong)