Start your own Hunger Games...

No, I'm not suggesting we play morbidly tragic hunting games with our loved ones. Though, at times, it seems tempting to throw certain individuals together to duke it out amongst themselves ... but I promise not to talk about politicians here.

Now that it's Springtime....soon to be Summer, we'll be shedding our layers of concealing clothing only to reveal our cold weather indulgences. Since most of us don't have a team of stylists, we're on our own to get back to beauty base zero.

So...on to the games....

1st rule: Only eat when you're hungry! Too many times we find ourselves coveting that morsel of food when it's nowhere near time to have a meal or snack. Ask yourself if you're really hungry, or just bored or stressed. Plan ahead.

2nd rule: Choose real food! The more basic the food the better. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself if your grandmother would recognize it as food. The more processed a food is, the less likely it will be to satisfy your hunger and nutrient needs. Again, plan ahead; make sure you have real food at the ready so you're not tempted with nutrient-empty alternatives. And Never, Ever, Ever use a sugar substitute; steer clear of "diet" foods alltogether. Chemicals are not food.

3rd rule: Move! The more you move the better. Run. Walk. Swim. Bike. Dance. There's unlimited ways in which you can move...continuously...for a bare minimum of 20 minutes each day. You'll feel better, you'll look better. Try and break a sweat...it's good for your skin too!

The rules are simple. Learn to recognize when you're truly hungry. You don't have to starve yourself, or eat like a bird. But overindulgences are your enemy. When you are hungry, make sure what you eat is real food. Avoid the processed, boxed, fast-food conveniences and rely on your instincts to choose your meal in its most natural state - whole vegetables and fruit, lean cooked unprocessed meat and fish, seeds, nuts and legumes ... lots of choices! Keep moving throughout the day and work to strengthen your muscles, which will burn more calories even when you rest. I'll be delving more in-depth with each of these assignments weekly.

For now, let the games begin ....

may the odds be ever in your favor...