Some of the amazing meals I've created lately
I truly believe industrial nations suffer from a social disease where putting garbage into our bodies is acceptable. It isn’t. Ever.
The excuses are as ridiculous as they are many. “I don’t have time to cook” or “eating healthy is expensive”. If those statements were true, it means you are effectively unable to survive. There is NOTHING more important than the fuel you give your body. (If you are truly destitute and rely on food banks for sustenance, I would then agree that the underfunded state of these institutions is resulting in the malnutrition of society’s most vulnerable, but that’s another topic). I’m an extremely busy person with a budget like everyone else, but I accomplish the planning and work necessary to meet the necessities of a healthy lifestyle first.
This is not to imply that changing such deep culturally/socially ingrained habits is easy, but it’s far from impossible. Our society revolves around marketing, convenience, and the almighty dollar. Reject these things from your food. Personally, I’ve struggled with my relationship to food for most of my life. In recent years, I was stuck in a cycle of habitually under-eating and “emotional eating”. During times of stress I would run a nutritional deficit for weeks at a time leading to rapid weight loss, then store fat like a polar bear when I began eating “normally” again. Although I am not an overweight person, I have stored a bit of extra body fat. More importantly, my health was not being taken care of and I was unable to meet my fitness goals.
Although my diet has always consisted of mostly whole foods and I’ve been vegan for two years, I had previously failed to make any significant changes in my habits. Last month I sought help with a nutritionist through a local chain of clinics. She is vegan and is a certified personal trainer to boot. I have followed a comprehensive plan for five weeks that involved only whole foods with the right nutritional balance. Having a plan tailored to me and being accountable to someone else has been invaluable. Best of all it was affordable, although I realize that may not be the case for everyone. If it’s something you can possibly manage, I highly recommend a nutritionist or registered dietitian. It’s even more important than your gym membership.
Alternatively, I have been reading a great book entitled “The Eat-Clean Diet” by Tosca Reno. it is geared towards omnivores, but if you need a starting point, this book is quite comprehensive. It breaks down a general metabolism-fuelling way to eat. The idea is to eat lots of whole foods consistently throughout the day and with the right balance of nutrients. I find it very useful for understanding how my body uses what types of foods and when is the best time to eat them.
Another tool in my toolkit has been Angela Liddon’s Oh She Glows site. Like me, Angela has struggled for years with disordered eating and poor body image. Her site is an amazing collection of (mostly) vegan healthy recipes, healthy living tips, and fun anecdotes from her daily life. I can’t express how much of an inspiration Angela has been.
My results after these 5 weeks have been as follows:
I’ve dropped 8 lbs and nearly an inch from my waist
I’ve doubled the amount of food I consume in a day
I eat nothing processed or refined whatsoever
I drink 3-4 litres of water per day, (these last two are mostly unchanged from before)
I’ve increased my energy level
I take in intense physical activity 4-6 hours per week in addition to my lifestyle of walking and taking public transit everywhere
I’ve reduced my alcohol intake from about 10-15 units to 2 units per week (ex: 6 oz of wine)
and best of all I’m happy as a clam!
I know a diet overhaul may seem like a daunting task, but think of nutrition as the foundation of your life. The bricks and mortar are food and physical activity. If your house is built on sand, then nothing else really matters.
