I always hear athletes talk about counting their Macros.
Macros are the proteins, fats and complex carbohydrates that we eat every day. They are super important and work together in your body as a team. They are your calories and energy that help you perform and get through the day. They fuel and build.
What most people don’t talk about is micro-nutrition. Micro-nutrition is what you don’t see when you are eating your food. It is the vitamins, enzymes, phytochemicals, carotenoids, flavonoids, and minerals that are found in the foods we eat. They condition our body and create peak physiology. Physiology is the study of how the human body works. If we are not giving our bodies this micro-nutrition that it craves, then it will be difficult to create gains and enhance performance.
I find that many dancers I talk to tend to be a creature of habit with what they eat. They are not eating enough, but they also are not eating enough variety of colorful foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans and whole grains. They are getting calories, but they are not getting nutrient dense foods into their bodies which contain all these amazing micro-nutrients. These micros protect our bodies on a cellular level and help us perform at optimal levels and aid in recovery as well.
If we were only to eat the same 5 foods every day, we would be missing out on a lot of opportunities to get more gains. Think of the colors of the rainbow and then imagine all the amazing foods that are this color. Food works together inside of us, and we call that food synergy. I like to think of food working as a puzzle inside my body. Each piece of the puzzle/food, depend on each other to work properly.
Over 20 years ago, I found daily micro-nutrition support through a product called Juice Plus+. Yes, I eat a plethora of color every day, but with the toxic world and load we live in today, and being an athlete, my kiddos and I need more. I use J+ to bridge the gap for what we are wanting to get every day but often have a hard time consuming. I said yes because it is just dehydrated plants, it has over 48+ Peer Reviewed Double Blind Clinical Studies on it, NSF certified for quality control, and it is safe for every age. I love to call it Functional Food on Purpose. If you are searching for a way to get more micro-nutrition and plants into your daily regimen reach out to me and I am happy to share more. Bonus is that kiddos eat J+ for free. My site is www.clinelewisjones.juiceplus.com if you want to learn more. Or email me at clinelewisjones@gmail.com
In conclusion, eat more plants. When you are filling your plate ask yourself if your macros are covered(complex carbs, healthy fats and proteins) and if you have enough color. When you have lots of color, you will be covering your micro-nutrition. It is a beautiful and simple way to eat. When I started eating more plants as a teenager, my dancing soared even more. It gave me the gains I was looking for to compete at high levels and protect my insides at the same time.
Written By: Caroline Lewis-Jones
