I have many delicious whole food memories of December 2012 …
Continue reading Transitioning to whole foods – December 2012
When I contracted a tummy bug early in the month, apart from the weight loss, I bounced right back, and (if it’s possible) felt even more energetic; cleansed even.
Continue reading Transitioning to whole foods – November 2012
This was my first month of 100% whole foods. The only exceptions I made were ones I didn’t realise I was making; vegetable oil in an organic vegetable stock powder, not knowing that agave nectar was a burden for the liver etc.
I felt empowered by my new resolve; I had no restrictions, so long as the food was quality and minimally processed (to the best of my knowledge) … I’d become a true “qualitarian”.
Continue reading Transitioning to whole foods – October 2012
This cauliflower rice is ready in under 10 mins, uses regular, non-exotic ingredients (so probably won’t require any complicated shopping trips – handy at this time of year) and is (wait for it) gluten, dairy, nut, sugar, soy, egg, legume and starch free, suitable for paleo, GAPS, SCD, vegan, vegetarian and ketogenic diets to boot.
The month I turned 16, and I can categorically say that this was the month where I had my final ‘it’s not worth it moments’. I’d say that 90% of my diet was totally clean; wheat-free wholegrains, lots of veggies, fresh fruit, natural dairy (I’d switched to 100% organic milk), nuts, seeds, quality fish and meat and small amounts of things like honey and cacao. However there was still that 10% that I needed to improve on – for the sake of my physical and mental health.
Continue reading Transitioning to whole foods – September 2012
August. Bingo month. This was the month where I finally started to develop my own philosophy around food and nutrition. The month where I wasn’t as easily lead by what magazines or ‘experts’ were saying and learned to start trusting myself. I decided that it made no sense to me to use margarine, when butter is a natural alternative and a brilliant source of fat-soluble vitamins. I can’t remember exactly when or why I had this revolation, but it was well overdue.
My diet continued to evolve and eating 100% whole foods had virtually become second nature. I had my moments, where I would question myself or lose sight of what my real food philosophy was and get sucked into the ‘it’s not that bad’ approach (sunflower oil on dried fruit … I let it slide, pure icing sugar on a cake every once in a while … I figured it was a tiny potion of my diet and way better than an artificial sweetener alternative).
For the most part, I continued to learn and evolve, adding more and more nutrent density as I went. Here is an idea of a typcial day for me in terms of food in August 2012 …
Breakfast: Oats, cooked in water in the microwave, with acai berry powder, cinnamon and chia seeds stirred in after cooking. I’d usually sip on a herbal or green tea, sometimes (as a treat) with a bit of honey or organic stevia
Comments: Apart from the fact that I was cooking my oats in a plastic container in the microwave (double cringe), the breakfast itself; fibre-rich oats, antioxidant-rich acai berries, protein and beneficial fats in the chia and blood-sugar balancing cinnamon was pretty nutrient-dense and the herbal or green tea aided in digestion and balanced my energy quite nicely.
Morning snack: Organic Fuji Apple
Comments: So delicious and fresh from the markets that week. I can’t fault this snack at all. Hydrating, rich in fibre, vitamin C and antioxidants.
Lunch: Chia Spelt Bread with mashed avocado and a small container (a few generous handfuls) of tamari almonds
Comments: Sure the spelt bread still had gluten, but at this time, my body was responding really well to just being wheat free and I was glad to eat bread without feeling sick afterwards. Avocado is nutrient-density itself and the tamari almonds were a great source of protein and vitamin E, whilst also being salty and satisfying.
Afternoon tea: natural cheddar cheese and sultanas or raisins
Comments: The cheese wasn’t organic, or even local, and the dried fruit may have had preservative 220 in it (I can’t quite remember .. let’s just assume that it did). However, at this time, it was a sweet and salty snack that was both satisfying and delicious (and far more nutritious than the snacks of yesteryear; chips, sweet biscuits and chicken crimpies).
Dinner: Lamb, vegetable and cashew nut stir-fry with steamed Jasmine Rice
Comments: again, dinner varied every night, but most evening meals were either meat, veg and spuds or meat, veg and rice. I probably didn’t need the rice or spuds and would’ve felt better on just adding more non-starchy veggies, however for where I was at this time, just the fact that it was gluten free and mostly all from-scratch whole foods (mum may have used some questionable sauces … I hadn’t done a cupboard “clean up” at this stage) was good enough and made me feel pretty clean.
Dessert: I actually can’t remember for sure, I think I might have started doing fresh apple with natural peanut butter at this point or having some more tamari almonds with sultanas. Whatever I had, it was usually based around fresh or dried fruit and nuts. If we ate soup for dinner I’d usually have some Chia spelt toast with avo for ‘supper’ rather than dessert, or perhaps a toasted carrot and natural cheddar cheese sandwich.
Comments: Never perfect, but always whole food and nutrient-dense compared to what I used to consider dessert (I was once an absolute chocolate pudding, ice-cream or frozen yoghurt fiend … or homemade treats, like mum’s homemade caramel, banana or apricot slices … that woman has a gift for baking!)
Tip #8 for transitioning to a whole foods diet …
Enjoy the new philosophy that you’re settling into, there’s no need to rush or ‘over-educate’ yourself. Keep moving forward and making small changes, knowing that you needn’t change everything at once. By this stage your diet will be mostly whole foods and this is a huge accomplishment! In the months and years to come, you’ll probably eliminate the last few niggling things (a sauce with added sugar, a few preservatives here and there etc.), but for now, relax, smile and be proud of the changes you’ve made.
By the time July rolled around, I don’t recall there being any processed food in my day to day life, and when I did eat something a bit more on the ‘grey area’ side, it was in combination with ingredients that were nutritious.
I continued to take things day by day, and learned to become more aware of my energy, clarity and contentment (or lack thereof) after a meal. One thing that did occur though, that stood out significantly, was my next run-in with chocolate mudcake.
In my last post, I shared how I came up with the idea of a ‘wheat allowance’ where I knew I could only handle so much before I’d start to feel ill. By keeping tabs on things and making sure that I never exceeded two slices of bread every other day, I was still able to enjoy some of my faves such as avo toast, cheese toasties, and peanut butter sandwiches, without painful or embarassing consaquences.
