My Diet

Everyone's body is different. That means each of us has to tweak what foods we intake in order to fuel our body with food that is "perfect" (or at least close to it) for us.

This is the book that started me on this path towards better nutrition for MY body:

And now, I can't even believe how much better I feel. More energy, lighter & happier mood, better brain power, and less internal physiological issues. I didn't even realize I was feeling "icky" before I gave it a try.

I strongly believe GOOD & CLEAN nutrition is the key to a healthy life. So many of the ailments and diseases that so many people face on a daily basis are due to poor diet. Whether it be a day of feelings "gross" or a chronic illness or disorder someone fights, there are so many options on how to better the issue and even erase it with the proper nutrition and natural supplements.

It is REALLY hard to feed your body how you are suppose to in our modern American society where nearly everything is processed with added preservatives or fillers. It's these things that build up in our bodies and cause them to malfunction and clog up, causing a domino effect in one or many of our organ systems in our body.

Because it is so hard to keep your food clean, I believe in regular cleanses (I do one twice a year) in addition to the effort of eliminating as many of the fake ingredients and food in the diet.

"Dieting" is NOT all about counting calories and cutting out certain food groups. It's about learning what YOUR body truly craves to function better and eliminating things that hinder its functioning and your overall well-being. So, start listening to your body: if you feel sluggish or bloated or gross, you may have eaten something your body doesn't like or can not properly process due to a lack of digestive enzymes; on the other hand if you feel energized, happy, and light, you probably ate something your body has been craving  in order to energize you.

I know how hard it is to listen to your body. That's why I started off with this book. Besides learning that I became lactose-intolerant after high school, it was hard to pinpoint what foods my body loved and which it hated. Eat Right 4 Your Type was like a diet/nutrition bible for me in the beginning. It guided me on what foods to eliminate and see how I felt if I decided to re-include them in my daily intake. 

Of course, this book can't be PERFECT for every single individual who reads it, but it is a great start. I have great testimonials from many friends and family members who have had their lives completely turned around for the better due to nutrition. A couple even had their lives saved from it.

There's a saying: "Eat to live, don't live to eat". Although eating is what many people revolve their life around, if you're fortunate enough, you don't have to make it effect your life negatively. It is hard to train yourself to eat how your body wants, but in time, I promise you will see IT IS worth it! Start with baby steps, and drop the junk and fake food! ...or at least transform it into something less artificial and more clean ;)

Here is the nutrition I've found works best for my body (I will forever be bettering it):

• gluten-free (gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and other grains...in the US and other modern civilizations, wheat has become so processed that it's hard for the body to digest and absorb nutrients from some grain. Although I'm not allergic to gluten, and I don't think I have an intolerance, I still choose to avoid it. Luckily, in Southern California, this has become extremely affordable and accessible, even for me and my penny pinching!)
• dairy-free (I'm a firm believer in almost everyone should eat less lactose. We are the only mammal that continues to drink milk...and other dairy products...after our infancy. Feeling bloated, gassy or having weird digestion issues? Try taking milk products out of your diet and see how your gut feels! You may be surprised! ;)
• no artificial preservatives (why eat something if it's fake? How on earth is that supposed to be digested by our organic bodies?)
• no additives that I don't know where they came from. If I can't pronounce the chemical that was thrown in the food, I won't put it in my body
• organic (I haven't fully accomplished this yet. One day when my college-student budget isn't so tight. I eat organic as often as I can afford!)
• no MSG (a popular preservative they hide secretly in ingredients such as "natural flavors" or any chemical with "mono-", "di-", or "hydro-" as a prefix...to name a few)
• no GMO (genetically modified organisms. There are a few products in the United States that are always GMO unless stated otherwise as organic or non-GMO: corn, soy, wheat, canola)

I know it looks like a HUGE challenge and not worth it, but think of something you'd like to change about your diet or how you feel and go from there. It's worth a shot! :)

Lastly, I know it is just common knowledge that you should exercise to "be in shape"...although there are some holes in this expression. I would consider the route to getting healthy is 90% nutrition and 10% exercise & fitness.

BUT, with that being said, I feel SO MUCH better, energized and lively if I utilize my food through exercise or any kind of physical activity.

Even those days when you planned to work out but you're just feeling lazy and tired, JUST DO IT! Getting your body moving and your blood pumping in anyway will give you more energy post workout than you think!

Make your day more productive by exercising! Your body and mind will thank you!

Finding the route to health and fitness is not easy. I'm not sure how many people will choose to follow my blog, and although I'm technically not a professional yet, I am more than happy to help anyone and everyone with some guidance on where to start or where to go. And if I don't have good enough advice, I have plenty of resources I can pass on to you during your journey to health! :)

Health, Love & Fitness. That's my mantra and I'm sticking to it!