Lunden Souza: Time to get out of your comfort zone

I am one of those people who will try anything once, just for bragging rights.

Even if it is not necessarily healthy, like the escargot covered in bacon and Hollandaise sauce from Las Vegas or the fried alligator from New Orleans, I still will try it just to see what it tastes like.

Even if it is not something crazy and gourmet, there are still a lot of healthy foods that I have yet to try or don't really feel comfortable cooking on a regular basis.

I have been getting better at adding a greater variety of healthy foods to my diet so that I can give my readers more feedback and more options.

One of the foods that I have started eating a lot recently is quinoa. I partially stayed away from it because I am horrible at cooking grains and rice on the stove, and I did not realize that I could use the microwave to cook it.

I found an organic quinoa from Trader Joe's that you can cook on the stove, in a rice cooker or in the magical microwave. However you do choose to cook it is fine.

One fourth of a cup of the quinoa I bought has 170 calories and 5 grams of protein. It's also a complete protein, which means that all nine amino acids are present. This is a great option for vegetarians since it can be hard to find ways to get an adequate amount of protein in your diet when not consuming meat.

Another component is that quinoa is cholesterol-free and gluten-free for those that need to monitor either. I actually made it for lunch this week with a bunch of sautéed vegetables on top and some lean ground turkey. I also added it to a spinach salad for some additional carbs for energy.

Red globe radishes are another food I have been adding to my cooking. My friends mom put them in a spinach salad that she made and it was really delicious.

I did some research on this root and it is a really great source of dietary fiber, vitamin C and B6, minerals and antioxidants. It is not necessarily the most flavorful vegetable out there, and I don't necessarily think that I was completely missing out by not eating radishes often. But, why not add something extra and nutritious into your diet if you can?

It never hurts to try something different.

I recently tried zip-lining for the first time when I went to Cabo about three weeks ago.

Most people would think that this is just another fun activity, but I am extremely terrified of heights and motion at a high elevation without being completely enclosed -- such as when I'm traveling by plane. I almost backed out right before the first zip line, but then I just wiped my sweaty palms for the 50th time and went for it.

If I am going to constantly work to bring people out of their comfort zone when working out, there is no reason why I should not be able to push myself out of my comfort zone and conquer my fear.

By the third zip line I was finally getting comfortable and really enjoying myself. At one point I saw my shadow zipping along this giant mountain and I really felt a sense of accomplishment.

I never imagined that I would be able to let myself swing in a small harness that high up. The point I am trying to make is that being fit and healthy and trying a new schedule, regimen and way of life is not just a walk in the park.

It requires going out and trying new things: food, exercises, sleeping patterns, beverage selections, etc. Never put limits on yourself.

That's the best way to face the challenges that life throws at you.

Lunden Souza can be reached at lundensouza@gmail.com.