When I was younger, I thought “fast food” and “junk food” were the main “bad” foods.
But as they say, when you don’t know, you don’t know. My research into food and nutrition has taught me A LOT over the past 5-10 years and I am doing better now, at 44 years of age, than at 24!
Here are 4 things I’d tell my 24 year old self about food…
1️⃣ Stop drinking all that juice! Believe it or not I (almost) never drank water until about 7 years ago. I felt “sick” whenever I drank water; it just did not go down well.
So for hydration I had only juice (apple juice being my favorite), and very sweetened tea & coffee. The more juice I drank, the more I wanted. That tangy taste was hard to resist.
Plus, I later realized that these extra sweet beverages would give me a sugar “high” followed by a sugar “low” triggering cravings for more juice.
Fortunately, all I drink now is water and unsweetened hot beverages.
2️⃣ Stop masking the natural flavors of tea and coffee with all that sugar! I used to put 5+ teaspoons of sugar in my tea, and more in coffee.
Since reducing the amount of sugar in these beverages to ZERO, I am able to appreciate how delicious these beverages are on their own – jasmine green tea is one of my absolute favorites!
3️⃣ Don’t depend on bread so much! Bread was a staple for me – a quick, easy, tasty meal. Bread and cheese, bread and peanut butter & jelly, bread and butter. I’d have 4 slices at a time, often in the morning plus at night.
Sometimes I’d have some lettuce, tomato and cucumber with a cheese sandwich, but the bread was the main item.
Now I know that bread is sugar (glucose) in another form and the amounts I was having it in was hurting rather than helping my body.
4️⃣ Have more protein and vegetables and much less starch! I’ve been vegetarian since birth (I don’t necessarily think it’s the best diet) and starch has been a huge part of meals. Then there would beans, sometimes fish, and some vegetables on the side.
Imagine that! A vegetarian having vegetables “on the side” rather than as the main item!
So again, I was getting a big glucose spike from the starch heavy meals (like with the juice and bread), making me hungry soon after eating.
Let me tell you, the biggest health killers in your diet are sugar and refined starch.
When you ‘crowd’ these things out with more fresh vegetables, unprocessed protein and healthy fats, you will start feeling better in many ways. But you’ll never know how until you try.
Like I said at the start, I am doing better now at 44 years of age than I did at 24.
My wish is for you to also be able to improve your health and well-being as time goes by.
Ready to kickstart your health and vitality? Join the Eat More, Weigh Less Challenge.
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