What is my "Diet" ?

Diet is a broad term and a dirty word. I am not AT ALL a fan of the word "diet." But for some reason, it is a word the entire western hemisphere understands. When someone goes on a "diet," they change their eating habits, their exercise regime (if they even had one) and they stick to it. For like, two months. And then they go back to their old habits and regain most of - if not all - of the weight they worked so hard to lose.

The original definition for "diet" is the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats. How the heck did we change that? I am not going to go into how the western hemisphere has changed the definition of a whole word but rather I am going to rant about my diet. As the original definition has it. Except.. we are going to change the word. Because I still think "diet" is dirty. How about... Lifestyle? Yes, let us go with that.

 

 

What is my Lifestyle?

Lifestyle is defined as the way in which a person or group lives. How I eat, how I exercise, how I go about my day is my lifestyle. It is not a diet that I am going to quit in two, three, or eleven months.
My typical day includes waking up and getting dressed for the day. I never ever sit around in my pajamas, it is just something I don't do. Now... sitting around in my sweatpants is another story! Any who. After getting ready I make breakfast which is normally something warm considering I'm not a huge fan of cold food unless my core body temperature is high. I typically opt for some type of grain paired with fruit. I then go to school and come home and workout. My exercises vary from day to day based on what phase of my cycle I am in and what my body is craving. Lately, I have been hitting the weights pretty hard and pairing it some days with either martial arts, yoga, or cardio.

What do I Eat?

My eating pattern has been crazy my entire teenage life and now the craziness is creeping into my young-adult years. However, unlike my younger self, I have found a way of eating that I love and works best for my daily life. This is a step in discovering your fitness lifestyle that you can receive advice on but, ultimately, you have to figure it out for yourself.

I am vegan, I do not eat meat or animal products. However, if someone hands me a piece of cake I am certainly not going to say no because it has 1/8th of an egg in the one slice. My willingness to eat cake stems off of my intuitive eating practice, something I strive to do every day: listen to my body and ask it what it would like to be fueled with rather than just stuffing it with junk.

I am intolerant to dairy and I am allergic to sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and all nuts except coconuts. So that limits me when it comes to the healthy fats and proteins that come from nuts and seeds. Because of my allergies, I do consume a lot of soy but I am in the process of cutting it out as it is affecting my estrogen production.

But won't Vegans Die from Protein Deficiency?

I get my proteins from vegetables and whole grains. Trust me, it's enough. As a person who used to eat 130 grams of protein a day, it is no different than eating 50 grams. My muscles haven't shrunk or converted into fat (which doesn't actually happen by the way) and I am not frail or weak. I am still hitting new PRs and lifting heavy and running fast.

Sugar and Wheat

I have a wicked sweet tooth, I'm not even gonna lie. But being vegan limits my options. That is why... I am not a STRICT vegan. When it comes to chocolate for example, I chose what is considered the "clean"  or "paleo" option. When it comes to breads, I opt for the breads and bagels bade with whole grains such brown rice, quinoa, oats, or barley. I am in the process of cutting out my white sugar and processed foods. It is proven that your body becomes addicted to these types of foods so it craves it. Yes, you should give your body fuel it craves and there are no "bad" foods. It is okay to eat a doughnut or cookie or what have you. But as a daily habit, as my LIFESTYLE, I do not consume these things. And that's just me. Again lifestyle is defined as the way in which a person or group lives. Find what works best for you.

Make it a Lifestyle Change

When deciding to change your eating and or you exercise habits, make it a lifestyle change. Diets don't work. Diet's don't stick. The weight will come off but as soon as you're done with that diet, the weight WILL come back. When you change your eating habits, change it to something attainable. Don't jump straight into the deep end and cut out almost every food group. Take it slow. The change from a caterpillar to a butterfly is not an overnight process. It takes time and when given the time and patience, the caterpillar undergoes a beautiful change. Honey, this is YOU. Take your time, be patient with yourself. Take the changes one step at a time so that it doesn't become a diet. It becomes a permanent change, a lifestyle.