Most, if not all Asians like me, love food. Any kind of food really. There are also many other societies, not just the Asians, which use food as a means of (a social) gathering people together, to show love and comfort.
I grew up knowing a lot about food. My mum was a housekeeper/cook for diverse expat CEOs that was based in Singapore. I was expected to learn how to cook as a 9 year old just because I was born a girl. My mum subsequently had diverse cafes/ food stalls in my teens, whereby I was one of her assistant running them. I took Food and Nutrition as an elected subject for 2 years as a challenge from my mum. I used to think cooking was a chore, food was just torture (hey, I was a skinny sports girl who thought eating took too much time).
Today, after years of journeying through life itself, via various countries around the world, battling weight loss and gains, discovering different foods and ‘fad diets’, I love cooking and eating and I love food. No, not ALL food, but most, even if I have a few favourites.
Today I wanted to talk about and share the journey of discovering how we get to foods that we like, foods that nourish or destroy. Many people like to call it a diet, I prefer to call it a food/eating journey as the word diet brings a lot of painful connotations to many people.
- Fact: Diets don’t work for 90% of people on it.
- Fact: Dieters fall off the wagon after an average of 6 weeks.
- Fact: There are not just a few ‘superfoods’ out there but many. You only know those few based on the producers great marketing skills.
- Fact: Many foods can heal our bodies.
I have always maintained the adage that “everything should be eaten/done in moderation”. Blueberries are very healthy and considered a ‘superfood’ but you can’t eat blueberries every single day at the expense of other foods that are just as healthy with different nutrient contents.
I am not one for fad diets though I am a keen follower of the Paleo Food Movement and the GI (Glycemic Index) Diet. The Paleo diet resonates with me as I have been inspired by ancient caveman stories in my work as a Holistic Coach (especially in my Goddess Coaching and Therapy). The Paleo diet is based on the kinds of food our ancient forebears ate to keep their energy level up and also on the seasons. Our bodies have not evolved much from millions of years and it’s only in the last 10, 000 years, with the advent of agriculture/farming that our diets have changed drastically.
The G.I diet is pretty similar to Paleo diet, in that it is based on eating food that gives off energy slowly and stops you from having dips/sugar highs which can cause a surge in insulin levels. This diet wants you to eat foods that keep you sated for longer and yet gives off the right amount of energy to keep you going and stay healthy.
The only conflict between these 2 systems is that the Paleo diet maintains that early man did not consume any grains so no bread (yes, even the very brown ones) and certainly no potatoes. The beauty of these 2 systems is that they both want you to limit your consumption of refined sugars and salts (the cause of many of today’s epidemic diseases like diabetes, hypertension and heart problems).
If you are looking to lose weight safely yet ‘drastically’, you can try the Paleo diet for 2 weeks let’s say, check that your body is functioning well on it, how many kilos/pounds have been lost then continue for another 2 weeks. Once you are happy with the rate of weight loss and can see other health benefits, you can always then switch to the GI diet.
No diets (I truly dislike that word for what most people have taken it to mean) should make you hungry therefore cranky. I have met many who fall off the wagon precisely because of this. They then become yo-yo dieters.
This is the reason why I prefer to call it a food journey. At different times of the year and in your life, you may want to eat different kinds of food. I have been battling weight and health issues lately due to my thyroid problem. To keep me healthy, I have to eat more of a certain food than I would another and yet if I don’t have this issue, I might be eating more of another. As I mentioned earlier, food can be poison yet it can also be medicine. Many health issues can be avoided or helped with the right kind of foods. It is a matter of discovering which ones are the ones that can heal you.
No one plan is perfect for everyone, that’s why it’s important to first check with your doctor that everything is working ok with your body’s system. Only then can you embark on this new food journey.
Ultimately we are given only ONE body so let’s start treating it the only way possible- the BEST way.
If you need help with your weight or health issues, you are welcomed to get in touch with me. As a Weight Loss Master Coach, not only do I help you with getting on the right food track, we will also deal with the emotional/spiritual side of the weight gain in the first place. A weight loss/health plan will only work when the mind and body are working in tandem.
For more information about the Paleo Diet: http://thepaleodiet.com/
For more information about the G.I Diet: http://gidiet.com/ba/about.html
~ End of Part I of the Journey. Look out for Part II coming out this Friday.