Finding your foodstyle

When it comes to fitness, it’s not just about exercise. We all know we have to “eat right” in order to see the changes we want to make in ourselves. The question is, what does it mean to “eat right?” Is there really only one right way to eat?

The answer is no. There is no one set way to eat that is right and all others are wrong. There is, however, a right way to eat for your own personal body and lifestyle, and it’s up to you to figure out what works best for you.

For me, what works best for me to feel healthy and keep fit is being vegan (eating no animal products including meats, cheeses, eggs and other dairy products), avoiding high fat oils, sauces and additives, eating mostly fresh or frozen produce, and steaming or oven baking most of my foods. I also have some non-negotiables in my diet that I will not budge on: low calorie mini blueberry crumb pies, breads, and melon. They make me happy and they aren’t too horrible for me, so I will eat them.

I have found a balance and it works best for me, inside and out, but it certainly won’t work for everyone. You have to find what foods make you feel better on the inside and which foods to avoid in order to stay healthy and keep in shape. If eating only whole grains and avoiding sugar altogether works best for you, that’s great. There are plenty of natural no-calorie sweetener substitutes now that Stevia is on the mass market, and almost every food now has a whole grain version. If eating meals that consist of lean proteins and greens, avoiding many processed carbohydrates is what helps keep your weight at your desired level, then by all means eat this way. It’s all about finding out what your body needs to function at its best.

When you have your new nutrition lifestyle down, the next step is to balance it with the rest of your life. Do the foods that work best for you fit in your life? If you’re a mom or dad with a full house, can you find foods that are easy and fast to cook that are also nutritious a delicious enough to serve to the whole family? If you’re a busy college student or working professional, you may eat out and get take out all the time. Can you find the foods you need on the go? These are important things to consider, and the best way to figure this out is to ask questions, check menus, research recipes and try new things.

There is no book, no formula, no secret of the trade that will tell you what this is. You simply have to try new things, change things up a little at a time and figure out what combination your body responds best to. And once you have it, don’t forget to treat yourself every now and again. It’s not a failure, it’s not falling off the wagon and it’s not giving up completely if you have a slice of cake or a chocolate covered strawberry. It’s human. It’s delicious. And it’s okay! Just don’t do it all the time. ;)