June 27, 2013
Overwhelmed by Nutrition
Hello :)
My name is Yolande (if you haven't already read my bio) and I am here to share my nutrition & diet knowledge with you all. I LOVE fitness, and anything workout related, but my true passion lies in nutrition and fuelling my body with the best foods possible. I am eager to share my knowledge here with you all.
Today I want to talk about something that I personally have experienced , and I feel with all the diets out there today many of you may have as well : Diet Labelling, stigmas, and pressure to eat a certain way.
With all the latest diets out there today such as Paleo, Gluten free, vegan, vegeterian, Low carb, Atkins, or supplement style meal replacements and/or alternatives such as body by vi, shakeology etc. it can be overwhelming and often difficult to figure out which way of eating is best. You probably have asked yourself before "which diet is the right diet?"
I will be the first to tell you I have tried my fare share in a variety of diet plans, and to be honest with you, at times food controlled my life. I ate completly vegan for a a year, dabbled in Paleo, went completely Gluten free for two months, and dabbled in a few "fad diets" over the years. I often felt that labelling myself under a certain diet "category" left me with a sense of pressure to eat a certain way. Would someone who knew me as a vegan see me eating a ice cream cone judge me? Would I all of a sudden have extreme stomach pain if I ate a piece of fluffy bread? Would I be frowned upon if I ordered eggs at breakfast after proclaiming I eat a vegan diet? After much thought, I decided that no specific diet is perfect, it's best to find out what works for you. I discovered that by labelling myself I often felt pressured to eat a certain way, and I never want food to determine how I live my life. I never wanted to be frowned upon or questioned if I decided to eat a piece of meat, or have a slice of cheese pizza on a rare occasion, I mean we are human after all.
After observing my restricting habits over the years, I discovered the best way for me personally to eat is to not have a label at all. Once I dropped the label and began eating what makes me feel my best the stress of it all went out the window. My advice to you is eat what makes YOU feel, look, and perform your best.
I personally feel my best eating a high plant based diet, dairy free, soy and gluten kept to a minimal. I avoid processed foods and cannot stress this enough. I also steer clear of added sugars (especially refined), oils apart from coconut & extra virgin olive oil, avoid products that contain ingredients I cannot pronounce or recognize, mindful of sauces/seasonings, and keep my healthy fats to a recommended daily amount. I could get into details of what I eat exactly , but for now I will keep it vague. I believe in nourishing your bodies from the inside out , fuelling it with foods that come in their natural state. With the summer months here there is no excuse to not load up on fresh produce. If you are fuelling your bodies with natural foods the results will only show through on the exterior.
It is OK to have froyo on a hot summer day
As long as you balance it out with some greens ;)
You can have tacos at the local Mexican hot spot
Just be mindful of the ingredients (I avoid the cheese, and depending how I feel order chicken, or beans for ingredients).
You can indulge and still be lean in my opinion, just be sure to practice moderation. If you decide to have that cocktail at happy hour
Just be sure to add in a green juice that day
We are human, and of course cravings sometimes get the best of us, but instead of candy , try a fresh bowl of fruit.
I promise it tastes great ;)
I am eager to continue to share my knowledge with you all, and would love any feedback, comments, or questions regarding how I feast, and any tips I can offer. Since I began fuelling my body with the nutrients it needs from whole foods I have never looked or felt better. I thank you for reading and I encourage you to take charge of your health today, leave out the labels and fuel your body with what makes you feel and look your absolute best.
See you again soon,
Yolande :)
My name is Yolande (if you haven't already read my bio) and I am here to share my nutrition & diet knowledge with you all. I LOVE fitness, and anything workout related, but my true passion lies in nutrition and fuelling my body with the best foods possible. I am eager to share my knowledge here with you all.
Today I want to talk about something that I personally have experienced , and I feel with all the diets out there today many of you may have as well : Diet Labelling, stigmas, and pressure to eat a certain way.
With all the latest diets out there today such as Paleo, Gluten free, vegan, vegeterian, Low carb, Atkins, or supplement style meal replacements and/or alternatives such as body by vi, shakeology etc. it can be overwhelming and often difficult to figure out which way of eating is best. You probably have asked yourself before "which diet is the right diet?"
I will be the first to tell you I have tried my fare share in a variety of diet plans, and to be honest with you, at times food controlled my life. I ate completly vegan for a a year, dabbled in Paleo, went completely Gluten free for two months, and dabbled in a few "fad diets" over the years. I often felt that labelling myself under a certain diet "category" left me with a sense of pressure to eat a certain way. Would someone who knew me as a vegan see me eating a ice cream cone judge me? Would I all of a sudden have extreme stomach pain if I ate a piece of fluffy bread? Would I be frowned upon if I ordered eggs at breakfast after proclaiming I eat a vegan diet? After much thought, I decided that no specific diet is perfect, it's best to find out what works for you. I discovered that by labelling myself I often felt pressured to eat a certain way, and I never want food to determine how I live my life. I never wanted to be frowned upon or questioned if I decided to eat a piece of meat, or have a slice of cheese pizza on a rare occasion, I mean we are human after all.
After observing my restricting habits over the years, I discovered the best way for me personally to eat is to not have a label at all. Once I dropped the label and began eating what makes me feel my best the stress of it all went out the window. My advice to you is eat what makes YOU feel, look, and perform your best.
I personally feel my best eating a high plant based diet, dairy free, soy and gluten kept to a minimal. I avoid processed foods and cannot stress this enough. I also steer clear of added sugars (especially refined), oils apart from coconut & extra virgin olive oil, avoid products that contain ingredients I cannot pronounce or recognize, mindful of sauces/seasonings, and keep my healthy fats to a recommended daily amount. I could get into details of what I eat exactly , but for now I will keep it vague. I believe in nourishing your bodies from the inside out , fuelling it with foods that come in their natural state. With the summer months here there is no excuse to not load up on fresh produce. If you are fuelling your bodies with natural foods the results will only show through on the exterior.
It is OK to have froyo on a hot summer day
As long as you balance it out with some greens ;)
You can have tacos at the local Mexican hot spot
Just be mindful of the ingredients (I avoid the cheese, and depending how I feel order chicken, or beans for ingredients).
You can indulge and still be lean in my opinion, just be sure to practice moderation. If you decide to have that cocktail at happy hour
Just be sure to add in a green juice that day
We are human, and of course cravings sometimes get the best of us, but instead of candy , try a fresh bowl of fruit.
I promise it tastes great ;)
I am eager to continue to share my knowledge with you all, and would love any feedback, comments, or questions regarding how I feast, and any tips I can offer. Since I began fuelling my body with the nutrients it needs from whole foods I have never looked or felt better. I thank you for reading and I encourage you to take charge of your health today, leave out the labels and fuel your body with what makes you feel and look your absolute best.
See you again soon,
Yolande :)