Hello, readers! As the semester is coming to a close, I have decided to reflect on my writing, thus far. I have learned a lot from writing in blog format, since it is something I have not done before. For a the complete overlook of my journey, feel free to read my Storify post, Blogging: Making Yourself Vulnerable. Thank you for reading my posts, and providing me with helpful feedback. Happy end-of-the-semester!
0 Comments
You are sitting at the table with your grandparents, parents, siblings, aunt, uncles, and cousins. Family get-togethers make you so happy, and you wish they would never end. The delicious home-cooked food, the funny conversation, and the love is FLOWING. You are in your happy place. ![]() Suddenly, your grandmother stands up and says, “Sweetheart, I made your favorite chocolate cake for dessert! Aren’t you excited?” FREEZE. You panic. You have been on a great diet for the past few months, and really starting to feel better. You have worked extra hard at the gym for the past week and are finally starting to see the results you craved. YOU ARE STRONGER THAN THIS. (Picturefrom:https://pixabay.com/en/cake-chocolate-chocolate-cake-1850011/) But, when you look up to see the sweet smile, you answer, “Of course! I want the first piece!”. Life happens, and food happens. There is no getting around it. Food is a cultural aspect of life that we can not ignore. Even though our cultural food seems to be pumped with extra sugar, fat, and calories, we have to take the time to enjoy it. These times can be considered your “cheat day”. But of course, cheat days can also arise in a stressful situation. Recently, my boyfriend’s mom sent me home with a lot of extra cake after a family party. If you can't already tell, cake is my weakness. I was kind of freaking out about eating it, but also wanting to eat it in one sitting. Instead, I froze two pieces in plastic containers and gave the rest to my roommates. I labeled the frozen cake my “stress day” cake. It came in handy when I had a lot going on earlier in the semester. BUT, what I’ve come to discover is that with my diet, I do not crave the sweet things that I once loved anymore. Impulsively, I do enjoy a piece of birthday cake or holiday dessert, but afterwards, the sugar headache comes on strong. My body physically rejects sugar (it also kind of makes me worried of what sugar used to do to my body). ![]() Cheat days are okay to have, sometimes essential to staying sane, but it is important to determine when you actually need the cheat day and if it is worth having the cheat meal. I am all for living life and straying from your diet every now and then to relax and celebrate accomplishments. However, I also have to keep my realities in check. Excess sugar and fat are not good for you. Period. A small amount in moderation will not kill you, but, like my sugar headaches, can cause you actual harm. So, please enjoy your birthday cake, crazy instagram food hunt, or Unicorn Frappucino (with a whopping 39-76 grams of sugar!) but keep your health in mind. You only get one body, after all. P.S. Instead of indulging in a sinfully sweet treat, try a few tablespoons of Lily's Chocolate Chips, or low-sugar ice creams like, Halo Top and So Delicious! Be cautious though, all three treats still contain sugar. P.P.S. Keep scrolling to day a cheat day survey! I would love to know how my readers treat themselves :) ![]() Okay, okay. So if you’ve read my first post, you might think I’m crazy. Sure, every girl wants to lose 5 or 10 pounds to look and feel better, but giving up sugar?? Are you crazy? Sugar is one of the most delicious things that the world has to offer. Pure, white, and addictive. Don’t believe me? As a recovering sugar addict, I can tell you that being addicted to sugar is REAL. When I used to enjoy candy, it wasn’t a piece candy, it was the whole box. Photo from :https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/839311/ode-to-sugar Actually, my mom recently told me a story that when she was pregnant with me, she ate a piece of sugary sweet coffee cake during a meeting, and I was flipping and spinning so much as a result, people were laughing at it from ACROSS THE ROOM. My mom also was inclined to indulge in a saccharine treat, until we gave up sugar. We both believe that genetics and diet play a big role in sugar addiction. ![]() So, why sugar? The research behind quitting addictive substance of fructose proves that sugar turns into fat when it does not have enough necessary support nutrients to back it up. Sarah Wilson, the I Quit Sugar (IQS) queen, explains what effects sugar has on your body in one of the sections on her blog (the science research is also linked here, if you’re ever so interested). Giving up gluten was a secondary part of our lifestyle change that came from tummy troubles and research done my my mother. Photo from: https://memegenerator.net/ So, what in the world do I eat? Well, starting with IQS program, Sarah recommends that you cut out all sources of fructose, which is any product containing white sugar, raw sugar, or natural sugar. In result, it is suggested that fruit be eliminated for 8 weeks to get your body used to not eating sweet treats. And no, this does not mean you should invest in sugar-free labeled products, as they do contain artificial sweeteners that can cause even further damage to your body. When I say I don’t eat gluten, it really means I avoid food with wheat or flour. But, I also do not opt for the gluten free options, since they are not necessarily healthier, just better for the stomachs of people who are allergic to wheat. Also, usually the gluten-free options of products contain just as much sugar as regular products (or even more)! I usually opt for naturally gluten-free products to avoid the harmful ingredients, overall. Basically, I stick to a pretty basic everyday diet of oatmeal, canned soups (mostly organic vegetable based), rice, frozen veggies (because who has time to cook fresh veggies?), frozen naturally gluten-free meals, and dark chocolate. When going out to eat, I just do my best to find restaurants that offer meals that fit my diet (hint, hint CHIPOTLE). I do my best to avoid “junk foods”. Clean eating = Happy Life.
If you enjoyed reading this article, leave a comment, or like my facebook page! I hope to continue to spread positivity to your busy lifestyles with each post! Happy Monday :)
For most 18 year olds, college is the first time that you are truly free to do whatever you want. You can decorate your dorm room, create exciting friendships, find love, and make your daily routine and schedule all about YOU. Growing up, my mother did her best to instill a love of fitness and healthy food into who I was. This lead to me maintaining an average weight throughout high school and trying out some pretty unhealthy dieting rituals. My mom also urged me to go to the gym or exercise in any way, but I was not into it at all. I was dragged to the gym after school on some days, but on most, vegged out on the couch. I lost weight, I gained weight, but it was all under the watchful eye of my mom, family, and friends. Nothing drastic happened. ![]() Right before college, I lost around 15 pounds by cutting out white flour and white sugar out of my diet. No exercise besides the little I got from dancing on stage during the Spring Musical. I stayed around 120 pounds, and I felt good! I remember getting comfortable with high waisted pants and crop tops. I also remember vowing to my mom that I did not want to weigh over 130 pounds, ever. 10 pounds was a lot of wiggle room, considering how much I lost recently. When I finally got to college, I ate whatever I wanted. The cafeteria offered unlimited supplies of pizza, cake, lemonade, and pasta. And I ate all of it. Photo from: https://www.pinterest.com/bestorie/e-cards/ I put no thought into how my body was changing. I just kept eating and not exercising, and having a great first year away from home. I made great friends and watched a lot of netflix. I got better grades than I did in high school, and spent my time loving my new lifestyle. When I went home over winter break, I did not feel very different. I was not worried about my body, so I can not remember if I had even gained weight at that point. Spring came, I kept on leading the same life as I had in the first semester. It was not until the next Christmas (sophomore year) when reality started to come crashing down. ![]() On Christmas morning, I was very excited to open my presents. I opened a few boxes from my parents that contained clothing, makeup products, and jewelry. When I opened a smaller bag, my heart sunk into my chest. A portable scale. It was not something I had hoped for, but I knew what it meant. I looked at my mom and felt angry. For the rest of the present-opening occasion, I barely spoke a word. And my mom knew why. I started to care about my health in the new few months of that year. I got a personal trainer, and tried to be healthier. I remember losing 5 pounds from the 40 I had gained (I knew how much thanks to my special Christmas gift) and feeling shocked. When I looked in the mirror, I didn't think I looked that bad. But the numbers told a different story. Over my spring break of that year (a week and a year from today) my mom told me that she decided to "quit" sugar and gluten. I listened to her talk and talk about why sugar and gluten are not good for you, and I thought about how much sugar and gluten I ate on a regular basis. During that break, I ate what my mom ate. No sugar. No gluten. It sounds like a nightmare, right? When I went back to school a week later, I realized that my stomach felt better (a possible gluten allergy?), and I did not mind eating the way that I had for that week. Feeling excited, my mom replenished my kitchen with our new staple foods. ![]() Fast-forward to this year, and I have lost all the weight I gained, and still avoid sugar and gluten whenever possible. Sure, I still indulge in the occasional bread-roll, or birthday cake, but my diet is pretty consistent. I feel better, I think I look better, and I am more-health conscious than ever. Of course, I am always looking for more ways to improve my health and fitness plans, so if you have any comments, suggestions, or questions, please comment below! Happy Sunday :) Photo from: https://www.pinterest.com/explore/funny-diet-quotes/ |
AuthorJust another 20-something year old, trying to inspire other 20-something year olds to be happy and healthy. Archives
May 2017
Categories |