Food Isn't 'One Size Fits All'
We’re constantly bombarded with different messages about what foods are ‘good’ and ‘bad’ for us these days. One moment, carbs are evil…the next moment they're wonderful. One headline will claim fats make you fat, while another will worship them. Then there’s whether we should be gluten free, sugar free, paleo, vegetarian, vegan, etc. The list goes on and on!
On top of that, it’s hard not to get side tracked by what a certain celeb, influencer, or even a friend or family member is doing. They might swear by a certain food or way of eating, claiming it’s done all sorts of wonderful things for them…and while this may certainly be true, it doesn’t necessarily mean the same food or way of eating is going to work wonders for you.
When trying to take steps to improve your health by what you eat, these mixed messages can be overwhelming and demotivating. But it doesn’t have to be this way. No one should feel overwhelmed or disheartened by food and eating for health. Food should be fun and it should be enjoyed! My advice is to take a step back from it all, go back to basics, and truly tune in to and listen to your body. How do you do this, you might ask? Here’s what I suggest.
Eat as Mother Nature Intended
This means eating food as close to its natural form as possible…the less processed the better! Vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, legumes, nuts, seeds, unprocessed meats, etc. A simple way to go about doing this is shopping from the outskirts of the supermarket where you’ll find fresh produce, meat, etc (as opposed to the middle aisles where all the packaged products are).
Don’t be ‘Perfect’, Be Balanced
There’s no such thing as the ‘perfect’ diet and aiming to have one is impossible if you ask me. People often fall into the trap of labelling certain foods as ‘bad’ and attempting to completely shun them from their life, only to completely devour them later down the track. Instead of this, think of these foods as ‘sometimes foods’ to be enjoyed from time to time, and don’t feel bad when you do eat them! Remember…food should make you feel good and happy.
Remember, There Truly is no 'One Size Fits All'
As with many other aspects of life, when it comes to food what works for you will be completely different to what works for your sister / best friend / mum / Beyonce / etc. This is what it really boils down to – don’t get distracted by what someone else is doing, but truly tune in to your body and what feels best for you at that time. Health is not uniform or linear, nor is nutrition – really notice how your body feels around certain foods, and use that as a cue about what’s best for YOU!
