I eat that I am?

This evening I was reminded, and remembered what I know to be true, albeit hesitatingly, that one is what one eats.

I am a pizza pie.

Enjoying our third homemade pizza of the week (dreadful, right?) my husband says assuredly, "We've got it all covered here: carbs, protein and veggies." Of course this is true, but I counter that the Portland Pie "original" dough, as good as it is, "really should be whole wheat."

Minor details aside, this particular 'za is loaded with grill-roasted red peppers, garlic roasted chicken, fresh green peppers, mushrooms, scallion, (more) garlic and tomato. A bit of mozzarella and tomato sauce, herbs, and love, make our Sunday dinner pizza complete. We also enjoy a mixed green salad, and start with a small bowl of fresh homemade ginger butternut squash soup, all accompanied with wine.

We eat really well here, and sometimes really well means more than enough. But, I think it's mostly good nutrition for us as athletes.

Anne-Marie Davee is a local registered dietitian and nutritionist, and an exemplary endurance athlete. I have heard her speak many times about proper nutrition for peak performance, and her talks have helped me to make adjustments to my daily nutrition. One thing I particularly like about Anne-Marie's philosophy is that the key to healthy eating is to rely on real, whole foods versus supplements or quick fixes.

Simply changing to whole grain breads and whole wheat pastas, for example, can make a significant difference. Maintaining a low-fat (easy on the mozzarella!), complex-carbohydrate-rich diet with loads of rich colored vegetables, grazing throughout the day with balanced, smaller portions, all serve to keep the energy stores high and the body ready for action. Drinking plenty of water every day is extremely important to overall health and performance. Simply, the Basics.

We all know these basic facts about proper nutrition, right? And we all remember the adage, you are what you eat, right? So think about it. What are you made of, and is it good, good enough, optimal, or just plain bad?

Do you want to be something, anything, different?

January 1, eleven days from now, is an awesome time to commit to healthy changes. It's also a full moon on New Year's eve, a spiritually powerful time if you're into that sort of belief system. In any event, healthy nutrition is easy, accessible, affordable ($2 for the aforementioned large size dough) and fun!

There's nothing better than being able to get up and go for a run, KNOWING your temple is being taken care of and is there to serve your performance desires. Trust this, then focus on training that beautiful body with hard, sensible workouts and proper rest. You will reach those performance goals in 2010. Good luck!