My Eating Habits

Cooking
My mom used to be sick a lot while I was growing up. So, at a young age I had the privilege of cooking for my always-hungry-brothers on a regular basis. Yes, my cooking skills did receive criticism at the beginning, but how else can you master a new skill? I’ve always enjoyed “going wild” with the spices in the kitchen. To this day cooking is like a work of art to me. I wait with great anticipation for the finished product. I have such a tremendous, ever-growing passion for gastronomy! I love making up new recipes, experience new flavors and try out new cooking ingredients that I haven’t tried yet.

Eating

Lifestyle: I don’t eat healthy anymore just to lose weight. I do it because I enjoy it. Slowly, but surely it became a lifestyle and I love it! I love having energy even when I’m tired. Now I see food as a fuel. Whatever I choose to put into my body, that’s what I am going to get out of it.

Calories: I used to count calories all the time, but I realized that becoming a healthy eater isn’t always about calories. So, I don’t beat myself up anymore about eating a piece of cake (I love cakes!) every once in a while. Instead, I just work out harder that day.

Raw and whole foods: Over the past few years we managed to (almost) completely eliminate processed foods from out kitchen and our diets. I find that eating whole and raw (minimally cooked) foods make me feel soooo alive and energized! Now I have strength to exercise even after a long day. I don’t get sick as often as I used to and I hardly ever get cravings anymore. It’s awesome!!

Portion sizes: I always read food labels and try to become familiar with the serving sizes of the foods I put into my body.

Regularity: I’m an intuitive eater. I always try to keep my body fed with adequate energy and carbohydrates. I always carry “emergency snacks” (celery, apple, carrots, etc.) in my purse and try to remember to eat every 2-3 hours. That way I never feel the urge to overeat when I get home.

Breakfasts: I never skip meals anymore, especially breakfasts. I always try to get it ready the night before, so that way, even if I’m running late in the morning, I start the day with a bowl filled with nutritious energy. It’s proven that eating breakfast helps restore sugar levels and raises metabolism by 10%!

Excuses: I don’t let my crazy busy life stop me anymore in living healthy. Instead, I learned to plan ahead. I always schedule my workouts (otherwise it doesn’t happen) and I usually cook a variety of foods for the whole week. I just freeze everything in small containers, because I realized that it’s SO much easier to grab a ready-to-go container than cook a healthy, nutritious meal every day.

Well-balanced meals: I try to eat well balanced meals (carb, lean protein, and healthy fats) each day. I eat LOTS of fruits and veggies, nuts, whole grains, seeds, legumes, a wide variety of soy foods and I use natural sugar substitutes (maple syrup, Agave, Stevia, etc.) to sweeten. Most of the time we make our own bread (whole wheat, rye, multigrain, oat, etc.) in our little bread maker. Fresh, warm bread is the best!

Savor each bite: I like to sit down for my meals and I make sure I take my time “decorating” my plate to make it look appetizing. I chew slowly, pause between bites and I remember to listen to my body for signals that tell me when I’m almost full.

Liquids: I try to remember to drink plenty of water and herbal teas during the day, even when I’m not thirsty.

Spices: I love experimenting with new spices and herbs (especially Indian and Asian). Bland foods such as soba noodles, brown rice, tofu, lentils, beans, etc. taste SO much better with spices! Some of my favorites are the following: fennel, turmeric, coriander, oregano, paprika, sea salt, curry, Cajun, cayenne, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, nutmeg, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, saffron, chili, etc.

Eating-out: My hubby and I LOVE “experimenting” in the kitchen together and we don’t enjoy eating out as much as we used to when we first got married. However, when we do eat out, I try to look up the nutritional information ahead of time (usually online). That way I can make the best possible choice when I get there, without asking a too many questions. It works for me!