“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t…
you’re right.”
-Henry Ford

When we are faced with hardship, we have the innate ability to rise to the occasion, feed ourselves positive self-love and care and make our one beautiful life our main priority.  The problem is that many of us have to get to a critical point in life in order to realize we need to make change to better ourselves.  If this is where you are today, it’s time to choose differently and put yourself on the priority list!

Have you ever considered the powerful ability you have to turn things around through positive thought and affirmation?  Your homework for this week is to print the poem below and place it somewhere where you can read it daily.  My bathroom mirror is filled with my favorite quotes, poems and affirmations so that every morning while I brush my teeth and comb my hair I fill my mind with all that is good.  I encourage you to do the same.

Another good practice is to create a gratitude journal.  Every night, write down 10 things you are grateful for from that day’s events.  It can be something big, but there are also small gifts that fill our day.  A small gift could be your child’s laughter, a warm cup of tea, a moment of time to take a deep breath, or connecting with a friend.

The more we focus on the good in our life, the less room there is for the bad and negative.  We have a choice in this life to create a fulfilling, happy environment.  Choose to make it happen.

•••

Promise Yourself…

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile to every living creature you meet.

To give so much time to improving yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words, but in great deeds.

To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side, so long as you are true to the best that is in you,”

-Christian D. Larson

Here are five things to consider when selecting a sports bar or drink:

1. What purpose will the sports bar serve?
   • Are you eating for pre-workout energy? (in need of a small carbohydrate boost)
   • Are you providing the body replenishment post exercise? (need protein & carbs to replenish)
   • Are you consuming the sports bar as an afternoon snack? (need a pick-me-up)
   • Consider the needs of your individual body and the contents of the bar. While a small carbohydrate boost may serve you well pre-workout, you’ll want more protein accompanied by carbohydrate after you exercise.  And while sports bars might be a quick and easy snack for the long workday, you are probably overdoing it eating one of these bars at your desk.
2. What’s in the ingredient list?
   • Focus on whole food ingredients
   • If you can’t read it, pronounce it or understand it, it doesn’t belong in your body
   • Is it a short list, or long list? The longer the list, the easier it is to hide unwanted ingredients
   • Stick with a list that contains 5 or less ingredients
3. What is the protein source?
   • Select bars with whole food protein sources
     • Nuts and Seeds
     • Hemp Protein
     • Pea Protein
     • Brown Rice Protein
   • Avoid soy and whey protein
4. Identify the sugar sources
   • While it is important to check the amount of sugar you’re consuming per serving, it’s even more important to understand the quality of the sugar you’re about to eat.
   • Select bars that are naturally sweetened with ingredients like:
     • Nuts and Seeds
     • Fruit
     • Dates and Figs
     • Honey
     • Maple Syrup
   • Avoid ingredients like: sugar, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup and any artificial sweetener (aspartame, phenylalanine, sucralose)
5. Beware of the calorie count
   • Some sports bars are used as a meal replacement and can contain a high number of calories per serving. It isn’t necessary to consume this type of bar unless you need to replenish a higher number of calories due to longer exercise.
   • While I don’t encourage calorie counting on a daily basis it is important to periodically gauge your food intake and make sure your choices are serving you well.

There once was a time when sports bars did not exist and people relied on whole food options to fuel their bodies for exercise and health.  You can challenge yourself to do the same!  It’s also an incredibly important skill to teach your children to make healthy food choices at an early age, and many sports bars are even specifically targeted at children! Focus on plant-based foods that provide the body good sources of protein, carbohydrates and fat; you’ll provide the body the fuel it needs while giving it a dose of high phytonutrient-content food to boost the immune system, fight disease and support you in your healthy lifestyle.