I have thought for some time that the push / propaganda to view food as just energy (calories) is so misplaced. I have now come to view food as the building blocks of a healthy body and as a bi product of eating real food my body gets the energy it needs. I got an email from APE Nutrition saying exactly that so I’ll share some of it with you. We need to think of food differently and change our mindset about what food gives us Your body is constantly renewing itself and different cells have different lifespans; Gut lining = 2-5 days Skin = 2-4 weeks Liver = 300-500 days Fat cells = 8 years ​The food you eat provides the building blocks for your body and how well (or not) every cell within you develops and operates is dependant on the nutrients you consume. ​ Protein and fats are what you create your cells from and carbohydrates provide energy, but without vitamins and minerals this creation process is inefficient, impaired or in extreme cases, doesn't happen. ​ You literally build your body from the food you eat. ​ And not only does what you consume dictate how every cell in your body is made, but also the level to which they can function. ​ If you want to be feeling and operating at your best, you need to flood your body with bioavailable vitamins and minerals on a daily basis and keep food-caused inflammation to a minimum. ​ Some more cell lifespans you might find interesting are: White blood cells (immunity) = 1-2 days Sperm cells = 2-3 days once mature Red blood cells (oxygen transportation) = 120 days Taste bud cells = 10-14 days Bone cells = 2 weeks or 3 months (depending on type) ​Nutrition is so much more than calories in vs calories out… as you can see from this, it’s important to go a level deeper and think about your micronutrient intake too. ​ Consistently consuming high levels of micronutrients on a daily basis means you’ll build new cells fast and optimally so they’ll function to their greatest potential. For example if you have good levels of iron, this will ensure oxygen delivery is flowing and energy production is where you need it. Alternatively if iron is low, this reduces oxygen delivery and limits energy production.

In my book, I said the magic bullet for weightloss is the power of your intention, your why. I’ve backed off that. It has merit, but it feels incomplete. The why is worthy, and it can sustain us for some time, at least until we start negotiating with ourselves. The kids are grown, so I won’t have to get down on the floor with them, and grandchildren are a good ways off yet. Yes, I did say yes to the thing I don’t want to do AGAIN, and I NEED cake. I'm the one staring down the chocolate chips because I'm upset. Is that you? Some say we live “purpose-driven” lives, but I think we live “identity-driven” lives. Identity holds. It looks like: “I am a woman who _________.” That’s a little harder to bend or fake. “I’m a woman who makes good choices and keeps her word to herself.” That’s mine, and it took me years to say without flinching. Okay, sometimes I still flinch. But the question stays. My question for the group is: Is it your “why” – or your “identity”?