Today's Wordy Wednesday post is going to touch more on meal planning and food goals. I have been asked about what I eat before and after workouts as well as in general what type of a diet do I follow?
I have also recently...or rather was...stressed about what exactly my diet "should" look like. Then this morning on CBS news there was a segment on the Mediterranean diet. It is a type of traditional diet for Mediterranean countries that have a diet high in vegetables and olive oil with a moderate amount of protein consumption. Check out the Mayo Clinic for a more detailed look. There's the Vegan Diet, the Vegetarian diet, I've also heard of the Primal Diet over at Mark's Daily Apple; The clean eating diet which is about just being more aware of how food makes it to your plate and is minimally processed. (If at all.) Then there's the Whole30, which I wasn't even sure that was a diet, but it turns out is just a challenge to eat a whole Paleo diet for 30 days. Don't even get me started on the Raw Diet...which I'm sure has a multitude of health benefits, just none, I seem to be interested in. (Mind Body Green explains 3 reasons why you shouldn't seek out this diet though.)It's enough to make a person's head spin.
Let's not forget to mention all those OTHER DIET PLANS that consist of store bought food, and overly processed junk.
So, what is THE BEST diet?
The truth? The God's honest truth? Well, the answer lies with you. What do you want out of your life? Do you want more energy, clearer skin, to look great, AND feel great? Or do you just want to drop a couple of pounds? Do you want to build muscle?
If you want to lose weight, you want to be on a diet. If you want to change your life, you have to change your lifestyle.
Changing your entire lifestyle to fit one diet, is stressful and consuming, and not everyone is going to understand why you're making such sacrifices like giving up alcohol, not eating rice, suddenly eating 6 meals a day, and have an all consuming passion for smoothies.
It is worth it.
Suddenly waking up at 6am to get to the gym, waiting till Sunday to have a treat, fixing yourself fish with extra vegetables while your husband consumes KFC biscuits...maybe that's just my house.
It's worth it.
I had to ask myself that same question. What do I want for my life? Obviously I don't need to lose anymore weight, but I do need to continue to monitor my diet so I don't fall back into old patterns, as well as make sure to keep my PCOS in check.
While I was strick until I got to my goal weight, I recently loosened the belt quite a bit.
While I eat mostly a Paleo diet just not strict as I do consume beans, oats, and every great once in a while, brown rice. I do eat minimally processed foods and try to avoid additives as much as possible. I've talked endlessly about why I don't consume dairy, soy, or gluten. I can officially say I have been free from all of these things for the last two week at least. Every now and again I slip up, or consume to much sugar, or don't read a label all the way through...but for sure I have been very diligent about it since just before Thanksgiving.
I am suppose to avoid cane sugar/white sugar...most sugar almost all of the time. The nutritionist I talked to said that if I do decide to consume sugar to make sure it is less than 10% of my daily intake. Basically wait till after dinner to decide how much of a treat I can have, if at all.
If you're getting stressed just reading this, you're not alone. I think the trick is to find what works best for you. Define your own parameters for cheating on your diet and go from there.
So far I have been following all of my above rules. My energy is starting to come back, skin's clearing up again (But that could be the acne medicine from the doctor.), however my moods are still a little wonky, but I'm also a girl...so....that's a thing.LOL!
I think this is what I have settled on. A "clean eating diet". I eat mostly chicken and fish, once or twice a week I'll have red meat. I don't consume pork that often but that's sort of a personal choice, no health reasons behind it. Vegetables as often as I can get them. Fruit no more than 2 to 3 times a day and when I do consume it to always consume it with a protein such as almonds, almond butter, or pumpkin seeds. Beans seem to work okay in my diet plus there's added fiber, some protein, and they fill the deficit between protein carbs. They also have a a really low glycemic load!
As far a cheating, I want 1 alcoholic beverage a week and my cheats will only include, french fries, any enjoy life, pure organic bars, renola lara bar garnola product. Or So Delicious coconut ice cream. And I will keep these treats to the weekend. (All the snacks I mentioned in the Paleo Hot Chocolate Post)
I want to be happy, healthy, and whole. I want to enjoy what I eat as well. Thinking more about what Lindsey said in part 1 of the Health Journey posts. How it's about more than just eating. It's about an entire lifestyle. Make sure I get enough sleep, de-stressing, and not feeling jipped by being on a different that goes against the "American Norm".
I am doing this for me. For a healthier, more whole life...
What are you "dieting" for? Or do you want a better healthier life? Change your life, by changing your lifestyle.
It's worth it. I promise you won't regret it.
Blessings,
A
I have also recently...or rather was...stressed about what exactly my diet "should" look like. Then this morning on CBS news there was a segment on the Mediterranean diet. It is a type of traditional diet for Mediterranean countries that have a diet high in vegetables and olive oil with a moderate amount of protein consumption. Check out the Mayo Clinic for a more detailed look. There's the Vegan Diet, the Vegetarian diet, I've also heard of the Primal Diet over at Mark's Daily Apple; The clean eating diet which is about just being more aware of how food makes it to your plate and is minimally processed. (If at all.) Then there's the Whole30, which I wasn't even sure that was a diet, but it turns out is just a challenge to eat a whole Paleo diet for 30 days. Don't even get me started on the Raw Diet...which I'm sure has a multitude of health benefits, just none, I seem to be interested in. (Mind Body Green explains 3 reasons why you shouldn't seek out this diet though.)It's enough to make a person's head spin.
Let's not forget to mention all those OTHER DIET PLANS that consist of store bought food, and overly processed junk.
So, what is THE BEST diet?
The truth? The God's honest truth? Well, the answer lies with you. What do you want out of your life? Do you want more energy, clearer skin, to look great, AND feel great? Or do you just want to drop a couple of pounds? Do you want to build muscle?
Changing your entire lifestyle to fit one diet, is stressful and consuming, and not everyone is going to understand why you're making such sacrifices like giving up alcohol, not eating rice, suddenly eating 6 meals a day, and have an all consuming passion for smoothies.
It is worth it.
Suddenly waking up at 6am to get to the gym, waiting till Sunday to have a treat, fixing yourself fish with extra vegetables while your husband consumes KFC biscuits...maybe that's just my house.
It's worth it.
I had to ask myself that same question. What do I want for my life? Obviously I don't need to lose anymore weight, but I do need to continue to monitor my diet so I don't fall back into old patterns, as well as make sure to keep my PCOS in check.
While I was strick until I got to my goal weight, I recently loosened the belt quite a bit.
While I eat mostly a Paleo diet just not strict as I do consume beans, oats, and every great once in a while, brown rice. I do eat minimally processed foods and try to avoid additives as much as possible. I've talked endlessly about why I don't consume dairy, soy, or gluten. I can officially say I have been free from all of these things for the last two week at least. Every now and again I slip up, or consume to much sugar, or don't read a label all the way through...but for sure I have been very diligent about it since just before Thanksgiving.
I am suppose to avoid cane sugar/white sugar...most sugar almost all of the time. The nutritionist I talked to said that if I do decide to consume sugar to make sure it is less than 10% of my daily intake. Basically wait till after dinner to decide how much of a treat I can have, if at all.
If you're getting stressed just reading this, you're not alone. I think the trick is to find what works best for you. Define your own parameters for cheating on your diet and go from there.
So far I have been following all of my above rules. My energy is starting to come back, skin's clearing up again (But that could be the acne medicine from the doctor.), however my moods are still a little wonky, but I'm also a girl...so....that's a thing.LOL!
I think this is what I have settled on. A "clean eating diet". I eat mostly chicken and fish, once or twice a week I'll have red meat. I don't consume pork that often but that's sort of a personal choice, no health reasons behind it. Vegetables as often as I can get them. Fruit no more than 2 to 3 times a day and when I do consume it to always consume it with a protein such as almonds, almond butter, or pumpkin seeds. Beans seem to work okay in my diet plus there's added fiber, some protein, and they fill the deficit between protein carbs. They also have a a really low glycemic load!
As far a cheating, I want 1 alcoholic beverage a week and my cheats will only include, french fries, any enjoy life, pure organic bars, renola lara bar garnola product. Or So Delicious coconut ice cream. And I will keep these treats to the weekend. (All the snacks I mentioned in the Paleo Hot Chocolate Post)
I want to be happy, healthy, and whole. I want to enjoy what I eat as well. Thinking more about what Lindsey said in part 1 of the Health Journey posts. How it's about more than just eating. It's about an entire lifestyle. Make sure I get enough sleep, de-stressing, and not feeling jipped by being on a different that goes against the "American Norm".
I am doing this for me. For a healthier, more whole life...
What are you "dieting" for? Or do you want a better healthier life? Change your life, by changing your lifestyle.
It's worth it. I promise you won't regret it.
Blessings,
A
Comments
Anyway, l, I have been thinking a lot about what my diet should be and what it was when I was healthier. Perhaps I should write about that too!