What I eat…

Home / , , / What I eat…

I am hesitant to share this information, because I don’t want to give anyone the impression that this is THE right way for someone to eat.

I choose to eat the way that I do because I’ve spent the last 16 months figuring out which foods my body responds best to, and those foods that are best for me to avoid. I have found what works for ME, but that doesn’t mean it is the way that would work best for you.

Truth is, God created each of our bodies differently, and there is no “magic pill” or solution, or food choices, that will immediately make you “healthy”.

I eat in a way that nourishes my body and gives me the energy that I need to meet the call that I have been given. I eat in a way that helps fuel my activity level and my workouts. I eat in a way that is aligned with my personal beliefs that eating food in a form as close to its natural state as possible is best.

Do I always eat perfectly for my body? NO. Hear me again on that. NO.

And I don’t feel guilty about it.

During all the years when I used to “diet”, I would choose to indulge in delicious but terribly unhealthy goods, feel guilty, and then try to compensate for it by eating a drastically low number of calories, or by putting in extra time at the gym. This was a viscous cycle that took years to break.

I have finally gotten to a place where God has taught me differently.

Food is fuel.

The foods I choose to eat can either nourish my body and give me the energy I need to complete my daily tasks, or they can be used to meet an emotional/spiritual need that should only be filled by Him. They are a cheap substitute for His presence and will NEVER fully satisfy.

Once I began to understand that concept, I was freed.

I love the way that Alisa Keeton summarized it. She wrote:

“1.Base
every food choice you make on love. Not to be confused with gluttony,
self-indulgence, OR the lie that because you eat “clean” food you are
better than anyone else.

2.Pay attention to how you feel 30-60
minutes after you eat. Eat to fuel your ability to give and receive
love well. For some of you it will mean you eat meat and for others it
will mean you don’t. And the same goes for dairy and gluten or any other restrictive diet.

3. Don’t get too comfortable with your new plan (or rules) because
freedom is the goal and the plan could change according to your body’s
chemistry and life situations. Stay free but do not use your freedom to
destroy your freedom (Galatians 5)

4. Don’t judge someone else
for what they eat. The Food Police will go out of business once we get
Grace out of handcuffs and running free.” www.facebook.com/revelationwell

So with that being said, I’m sharing with you what foods I’ve found work well for ME to answer some of the questions that I have been getting. Use this as a starting point if you’d like, or feel free to go in a completely different direction.  There is no RIGHT or WRONG answer, only Grace.

Daily:

I usually wake up super early. At that point I have a big cup of coffee, a glass of water and an on-the-go protein bite. 

A couple hours later, I make breakfast.

Breakfast for me has to be quick and filling. It’s typically a protein shake made with a vegetable based protein powder and almond milk. You can find my favorite recipe here:

I eat every 3 hours, so I have a morning snack each day. This varies, but typically my go-to morning snack is almonds and an apple.

Lunch is usually a big salad, plus grilled chicken and other toppings.

 

I  keep the toppings separate typically when packing my lunch, and they usually include: olives, sunflower seeds, walnuts, dried cranberries and feta cheese. Seriously good!

I usually meal prep all of this on Sunday. You can learn more about that here.

I typically have an afternoon snack that offers some protein plus fruits and/or veggies. It may be carrots, celery, cucumbers plus some natural deli meat or if I’m in a rush it may be a protein bar with a low hormonal carb number. Another good option for me is a low sugar fruit such as a pear or berries plus some walnuts.

For Supper we have been learning and experimenting with new recipes. Many of my favorites you can find on this website under the Recipe Index tab. I try to make at least half of my plate vegetables, some good solid protein and a bit of healthy carbs.

I aim to eat as many whole foods as possible in my daily diet. For myself personally I have found by eliminating/reducing dairy, I feel better and have less seasonal allergies. I’ve also greatly reduced the amount of carbs that I eat in the form of processed grains, pastas, rice, etc. It has made a HUGE difference in my overall fitness level, my bodyfat percentage, and my mental clarity.

If I’m super hungry after supper I will have a small spoonful of natural peanut butter or an on-the-go protein bite. .

By eating this way I am no longer experiencing hunger, cravings or energy dips in the afternoon. I have figured out the way that my body best functions, and then I eat to meet those priortities.

I DO still have fun meals out, ice cream with my kids, or treats with friends. However, I stopped using every special occasion as a reason to indulge and have learned to eat in a way that meets my nutritional goals even if at a restaurant or a birthday party. I have learned balance and that choosing to indulge once a week or so will not derail my efforts and with the very next meal or snack that I eat, I get back on track with NO guilt.

This works well for me, but again, it may not for you. Find what works and then go with that.

If you do nothing else, start to begin looking at the nutrition labels on your foods. I used to look at these labels only for the fat and calories. Now I look first for the ingredients.

Are the ingredients items/names that I can pronounce? Are they items that my grandparents and great grandparents would have used when cooking and would they recognize it as “food”? Are there artificial colors, dyes, ingredients that I know are harmful to my health? (read this article for more info). The more ingredients a product has, the worse it is for your body. Our bodies don’t recognize many of the ingredients in our foods and so it has a harder time processing them.

Next I look at the hormonal carb impact . The lower that number, the better.

Using these two techniques helps me to make the best decision for my health goals personally.

I am always learning more about this and trying to gradually change not only my food choices, but also my family’s. It’s not always easy, but it is worth it.

As always, this healthy lifestyle can’t be about trying to achieve a flawless physique, to boast about our personal looks, or a quest in vanity. Our pursuit of health and wellness has to be an act of worship, obedience, in trying to mirror the goodness of God, and in stewarding well what we have been given.

Plus, when I’m feeding my body properly, I’m calmer, I’m kinder, I’m more patient and I have more energy.

You can do this, friends. You were not made to be stuck in a cycle of starving, then binging, then feeling guilty and starving again. I’m praying for you. Please let me know if I can help you or answer any questions you may have!

 

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Join the Email Tribe

Want some encouragement dropped directly into your inbox? Sign up Here.

Please enter your name.
Please enter a valid email address.
Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

Connect on Social