Step Three: Eat to Live

I love to eat. Unapologetically.

And I don't believe in dieting.

I know dieting exists...but I don't believe it works for me, or for many people.

Now I'm sure there are those of you out there that have done a 3-day cleanse, or 21-day diet reboot, or 40-day fast, or 7-day jump-start. I'm sure it's helped get things going in the right direction, or gave you the motivation you need to improve your eating habits. I have certainly tried my share of reboots and cleanses. Some of them worked...I lost pounds, felt energized and excited about the positive changes; felt like I was really going to stick with it...then a week after coming off the allotted time limit, ended up going right back to the way I ate before and gaining back the pounds, plus a few more.

So what DO I believe in?

I believe in a lifestyle change.

I believe in gradual changes, over time.
 I don't believe in drastic changes. For me personally, I find it easier to make lasting changes when I focus on one habit at a time. Whether it's always having a fruit with breakfast, or always having a salad or other vegetables at lunchtime, small changes over time can really add up to eating well.
 
I believe in choosing to eat mostly plant based, whole foods.
A few years ago, I read the China Study, by Dr. Colin T. Campbell. Based on over 20 years of research and experience, he makes a convincing argument for eating a plant-based, whole food diet. He has the science to prove his point, and although it's still a work in progress for me, I wholeheartedly believe in this way of eating! If you've never heard of this book, you may have heard of the documentary, "Forks over Knives", which talks about Dr. Campbell's research among other things. Both of these made quite an impact on my thinking about food choices.

I believe in eliminating as much processed food from your life as possible.
The closer to natural it is, the better. If something has way too many ingredients on the label, things that I cannot pronounce or recognize, then I do my best to avoid it.

I believe in  planning healthy eating.
If you fail to plan...you plan to fail. This is also a work in progress. I try to plan healthy meals and then shop accordingly. I also try to plan healthy snacks, and carry some with me for whenever I'm away from home. There have been too many times I made poor food choices because I waited too long between meals, until I was ravenous and chose the nearest, fastest thing.

I believe in enjoying an occasional treat, enjoying my meal, and in finding and choosing healthy foods that I actually like. If it takes too much work to follow a meal plan and it doesn't even taste that good or is something I don't necessarily like, what is the point? It is much easier to make it simple and delicious!

I believe we obsess about food too much. We focus on the emotional connection to food. We give into cravings, no matter how harmful they might be.We do not naturally think about food in a logical way. We obsess about how many calories are in each item of food and how many calories we need per day and week. Now, again...I'm sure there are those of you who have had success with counting calories to help lose weight and maintain. It is difficult for me to see how that can be continued throughout life. It seems like calorie counting would be time consuming and put too much focus on food.

Sometimes the way we view food has a lot to do with our culture and upbringing. In some cultures, gathering around a table loaded down with decadent, rich, foods is just a way of life. Every gathering, whether for family events or business meetings, calls for cake and ice cream! I've been in settings where, no matter if I was hungry or not, it was a matter of eating or offending.

And no matter how much we exercise (run!), it is impossible to be healthy without good nutrition. You might be considered "skinny", but are you healthy?

When it comes to aging, it is even more important that we consume foods that will fight disease and fuel our energy. There are plenty of studies that promote certain foods as anti-aging fighters!

I'm not trying to fight getting older. I just want to live a vibrant, healthy, energized life, especially as I get older!

Now, you may not want to give up your daily ice cream sundae or big mac, but if your goal is to be healthy and strong and live well as you age...those choices might not be the way to go.