Physical: 10 Eating Beliefs

As mentioned in my previous blog on Mental & Emotional precepts, the changes I've made thus far are largely due to changes in what I put into my mouth.  And as someone who used to love his meat, this demanded a real chance to challenge a lot of beliefs held about food, nutrition, and fitness.  Once I had the courage to do so, however, everything clicked into place.  Point on is an excellent example of this.

1. Without greens like mixed salads, broccoli, peas, and freshly soaked almonds, and other nuts and seeds, gaining muscle is not possible.  The introduction of green smoothies became a great way to make this happen.
2. I get nourishment from food and energy from movement.  This is especially important, because, if I find I'm tired, rather than eating or drinking for some energy quick-fix, moving my body gets me there sooner, with more of a sustained effected.  If I pay special attention to training in lower fat-burning zones, or ripping out a few reps on one exercise or another throughout the day, drops in energy don't hit me as often as siting around hoping for things to get better.  Food nourishes; exercise energizes.
3. I don't need to compensate for lack of animal protein with an excess of grains.  Eating wild and brown rice are fine, as well as quinoa and whole-grain barely.  Otherwise, I find fruits with a low glycemic index are a better choice, for example avocados, berries (blueberries in particular do well for me).
4. My diet must contain, in every meal, at least 80% raw foods that have their natural water content inside them--rice and pasta don't cut it.
5. The dietary choices  Imake must hold true to the belief of a sustainable food industry.
6. Juicing and having smoothies are great meals in themselves, and a great way to cleanse while providing the body with nutrients during the day--especially in the morning.
7. I am able to be more creative with meals and enjoy more of what nature has to offer by adapting to this lifestyle and adapting to seasons chances in climate and food availability.  Depending on the season, it's important to have the right tool for the job.
8. What I learn and put into practice reduces my risk of preventable diseases, increases my longevity, and allow me to play hard now and in the future.  It also lowers my recovery time between exercise, making it possible for me to enjoy more activity more often.
9. If possible, alkaline water is a must.
10. Now that I'm becoming more sensitive to what my body needs, I must be flexible to give it what it wants when it wants it.  I must also keep in mind that each meal is structured with the idea that it is part of a daily meal plan, and that nothing is missing from my diet if I keep in mind the big picture.  If I have time for a snack, I know what kind of snacks I need because I am prepared.  This keeps me from cramming everything into one meal, while taking the stress away from eating and allowing me to concentrate on other, more important aspects of my day, so that I can accomplish more with confidence.

N.B.  Although it's not listed as one of the 10, I strongly believe that we should have organic foods whenever possible.