[Renee Willis]

Recently I have been doing a lot of thinking about a lot of things that affect my life and indirectly the lives of others from a holistic point of view.

I know how to use food as tools to carve and build a physique.

I also know how to use training, rest and recovery methods as tools to reach the targeted goal.

Though my goals, I am learning much about the body. I am also learning that there is still much to learn about the body. Most of all I am learning the importance of trying new methods, and also the importance of challenge current methods.

The body is an amazing machine. No one can argue this concept. We push it hard, and we demand for more. We often empty the tank on many levels, and often we fail to stop and fill that tank and then we expect and demand to get new results. Do we achieve? I would say at first glance the answer is yes. I am a walking example testament to prove that it can be done. However there is always a hidden cost; there is a fine print of sorts, and this fine print I want to navigate your attention.

The body is resilient, but it is not indestructible. You can push it to new limits, and I suggest that everyone test and challenged their preconceived limits..this is good for both you body and your mind...however there are limits, and we must value and respect our health as we push our bodies to extreme.

I have pushed my body to the extreme, and though it was most rewarding, I know now the importance of pausing to give back to my body. I know the importance of not looking at the goal from a tunnel vision. I know the importance of change, and I also know the importance of being continually active with our resources as we carve a goal from a holistic view and action. Holistically it is important to keep health as the over all objective as we push mentally, physically and also spiritually. Some people battle with not pushing themselves at all, while others battle with pushing themselves too much; both are equally dangerous. Holistically is a foundation to achieve all goals from being planted from all parts of self; it is both extremely difficult but extremely rewarding.

So how does this all filter into the tile? Tune into your gut to tune into your body? Well it is about active listening. It is about knowing your body and listening to the needs of the body. If you are truly tired, then truly rest. If you are truly hungry, then truly eat. If your gut is saying it wants a specific type of food, then feed it that specific type of food as the body is telling what it needs nutritionally, and is trying to provide for the body's basic needs holistically to restore balance and optimal health.

So truly here has a boxed definition. It means not to make decisions based on justifications, but to make decisions based on education, and based on our insight. If you feel like pizza, it is not because of a true need, and it does not fall under decisions based on education and insight. If you are craving fats, then eat healthy fats. To simplify, and tune into your body from a nutritional point of view, take a walk in your local grocery store and walk around the perimeter. The perimeter you will find the 'non-packaged/process foods'.....by walking near those foods, does a specific food scream at you? If so there is probably a deficiency in your body that that food will provide.

To take the message even further, I recently had a few health issues that were a result of my competitive goals and pushing my body to new limits....therefore the pendulum swing and therefore hormonal imbalances. It is to be expected even with the best planning. I tend to follow a plan to a T, and I tend to like a plan where I must follow to a T. Through my experience however I have learned to listen to the body, and trust the body beyond the print of the black and white. I must factor this into my planning, into my goals, into my progressions as i press towards my next target. My body recently craved oils, and one evening I came home and ate a large amount of salmon and countless amount of nuts AND within two days of following my gut to restore balance, one of my hormonal imbalances was corrected. Again, recently my body have been craving apples one day and then another day raspberries, and I use the analogy of being dehydrated and drinking water...when dehydrated the water is sucked into the body, and likewise eating those apples and raspberries my body was hydrated to restore balance nutritionally and holistically.

I challenge you to take a walk. I challenge you to take a walk with your gut taking the lead. Go the your grocery store, and walk the perimeter and use your gut as your radar to find foods that trigger a nutritionally deficiency in your body, and then use those foods to tune up your body with a holistic approach of knowing and listening to self.

Food, within the box of truly, can truly do the body very good.

Does your body need some tuning?

The body will tell you what it needs if you listen to it.

Pick up perhaps a variety of new nuts. I just recently added 4 new types of nuts to my diet and each night I had a g-flux as a result. Who knew that something as simple as a different type of nut the body would create a metabolic response? Again it ties nicely with the saying, 'the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting new results'...do new, get new.

Perhaps the fruits will be your section, or veggies that are dark green or maybe rich is color. What about the meat section. Red meat perhaps? Hmn, how are those iron levels? How about the dairy? Yes, even dairy. Cottage cheese is a slow releasing protein, and if you are one of those types that does well with dairy...take a walk in that section and check out kefir while you are there.

Listen....

Listen to your gut, and fill your gut by tuning it to tune up and restore balance, wellness and hormonal health that will fuel all your goals with a holistic success.

Image retrieved November 25, 2009 from http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/...n/cart_600.jpg

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