In my diet journey, I have discovered a tremendous amount. In my journey, I have enjoyed researching about food. My research was focused on learning about what is healthy for me to eat, and what is not. When to eat, and what to eat for better health and wellbeing. In my journey, I have been able to delve into my relationship with food and eating. In this process, I was able to analyze my past relationship with food. Once analyzed, I could adjust it with my newfound knowledge, for a healthier lifestyle going forward.
The process has been good and bad, and everything in between. The biggest challenge being the process of objectively accessing my past relationship with food. In my determination to change, I found myself devouring any information I could about diet and weight loss. Watched videos, read magazines and books. Any information medium I could get my hands on, giving me more information about healthy and unhealthy eating.
In my initial research, I focused on particular foods. I was curious about plant-based foods, especially the starchy ones. My initial diet did not lend to a diet that included starchy food. Regardless, I knew it would. As I moved to my new diet maintenance and lifestyle plan, I would want to re-introduce starches back. To reintroduce starches healthily into my new lifestyle, I needed more information about them. Allowing me to make an informed decision whether include them or remove them entirely.
My research on these items included understanding their pros and cons in the human body. For example, in the case of Sweet Potato, which I initially discarded in my diet as it is a starch. I like sweet potatoes and was hoping to be able to include them in my future lifestyle diet. However, I needed to know more about sweet potatoes and weigh them amongst other starches. The plan was that once I had the information about them, I could easily decide how to eat them. Introducem them back as a regular food item if they qualified. Alternatively based on information gathered, I could opt to eat them occasionally if they did not qualify. Finally, If I found the information adverse, I could opt to remove them from my diet entirely.
The result of that mini-research was that could keep them in my diet (to be introduced later). My research included reviewing sweet potatoes vis a vis its total starch and sugar content, in comparison to other starches. I also reviewed any additional health benefits to the body.
The final result on Sweet potatoes? They had no place in my diet during the actual dieting period (no pure starch). Happily, I looked forward to when I could reintroduce them back my lifestyle plan in limited amounts. Its redeeming qualities included: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sweet-potato-benefits
It is important to note that a lot of the food that I eliminated from my initial diet, was not necessarily bad. This includes plant-based foods like potatoes, cassava, sweet potatoes even arrowroot. There was just no room for them in my no pure starch diet. I intended to re-introduce them into the maintenance of my new lifestyle diet gradually.
I must admit that am not typically a big “starch” person, craving potatoes or pasta or bread. Therefore, choosing to remove pure starch from my diet, was not a big loss for me. For someone else, who loves starch, this may prove difficult. How badly do you want the weight loss?
Keep in mind the diet is not forever , it is for a duration. Eventually you will be able to re-introduce the starch back in controlled amounts, once you accomplish your goals. Make your decision in a way that is in line with your weight loss and/or weight management goals.
I have discovered that a lot of what people consider “I must eat this or die, or I can’t live without this” is not true. This is typically habit generated in our upbringing. The body does not discern the individual food, just the nutrients it receives. The brain, however, keeps a food memory. It knows what nutrients can be derived easily from what foods. When my body requires iron, the brain will remember that it can be found in Chocolate. Hence the craving for chocolate, every time the body has an iron deficit.
To circumvent this and stay true to my diet, I know that iron is found in healthier food such as Spinach and other green vegetables. During my diet when the cravings hit, I would choose to eat Spinach instead of chocolate. Consumption with the spinach would dispel the cravings in a healthier way.
The challenge is to convince the mind, and quell the desire to eat chocolate. Granted that spinach can never take the place of chocolate in terms of taste. I mean come on, dark chocolate 70% with nuts or dried fruit infused? Never! However Spinach is a healthier alternative, and it fit in well with my overall fitness plan. Therefore, sadly, chocolate out and Spinach in!
Currently, my determination to reduce weight supersedes my need for the taste of chocolate. Bearing in mind that I need the iron in my body, but not the fats and sugar in chocolate. Spinach has so many other beneficial nutrients and roughage besides iron. I say no to chocolate and eat the spinach for iron and stay true to my diet
Understanding food and the nutrients you get from the items in your diet gives you power. Power to manage these cravings without deviating from my weight loss goals. There will be a time in the future, to indulge my love for chocolate, and other such food vices. albeit in more controlled amounts.
Our bodies communicate needs all the time. What we consider baseless cravings, is a message. Our body is telling us that we are deficient of certain nutrients and need to replenish. The craving for “not so good for us food” is a result of the information the brain has stored of the nutrients that food item can give us. We can control how we satisfy those cravings. Give the body what it needs and not compromise our weight loss goals.
My weight loss journey this past year has made me review my relationship with food. The new knowledge has allowed me to take better control of my food choices. This is all part of my continuous self-development. Owning my diet is one of the ways I am learning about me. Developing myself, my body, my mind and how and why I relate in particular ways to the external world. More importantly with that understanding, how I can be in control of it. In this case the world of food and eating and weight loss /weight management.