SELF CARE: DIET

I've said it before — I've had an interesting relationship with food. I've been on both ends of the spectrum, when it come to unhealthy eating habits. Thanks to my newfound motivation and passion to change what made me feel...not cute...I began to focus on my diet.



To note, my diet used to consist of sodium, dairy, simple carbs, so much sugar, and literally no veggies. How I don't look one hundred years old already, I have no clue (the sugars just eating away my collagen). Needless to say, this was unhealthy, especially for a growing pre-teen/teen.



Just this past year, I learned a lot about nutrition. I used to think about calories, without ever considering the nutrient content of what I was eating. It took me most of 2020 to find the best "diet" for myself. Disregard the first month of quarantine, where all I ate was cookie dough and binged Jersey Shore. Yes it took me a whole year to find what worked for me, but now that I have I feel so much better in every way.



My diet, today, is all about nutrition. I practice my version of "intuitive eating" — I listen to my body and only eat when I'm actually hungry. Listening to my body helps me balance my nutrients better and stay satisfied longer. I try to make sure the majority of my nutrients are plant-based, which includes everything that isn't derived from animals. I'm not vegan, but I know that animal products shouldn't be a main part of your diet. You can get the same, sometimes even more, nutrients from plants. I am not a nutritionist, but I did learn about the difference between simple and complex carbohydrates — something I keep in mind for my diet. Complex carbs are packed with nutrients, like fiber, and are digested slower — keeping you full longer. Veggies, fruits*, and whole grains are considered complex carbs. Opposite to complex carbs, simple carbs have little nutrient content and are digested quickly. Foods that are considered simple carbs, can contain high amounts of sugar, sodium, and/or saturated fats — depleting your collagen levels and causing inflammation in the skin and body. Diet is just one area where I practice self care, but it might be the most important. What I eat affects every part of myself — my body, my skin, my physical health, and my mental health. That's why having a balanced diet is self care to me. But it's also super fun to mix it up, and try new ingredients/meals. To note, everyone is different so what works for someone else may not work for you. I believe everyone should strive to balance their nutrients, but there are so many ways to do that. It was major trial and error for myself — try everything and find what works for you. Here are some of my favorite types of meals/examples from this past week!


*Fruits are usually considered simple carbs, due to their sugar content. Although natural sugars, our bodies still don't like a lot of it. Fruits that are considered complex carbs include berries, apples, grapefruit, plums, tomatoes, avocados, etc.



ICED LATTES

Tea lattes, coffee lattes — I don't discriminate. But you'll never see me with a hot latte (okay, maybe a hot chai tea latte once a year). I'll have an iced latte, either for breakfast when I'm not super hungry, or pair it with lunch (or sometimes at dinner when it's been a DAY...you know the kind). I'm uber aware of sugar though, so I'm very familiar with making substitutions at Starbucks. But pre-made lattes from the grocery store are also a great choice — depending on the brand, they fall between 0-6 grams of sugar. My fave, at the moment, is La Colombe Oat Milk Draft Latte - Vanilla which has only 3 grams of sugar! 

AVOCADO TOAST

Pretty self explanatory, but SO delish. I love using a whole grain artisan bread because it gives the perfect crunch, when toasted. All you need is bread and an avocado, after that any other topping is completely up to you. Seasonings, veggies, protein, literally anything! Last week I was feeling simple, so I just did avocado, sea salt, and cracked pepper.

SOUPS, SALADS AND SANDWICHES

I'm a sucker for any salad, but last week I tried something new. I made my "no-fail" Antioxidant Berry Salad with Poppyseed Dressing. This salad has my fave greens and berries. It is so delish, but sometimes I want a savory salad and I get bored of greens. I tried an Avocado Black Bean Salad, and it was to DIE for. I branched out again and made soup and a sandwich. I kind of forget about soups and sandwiches because I always have salad on the brain, butI had leftover ingredients I wanted to use up. 


 

                            

                                           
 


K THANKS BYE,

Yum, now I'm hungry. I'm done (sorry this was so long), but I can't leave without giving credit to those who inspire my meals. Whether it be actual recipes or just types of meals, my diet would be pretty boring without them!


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