By Kari Taylor: "Eat Well & Love Yourself"

NOTE:  I am ADHD, so I am coming from that vantage point. (maybe?) 😊

What do you love to eat!  Is it sugar?  Salt?  Or something entirely different?  No matter what it is, my philosophy, as a Nutrition Coach, is don't take out what you love.  

That being said, most of us need to reframe what we are eating on a regular basis because it is all about moderation.  I love sugar!!  I could eat sugar, or carbs (that convert to sugar) all day!  I also love to exercise, so for me cutting down on sugar isn't so much a thing I do to keep my weight healthy, but I cut down because my body doesn't enjoy processing sugar.  I have learned to tune into my body, and it really doesn't like it when I eat sugar excessively!  

When I think about food I ask myself, "What sugar foods do you really love."  I also answer myself, (not a crazy thing to do btw) "I love Bolthouse Farms Mocha Cappucino, Chai Tea (the sugary kind) pizza, chocolate, milk tea, ice cream, Quadratinis, cookies, and probably some other things, but these are the biggies.  After I ask myself these questions, I consider how to frame them differently than "You can have these whenever you want."  This is not true.  None of us should be listening to this voice.  Also, don't listen to the voice that says, "You can never have these things."  

After talking to myself, ( I am great company btw) I come up with a plan that works for me.  For example, I LOVE Bolthouse Farms Mocha Cappucino, so if it was missing from life, I would be extremely sad:(  So, my process of self-talk goes something like this:

1. You get a BFMC after an intense workout!  At this point I worked out intensely, with my heart rate up, 4 times a week.  So, I got 4 BFMCs a week!  Yea!  BUT, LABEL READING IS IMPORTANT.  (Without becoming obsessive about it)  I drank BFMC for at least a year 4 times a week. Until, I read the label, and finally, I discovered that my favorite drink had 53g of sugar!  Oh My!  At this point I must tell you that the recommended daily grams of sugar is about 25g, not to exceed 50g.  You may have guessed it, this is not a 4 times a week drink!  

2.So, I must talk to myself about cutting it down.  I decided that I could probably get used to 2 times a week, and specifically these days would be after my Monday and Wednesday class.  This worked! Not right away.  In the beginning stages of cutting foods down, you must give yourself a break. I struggled a bit at first, I would have 3 or 4 some weeks, but eventually, I stuck with 2 times for years and didn't crave more! That's the sign that it's working! 

3. Now I typically find something that I like that will satisfy my craving and has less sugar.  I'm shooting typically for 5% added sugar or less.

4. I am trying to practice gratefulness, so I tell myself "I am so thankful that I get this drink 2 times a week and my body is thankful too!"  

5.  Things that happen in my body: When I get excessive, and I do, I feel terrible in my body!  So, this makes me stick with the plan.  What started out as extrinsic becomes intrinsic because it stinks to feel so awful!  Know yourself.  What works for you?  What doesn't?  Then, splash in some self love in the form of giving yourself a break when you mess up.  But, all in all, the goal is forward momentum!

Check out my drink in the photo above!  Let's go through this label together:

**Note: 5/20 rule - This rule means 5% or less of something-healthy!  Over 20%-not healthy!

1.  Fats - Some fats are good!  Polyunsaturated and Monounsaturated fats are good!  Trans fats NO.  These types of fats are always a big NO.  Saturated fats are what we need to eat in moderation.  2.5g doesn't seem like a lot, but I have to take into consideration that it is 13% of my Daily Value of 2000 calories. (Adjust this for your calorie intake.  All labels are based on a 2000 calorie diet.) So, I will need to make sure that I don't consume a lot of fat for the rest of the day.

2.  Cholesterol and Sodium 5/20 rule.

3.  Carbs:

DIETARY FIBER-Yea!  But, not in the case of my Mocha Cappucino:(

TOTAL SUGARS:  This is where moderation is key!  53g!  Wowza!      

LOOK at the Added Sugars-80%.  

This is well over 20%, some people                 

will take this out completely because 

they have a strong will.  I do not!  

You may not have to completely cut

it out, but cutting down will help you in

the long run!  You will feel better all

around!

4. Protein: Yea!  For my body, weight, height, activity level etc.  I need roughly 82g. of protein a day!  That's a lot unless you eat a lot of meat.

5.  Vitamins and MInerals:  These are so good for you and you would think you can't get enough of these, but there can be toxicity when it comes to Fat-Soluable vitamins. (Vit. A, K, D)  You will typically get these from your foods!

Check out my drink in the photo above!  Let's go through this label together:

**Note: 5/20 rule - This rule means 5% or less of something-healthy!  Over 20%-not healthy!

1.  Fats - Some fats are good!  Polyunsaturated and Monounsaturated fats are good!  Trans fats NO.  These types of fats are always a big NO.  Saturated fats are what we need to eat in moderation.  2.5g doesn't seem like a lot, but I have to take into consideration that it is 13% of my Daily Value of 2000 calories. (Adjust this for your calorie intake.  All labels are based on a 2000 calorie diet.) So, I will need to make sure that I don't consume a lot of fat for the rest of the day.

2.  Cholesterol and Sodium 5/20 rule.

3.  Carbs:

DIETARY FIBER-Yea!  But, not in the case of my Mocha Cappucino:(

TOTAL SUGARS:  This is where moderation is key!  53g!  Wowza!      

LOOK at the Added Sugars-80%.  

This is well over 20%, some people                 

will take this out completely because 

they have a strong will.  I do not!  

You may not have to completely cut

it out, but cutting down will help you in

the long run!  You will feel better all

around!

4. Protein: Yea!  For my body, weight, height, activity level etc.  I need roughly 82g. of protein a day!  That's a lot unless you eat a lot of meat.

5.  Vitamins and MInerals:  These are so good for you and you would think you can't get enough of these, but there can be toxicity when it comes to Fat-Soluable vitamins. (Vit. A, K, D)  You will typically get these from your foods!

This has been a slow process!  I am still going through it, and will be my whole life!  Don't give up!  When I started this journey in my early 20s, I drank 3 cans of Dr. Pepper a day, plus fruit juices.  I ate mostly canned veggies, white rice, white noodles, and ate lots of processed foods, not to mention, ice cream!  I RARELY even want these things now because over 20 years, I reframed the way I think about what I eat.  I exchanged white noodles for whole wheat noodles and white rice for brown rice.  I used to love ice cream and couldn't image ever not eating it, but I will tell you, I maybe eat it 5 times a year now.  

Once you establish your health habits, you can eat white rice once in a while, and it will be no problem.  Things you used to think you couldn't live without, maybe you will live without, and things you didn't think you could like, you may love in the end!  It's a fun adventure!!

The key is to tune into how you feel when you eat things.  Do you feel bloated?  Tired?  cranky?  Brain fogged?  Do you have a rash?  How are your bowel movements etc.  It doesn't have to be an arduous process, just start small and increase over time.  Also, don't forget to go easy on yourself and eat what you love, just reframe it!  You've got this!