Food seems to have this really negative demeanor nowadays.
We become so fixated on what we eat – or what we don’t eat, that we forget what exactly we are trying to accomplish here. We want to accomplish a healthy lifestyle and that dream body. But, that takes time, and many diets are quick fixes that will not lead us to our best selves long term. For something as mundane as what we eat, food has become a complex issue that causes many of us to feel guilty and overwhelmed.
You can’t eat too many carbs or you’ll gain too much weight, limit your social life and don’t go out to eat a lot, eat more consistent meals and if you miss a meal, make sure you get yourself really anxious and upset over it because GOD FORBID YOU MISS ONE MEAL. You can’t be too strict because you won’t be able to enjoy your life, but you also want to make sure you aren’t too lenient with yourself either because that will cause you to go off the rails, OH MY GOD how dare you even think about eating a donut???? You just gained 5 pounds from the thought of it….Go for a 5 mile run to burn that off. Don’t even talk to me about alcohol…but can’t I have just one Titos soda water? It’s only 27 calories. Oh honey, don’t you know to have Splenda instead of sugar? But, Splenda is actually worse for you than sugar so don’t stress out over that. You need to follow this diet and that diet or you will never achieve your goal, you need to count macros…oh wait, don’t count macros actually because it most likely will lead you to an obsessive disorder, but make sure you are eating enough calories! Try Keto, Paleo, Mediterranean, the Whole30, Weight Watchers, the Blood Type Diet, Raw Food Diet, etc.
Like how exhausting and mentally draining…
And seeing everyone on social media trying these crazy diets, restrictive eating, and whatnot I am sure makes you feel like you need to jump on the bandwagon as well. Trust me, I get it and I am 100% admitting that I used to be that girl who fell into the traps of the crazy diets and being an absolute psycho over it…and well, it ruined my body completely.
***I also want to point out (because I know I will get a LOT of s*** from outsiders who think that their way of dieting is the only way and how dare I even suggest the thought that certain diets could quite possibly be detrimental to ones life, mental sanity, and RUIN YOU????) that even though I don’t completely agree with certain diets such as the ones listed above, I know that a lot of people find success while on these diets and they have had life changing results, so kudos to you – you should be very proud and keep doing you. But from my perspective, food should be a happy thing, it should not be a threat to you and your life and we should not have this notion that these crazy diets are our end all be all that we are trying so hard to stick with for the rest of our lives. Rather, try implementing a well-balanced eating lifestyle. And I think…actually I know that diets are NOT sustainable so don’t argue with me on that, okay? Thanks.
I used to have a pessimistic outlook on food over the past couple of years, and just recently I have come to my senses and I now eat like a normal human being. (Yay for Alexandra!!!) I eat whole, nutrient dense foods for my staple meals. If I want a donut, I am going to have a donut…or two and if I have two in one sitting, I’m not going to feel bad about it. Or if I want pizza plus some martinis one night; I will go to bed with the biggest smile on my face knowing I had Hawaiian pizza and a few strawberry basil martinis from one of my favorite restaurants.
My poor relationship with food stemmed from competing, and I think that is why I don’t agree with going on unnecessary diets, unless you feel as if it is absolutely imperative that you need to be on a certain diet (medical needs, religious beliefs, personal preference, etc.). After a few of my first shows I created a horrible binge disorder, and now since my most recent one, I kind of stopped eating after. Not even on purpose, but I got into the habit of not being on a certain eating schedule and now my body is never really hungry anymore. Even though, I know that inside it is yelling at me telling me to feed it. But I have gotten much better at eating more of what my body needs! The yo-yo dieting and restrictiveness completely killed my metabolism, my body, and my outlook on competing and food.
The way I look at food now is completely different than the way I viewed it six months ago. I am eating to satiety, I am eating whole and nutrient dense foods, and I am incorporating proteins, carbs, and fats in each meal that I intake. I make sure to not restrict myself and deprive myself from any food.
I am still adjusting to the whole “living a balanced lifestyle” since for the past couple of years, “balance” was not in my vocabulary. I am living a normal life now, going out to dinner, eating unhealthy foods if I want, but I am being smart about it. Educate yourself on what eating whole foods actually entails and what it means to live an 80/20 lifestyle. I have found I am much much happier because of this and I am no longer obsessed with restricting myself (YAY!)
Be smart, but also know how to live your life. Be balanced people.
Much Love,
Alex
thebalanceddonut.com 