Eating a Healthy Diet
As much as we say or feel we can, it's not always easy to eat healthy. Why is this? One reason may be because we don't really understand what healthy eating really consists of. This could be due to the way you were raised, or the amount of healthy foods you have available to you. The diet culture that we live in doesn't help us very much either. There are so many conflicting messages as to how we should all eat! Here at The Missy Method, I ignore all the fads & trends and rely on what my food tells me. I read the ingredients. Let's dive a little deeper into this and how it may help you.
The INGREDIENTS are "a component part or element of something". This list is past all the macronutrients and micronutrients on your cereal box. It is usually at the very bottom of the bag or box. Here is where you can learn so much more about what you are putting in your body. You want to look for clean and high quality ingredients in your foods. Some red flags to pass on are soy, gums, canola oils, Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Artificial Coloring and dyes on the list - that is just a few!
Start reading your ingredients and choose organic or/and grass fed when possible. Try this for the week ahead - choose 8-10+ healthy foods you like and plan your weekly meals around them. For example, foods I eat every day include: bananas, berries, celery, spinach, oats, eggs, potatoes, rice and beans. I recommend adding protein to every meal if you are working out and looking to gain lean muscle. This will give you a peace of mind that you are eating for your health. Fill your plates with a rainbow of vegetables and fruits. Your gut will thank you.
What about the days that are slammed back to back with meetings or you have two weddings this weekend? Don't fret, the reality is life gets busy and you can't eat healthy at every meal. I get it. The most important thing when this happens is DO NOT let yourself worry or feel guilty! It's not about being perfect. It is about making the best informed decisions for yourself. I like to think of it as the 80-20 (or sometimes 70-30) rule. This is when I eat healthy 80% of the time, and the rest of the time I let myself indulge in cravings (without overdoing it). I don't believe that any foods are forbidden and you shouldn't either!
The takeaway ~
Eat for your health & energy
Read the ingredients of your foods!
Stay away from the red flag ingredients.
Fill your plates with one ingredient foods! (fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, legumes, etc.)
Don't beat yourself up for eating something you know isn't the best, just pick back up on the healthy train on your next meal or snack!
Next we will discuss what to drink and not to drink (& yes, I will be talking about alcohol).
Stay safe, stay strong
xM
