Get back to the basics!
Trying to figure out a good time to get back into the fitness and nutrition routine? If the answer isn’t right now, then the next best answer is Spring. With the sun coming out, longer days, and spring produce right around the corner, this is the perfect time to lace up the shoes and hit the farmer’s market!
When starting your approach this time, stick to the basics and take it from there. The nutrition component should be your first step since this will be the key to keeping you energized, healthy, and recovering like a champ. A great place to start is with one of my favorite quotes from the Michael Pollan: “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.” This simply translates into eating real foods that haven’t been processed and stabilized with extra ingredients, eat to be satisfied instead of stuffed at each meal, and get in lots of vegetables! You can’t go wrong with these 7 words guiding your nutrition choices.
Spring in particular is one of the best times to bump up your intake for a couple reasons. This time of year a huge variety of produce starts flooding the markets! Seasonal produce tastes better and is almost always more nutritious that out-of-season produce, which often travels thousands of miles before being consumed.
My favorites for the Spring
- Artichokes
- Beets
- Morel mushrooms
- Strawberries
- Sweet bell peppers
Pro-tip: Become friends with your local vendors at the farmers market and you’ll never have to be confused in the produce section of the grocery store again.
With exercise, the best way to get going is to do what you love! Whether it’s running, lifting, hiking, water sports, or walking the dog, get out there. Bonus points if you can do it with friends, family, or even find a local exercise group for some extra motivation. Besides crashing on your bed after an 18 hour work day, nothing feels better than running through blooming cherry blossoms and sprouting trees with a light spring drizzle hitting your face. (If you live in the PacNW like I do, the drizzle is year round and you’ll learn to love it!)
Challenge yourself to knock out at least 20 minutes of activity for 5 consecutive days and take it from there. I promise, as much pain it takes to start the workout, you won’t regret it once completed!
Keep running fast, lifting heavy, and fueling clean friends!
