I'll admit, at first my diet seemed very restrictive. I ate salads and drank carrot juice until I was literally orange. But, now that I have the hang of this whole health thing, I actually find my options to be limitless. I just had to get into the habit of reading labels and doing research as I plan my meals. This is definitely an "eat to live" mentality.
Because I am, by nature, a quite rigid individual, most of my days look a lot like this:
Breakfast
- Whey Protein Smoothie - 2 servings (I make this in the mornings and split it for Brian and me.)
- 2 servings of organic whey protein (It needs to be either low sugar or sugar-free. I buy mine at Whole Foods, and it is sweetened with stevia.)
- 1 cup of organic frozen berries
- 1 tablespoon flax oil
- 1/4 cup organic Kefir or yogurt
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- Green Tea (hot)
Lunch
- Garden Salad - The ingredients vary for us, but I always use spinach leaves instead of lettuce. I usually use 1/2 an avocado, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, organic mozzarella, celery, and slivered almonds or walnuts.)
- Balsamic Vinaigrette (1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon minced garlic)
- Fruit
- Water
Snack
- Choose one:
- Fruit
- nuts
- almond or cashew butter with fruit or veggies
- cheese
Dinner Ideas
- Salad
- Organic eggs, scrambled with onions, garlic, peppers, and spinach
- Gluten-free pasta with homemade marinara
- Fajitas (corn tortillas, preferably blue corn)
Honestly, I've found that I can eat anything, as long as I take the time to tweak the recipe to meet my dietary requirements. This means more time in the kitchen because pre-made, pre-packaged convenience foods are out. Gone are the days of popping a frozen pizza in the oven or TV dinner in the microwave.
You simply have to change your thinking about preparing meals. Here are the questions that I always ask myself:
- How can I add more vegetables to this meal?
- Remember, your diet needs to be formed around vegetables, not protein and fat.
- For instance, when making pizza, we no longer make pepperoni pizza. Now, we make supreme pizza with fresh vegetables and an almond flour crust. What was once a guilty pleasure is now, in fact, a healthy meal.
- When I make marinara sauce, I puree carrots and celery and onions to add to the recipe. By the time I get done, it's full of vital antioxidants and minerals.
- Is it organic?
- If my fruits and veggies aren't organic, I don't fret about it. I simply wash them well and buy organic when they're available.
- I ONLY eat organic animal products (meat, dairy, eggs). Animals are treated with all sorts of antibiotics and hormones. For me, hormones are cancer-feeding, so I don't want those additives anywhere near my mouth! But, I use organic meat, dairy, and eggs sparingly in my diet.
