5 Beneficial Food Changes I Made

When I moved to Nashville, TN I guess something clicked. Maybe it was the music, the hundreds of beautiful people walking around or just a small voice inside of my head. Whatever it was, I knew I wanted a lifestyle change.

I wanted and needed to start a healthy life that would change the way I approach the world.

And I did just that.

I began to make small, but important food changes along with a daily dose of exercise. I also gained interest in nutrition articles, reading them throughout the day and annoying Google with non-stop questions about diet, exercise, and nutrition.

It has been a year now since I jumped on the health bandwagon and wow, it has not been easy. However, my life has been drastically changed and I am extremely happy with the decision I’ve made. Now I want others to become a part of the health craze and brighten their lives, so hopefully this article inspires at least one.

Based on my experience, here are just a few food changes I have made that I know will benefit you as well:

1. Normal White Carbs →Whole-Wheat Carbs

This was one of the hardest changes for me to make because I LOVE white anything. Ok, in this case, I am only referring to food, but hey!

I instantly replaced bread first. 
I grew up eating whole wheat bread on a daily basis so this was probably the least difficult and I wanted to start easy. Later, I changed out my white pasta, and tortillas. The last thing to change was the rice, which if you know anything about Bahamian culture, it’s that we love our Peas N’ Rice (which is made with white rice). I grew up eating white rice all of the time, making this decision painfully difficult. I made an attempt and cooked with Basmati Brown Rice…and ever since then I have been using white rice.
Maybe I will sever my connection with white rice someday, but that day is definitely not today.

Two benefits that come from the change are:

• Whole wheat products are a lot less processed than their white counterparts. Eating whole wheat ensures the most nutritional benefits since it is not stripped of its nutritional value during processing.
• They have a lower Glycemic Index. Whole wheat carbs make sure your heart does not beat out of control when you have a nice plate of spaghetti. The higher the glycemic index, the easier it is for your heart rate to spike and give you a small burst of energy (which sounds good, but is not good).

2. My Snacks

In college before the change, I ate Pringles and gushers non-stop. Pringles were by far one of my favorite snacks that ever walked this earth, but I had to let her go. She was just so bad for me, even though she looked so good.

After a surprisingly not so difficult battle, I gave up Pringles and other types of junk food for fruits, nuts and an occasional natural peanut butter (Not JIF!!) on a slice of whole wheat bread. I actually think I still have the Pringles I bought preceding my decision inside of my cupboard! Kind of gross, but also a trophy of success I guess.

Instead of loading my cupboard with chips and candy, I loaded my fridge with colorful fruits and carrots. Anytime I needed a snack at night or throughout the day I would take a few grapes and berries or a bite into an apple. Best decision ever! Although I will say that fiber is not something to play with.

The health benefits of fruits are off the charts, but here’s a few:

• Antioxidants from berries optimize health both cognitively and at a cellular stage.
• The fiber from fruits help clean out your digestive system and helps keep you feeling full.
• Fruits can assist in disease prevention, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and some cancers.
• Chips and Oreos kill you quicker.

3. Cereal & Milk or NOTHING → Spinach Omelet, An Apple, and a Glass of Milk

Don’t get me wrong, I still eat cereal, but not alone, and not even close to as much as I did. I used to enjoy a nice bowl of frosted flakes or corn pops and thought I was ready for the day! Either that or I would brave the world while my stomach screamed for attention. It was rough, but I fully blame myself. I was too lazy to fix a good breakfast and too ignorant to know how much it actually affected my day.

During my nutrition learning frenzy, I tripped over an article explaining how important breakfast was and decided to take on the challenge. I decided to see what eating a real breakfast was all about. At first, I could barely put down 2 eggs because my body was so used to eating nothing in the mornings, but I soon trained my stomach to toughen up. After a while, I was eating oatmeal, an apple, two eggs and drinking a glass of milk at one sitting. I became a beast and quickly felt the positive effects. I gained morning energy (which I never even knew existed) and even had extra to last me throughout the day. I received a clear mind at work and could more easily focus. It was and still is incredible, reeling me in to never again go back to an empty morning stomach.

Benefits of eating a healthy breakfast:

• A clearer mind and better concentration at work and school.
• More energy to perform at your peak throughout the day.
• Better weight control. Eating a good hearty breakfast makes you feel full longer, which helps control midday cravings for junk food.

4. Vegetable Oil → Coconut Oil & Olive Oil

This one I did not find out until later from a friend. We were having a conversation about food and nutrition and oils came up. She told me a few facts on canola oil and some on coconut oil and I immediately made the change. I substituted coconut oil in my daily cooking and for any vegetable oil recipe mentions.

Yes, a lot of us have heard of using olive oil instead of salad dressing when eating a salad, but I assume many people do not know the benefits of using coconut oil instead of vegetable oil while cooking.

Benefits:

• Cooking with the unsaturated fats in vegetable oils creates free radicals that are not good for the body, producing a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes. Vegetable oils, like all other bad foods, are highly processed and therefore not beneficial to the human body.
• Coconut oil is scary to some people because it is high in saturated fats, however, the right types of saturated fats are actually good for us! They help increase the good cholesterol in our bodies which in turn lowers the risk of heart disease and increases heart health. Coconut oil also speeds up metabolism and reduces constipation.

*Side Note*
 You can even rub it on your body to make your skin look and feel healthy! It will do a lot more for you than lotion could ever.

5. Fast Food -> Cooking my own food

I realized this one was not only going to save my health but also my wallet. It is insane the amount of money we spend on eating out. The crazy thing is how successfully it sneaks up on us. The first lie starts with the first bought meal. We say to ourselves “Ehh it’s ok, it’s only this once.” Of course, this is a bold face lie because later that night we order pizza for dinner.

This was probably the first decision I decided on although it is probably the most difficult at times. It gets easier the more I do it — like everything else except exercising — but the dedication and perseverance are some things that take a lot of effort. On the day I made my decision I recognized if I continued to eat out and make the “drive through” my best friend, not only would the amount of sodium intake probably suck me dry, but also the highly processed foods would cut my life short for sure. I mourned Wendy’s for about a day, but after that I was ok.

A year has passed since I have successfully cooked breakfast, lunch, and dinner on a daily basis. I went to Wendy’s randomly one day about a month ago because I was running late for my martial arts class and almost threw up. The connection Wendy’s and my taste buds once possessed no longer existed. I barely could finish the wrap because I had become so enamored with good home cooking (well, I think it’s good at least). This came as a surprise to me, but a good surprise of course. It gave me the desire to continue embracing the kitchen and dive into new recipes, using healthy alternatives where I could.

Benefits a good home cooked meal:

• Of course, it saves the bank. If I would calculate only eating out for lunch every day it would be about $10/day, which then leads to $70 a week, and of course the grand finale, $280/month! I never spend more than $250/month on groceries and that is already less than just eating out for lunch. It just cannot be beaten.
• You get to choose exactly what you want to eat. In restaurants, there is always a menu, but in your home, there is no such thing as a menu because google exists.
• Restaurants always add a lot more sodium to your food than there needs to be, and you never actually know what they are using to cook. There are so many preservatives and added sugar in most restaurant foods that your body would be eternally grateful to you for leaving it out of your diet. With just the addition of sodium and sugar, risks for diabetes and high blood pressure sky-rocket. Not to forget obesity which sneaks up from the excess carbs added sugar so eagerly provides.

I will note that I definitely still indulge in a greasy burger and fries here and there, because who can’t?! It’s just so good!

Like most great things in this world, healthy eating comes with time and dedication. It will be hard at the beginning, but the benefits will easily surpass the energy it takes at the start.

“Eating healthy will not only incredibly change your day to day life, but other lives around you as well, because you will begin to embrace a happier you.”