Feeding a fighter

Of all the aspects of training you’d think the eating part would be the easiest. And normally it is. I love to eat! But until recently I was consuming so much chicken that, despite being really hungry, I’d reached a point where I just wasn’t able to stomach the sight, texture or taste any longer.

It was heart-breaking. Without chicken, all I could see stretching ahead were weeks and weeks of tofu. How was I doing to continue to eat so much daily meat when I was struggling so soon?

Then along came Gourmet Nutrition—a book highly recommended by Cliff.

The lovely people at Precision Nutrition sent me a copy to review and it arrived just in time to rescue me from impending meat madness.

I won’t go in to too much detail just now as I’ll post a full review over the next week or two but let’s face it: A girl’s got to have options; whether it’s shoes, bags, a well-stocked wine list or…..a choice of meat.  Thanks to their wonderful range of inspiring recipes, each with its own taste bud-tickling colour photograph, I’ve eaten a different type of meat every night this week. From turkey burgers to buffalo and beef, every recipe so far has tasted really, really good. I even dared try chicken once more…and loved it.

I’ve never felt as enthusiastically carnivorous as I do right now! And to think I once lasted 10 years as a vegetarian.

Book review: Choosing You, by Cliff Harvey

How often do we hear ourselves making excuses for not seeing things through? Whether it’s exercising regularly, eating well or climbing the career ladder, as soon as the early enthusiasm fades we’re quick to create believable (and quite compelling) reasons for not completing many of our tasks.

Age, money and time are personal go-to favourites of mine, but we all have our own handy list, ready to whip out at a moment’s notice to justify why we’re discharging ourselves us from our dreams.

How disappointing then to look back years later at unfulfilled goals and potential that remains undiscovered, knowing that there isn’t going to be a second chance.

But life is about choices. We can stay on our path and see what lies ahead or we can detour and reach for something else instead.

Cliff’s book, Choosing You, is about consciously choosing to stay on that path. It’s about identifying your dreams (or goals) and continually reaching for them, no matter how tough the journey or how many wrong-turns you take.

Through his advice, anecdotes, personal stories and purposeful exercises Cliff demonstrates the depth and reality behind his positive messages and the practicality of making it work. But more than just optimistic thinking, he encourages positive and decisive action that ensures the one life we do lead is as full, happy and satisfying as it can possibly be.

Within just 24 hours of starting to read Choosing You I was putting more thoughts and words in to action than I remembered doing in a long time. Cliff’s inspiring words were motivating me to dream big and capture life’s every moment.

What makes this book really stand out from other self-confessed self-help books is that Cliff isn’t just a writer armed with research; he’s also a do-er. He lives and breathes his principles and re-enacts them daily. And knowing the man behind the book is what makes Choosing You so inspiring. 

My own dreams have now started to take shape as a result of reading Cliff’s words and I have a new sense of determination and staying-power. But, quite possibly, more important than that is my new-found awareness that there’s no race to get to the end of my path; there’s no-one else on it but me and I’m in it for the long-haul.

Choosing You is available from Amazon for $14.95

Choosing You!: How You Can Choose To Live The Life Of Your Dreams…Right Now!