It’s no surprise that there is a growing trend towards eating healthier. Despite the number of McDonalds outlets opening by the second and the increase in heavily processed foods on supermarket shelves, a huge chunk of the population now gravitates towards more nutritious choices.
Eté Salad at Suzette: Rocket with pomengranate, orange slices, almonds & zucchini
As cheesy as it sounds, one of the best things about starting a blog is being able to communicate with a large number of people with a similar interest. No matter how different our backgrounds, age, nationalities, and definitions of a “healthy diet” may be, we are unified by the desire to eat healthier and lead a more balanced life. Although our reasons for why we value a healthy diet may not be same, here are my main motivations…in no particular order:
1) My weight: Some people are blessed with a metabolism that allows him/her to eat almost anything without gaining weight. I am not one of those people. I saw this quote a while back which perfectly sums up my point: Intensity almost always beats duration when it comes to exercise – but not diet. Whether you want to lose or maintain your weight, it’s not a case of finding a quick-fix solution….but instead a style of eating which you will be able to maintain 15 years down the line.
Hummus Burger with Grilled Veggies & more Hummus
2) My workouts: Getting a great workout goes beyond the number of miles I log on the treadmill or reps I bang out in the gym. From past experience I know that the food pre- & post-workouts make a world of difference to the quality of my workouts & overall fitness levels. Whoever said that healthy eating and exercise go hand-in-hand together was on to something ;)!
3) My energy levels: As much as I love all-things dessert, I don’t like the sugar level crashes which follow shortly after. Although various studies will tout foods like salmon, almonds, blueberries & spinach as “energy-boosting” foods, personally eating any nutritious, minimally-processed & wholesome food keeps my energy levels in tact.
Because any kind of healthy eating plan has room for indulgences…including Ben’s Cookies
4) My skin: As individual as skin is, I know what works for me. Whether or not I splash out on expensive products, my complexion relies primarily on what I eat. A combination of plenty of veggies, healthy fats & water seems to do the trick. And I guess I can also thank my genetics to some extent!
5) Taste: I know several people associate healthy food with tasting bland and boring. It’s about experimenting and seeking out foods which suit YOUR taste buds. And although this wasn’t always the case, I look forward to eating a salad as much as I would a bowl of ice cream…and the former has nothing to do with the number of nutrients it may be providing me with.
Salmon Teriyaki & Grilled Veggies at Fenix
6) My health: Simply put, prevention is better than cure. I am still young & my immunity is high. Rather than wait for some kind of illness to be a rude awakening for me to change my eating habits, I’d rather nurture my health while it’s still in tact.
And finally…
7) Because I can: There are so few aspects of life that we can truly control. We live in a generation where healthier options are as accessible, affordable & quick as eating crap. Whether I want to eat a healthy diet or not, it’s entirely in my hands.
What are your reasons for eating healthier?
I love this, i think defining why healthy is healthy for us is so ideal. creates a much better relationship
Exactly- it make healthy eating more of something that we “want” to do as opposed to “need” to!
This is awesome girl.
Healthy for me is FUELING my body. Im a soccer player, and I want to be the best on the field. When I eat like crap, my game and training suffers, which drives me nuts. When Im eating well, my body thrives and I feel like I can do anything on the field!
Thanks, Kat! Regardless of what sport you play, I think training only partially contributes to overall performance..nutrition makes as big of a difference!
Hummus burgers? YUM–need that recipe. Being healthy is all I know–makes me look better, feel better, and know that I am living my life maximizing my healthy potential 🙂
And I like how healthy food tastes…weird, I know.
Haha I guess I’m weird as well then ;)! And why am I not surprised you want the hummus burger recipe …it’s loosely based on this recipe: http://www.livelaugheat.com/2012/02/03/chickpea-veggie-burgers/
It’s YUM!
Great post!! I prefer to eat healthily because of how much better it makes me feel physically – I always feel like crap when I eat crap!
You’re right- as tasty as “crap” food is in terms of nutrition, there’s only so much I can handle before I start to feel like crap!
Love this post!
We are what we eat, so why not eat healthy when we have the option? Eating healthy feels good and helps our bodies, so why not? :D. Eating healthy also includes allowing yourself those indulgences like cookies and cake once in a while when your body craves it ofcourse, but I find myself craving salads, vegetables, nut butter, and greek yogurts more often than anything else :P!
It’s great how smart our bodies actually are- after too much indulgence and giving into my cravings, my body starts to crave more wholesome food. Salads should come with a disclaimer: “Tastes better after too much sugar” ! haha
Love it, there are SO many reasons to eat well, and you’re right, blogs help us find people with similar interests and read about their own journeys to eat well/discover what works for them. I definitely eat well for my skin (among ten million other reasons–including building muscle!)–getting enough healthy fats makes a HUGE difference for me!
It’s great just how broad healthy eating can be….and you’re right, it’s interesting to see what kinds of foods make other people thrive and feel their best!
LOVE THIS!!!!! I love eating healthy just because of the added energy and how genuinely great it makes you feel! And the other health benefits are a nice extra 😉
EXACTLY- I used to wonder why workouts would make me feel lethargic….purely because I wasn’t eating enough to fuel my body!
Great post, Khushboo! You’ve pretty much hit all of the great benefits of healthy eating. I eat [mostly] healthy because I love how much energy it gives me and how it makes my body feel. Although I love my treats, like you said, there’s nothing worse than that slumpy sugar coma feeling that comes after a little too much indulgence, and while I don’t mind dealing with it every once in a while, overall I love the vitality that I get from whole and nutritious foods.
Thanks, Amanda! There’s only so much indulgence my body can handle before the pleasure turns into regret…and not because of guilt/calorie overload but just because of the way it makes feel physically!
Hi friend! It’s been a while 🙂
I missed reading your lists lol
So true, it’s always good to touch bases with yourself on WHY you are trying to eat healthy.. I definitely feel better when I eat better. Knowing that I am taking care of my body gives me confidence! And my body feels great too 😀
Welcome back, Jojo…nice to see you commenting again!
I love this way of thinking, and I too believe in all of the benefits that you listed. I too get just as giddy when making a salad as I do when preparing a bowl of ice cream. Funny how I never thought a salad can be one of my favorite foods.
Haha you and me both, Renae…I think it’s because I used to hold that stereotypical view of salads merely consisting of leaves!
Hola, i’m back. finally!
reasons I eat healthier is …
1. vanity.
2. scared of health problems.
3. wanna be able to eat crap in 15-20 years.. as you mentioned. i don’t wanna have any privileges taken away from me.
i really like your new blog look.
Welcome back, Nisha…hope you have been doing well :)!
I love the blog world. I seriously felt so alive when I took the plunge and started my blog. SO many amazing people that share the same interests and healthy life!! I lovee eating/being healthy. I feel better, I glow, I smile more, I fit into my clothes, I feel proud, and I know I have a happy inside!
You know what’s funny…I only discovered this whole arena of “healthy living blogs” after I started my own blog…and thank goodness I did :)!
My reasons for eating healthy–and my definition of what “healthy” is–have evolved tremendously over the past 13 years! I became extremely health conscious when I was 13, and at the time, cared only about cutting calories to promote weight loss. As I grew older, my interests broadened, and I started focusing (err, obsessing) about reaching certain macro/micro nutrient goals. I was eating according to a “rubric”because I thought that doing so was my golden ticket to health. :-p
Now my motivations are quite different. Instead of choosing healthy foods for the sake of meeting some silly macronutrient requirement ( ex: *must eat 30% protein!*), I eat healthfully because it makes me FEEL my best. Choosing unprocessed food *most* of the time provides me leaps and bounds of energy, and alleviates many digestion issues. When I indulge in sweets (I will never give them up), I don’t necessarily feel so fantastic afterwards. ;-p However taking pleasure in what I’m eating–healthy or not–is the ultimate health “food” for soul, and I definitely think there’s some value in nurturing that component as well. Most of the time that means kale salads and grilled salmon, but sometimes it means creme brulee. 😉
Hope you’re having a fantastic week so far! xoxo <3
Our stories sound quite similar, Sara. Healthy eating to me used to merely be a means to eat as less calories as possible to lose weight…and then trying to achieve a perfect diet by making sure I got perfect quantities of each food group…and finally I have found a style of eating which allows me to fuel my body with wholesome foods, indulge every so often, enjoy the foods I eat, and most importantly STAY SANE & continue living my life.
Love your point of nurturing the component “food” for soul…regardless of what that may be!
Love that quote! So many think that if they work hard in the gym, they can eat harder afterwards-so not true! I eat healthy because that’s just what I do; I’m not trying to be like anyone else. I eat what’s appropriate for my energy levels, activities, likes/dislikes, and (most importantly) taste buds!
Love that you said you “eat what’s “appropriate..” – there really isn’t a one-size-fits all eating approach. You just gotta find a way to make it work for you!
you are so right about the blogging community – it’s great to be around so many like-minded people. I love your last point – we have a choice about what we put in our bodies. I choose to not fill it with crap.
What drives me crazy is when people try to find other sources to blame about the way they eat…at the end of the day, the choice comes down to YOU!
Great thoughts here woman! When people think of “healthier” it is often thought of as food that is gross/unflavored and is going to help you lose weight. Of course there is so much more to that! I eat healthy because I honestly love the taste of fresh produce or greek yogurt, cottage cheese, sweet potatoes and such… and it also gives my body plenty of energy that I need
The crazy part is that “healthy food” which is fresh & flavorful is thought of as “gross” & “unflavored” whereas packaged crap is thought to be “yummy”…hmmm ;)!
Agree with all your reasons there!
It definitely makes me feel better both inside and out and the best part is being healthy in a way that suits you!
Exactly- u have to make it suit your life, not vice versa!
Love this post! I 100% can relate to every point you made. I think the BIGGEST reason I eat well is so I can live well. End of story. 🙂
Love that: “eat well to live well”–> might be my new motto 🙂
Your quote really hit me: “but instead a style of eating which you will be able to maintain 15 years down the line.”
I was going to write an entry on that because lately, I’ve been more conscious about my diet (I’m pretty good when it comes to exercise but I love food so so much). My co-worker keeps on telling me once you hit 30, your metabolism really slows and the thought of that scares me! I know it’s not exactly 30, but as I get older, I can definitely see my metabolism slowing down so I’m trying to really eat healthy and not indulge as much as I did before… which I allow myself to do because I exercise so much and it works. Sigh.
I’m looking forward to reading your post on this topic. A friend of mine who is 29 was actually telling me how she isn’t able to eat the way she used to…especially as she has always had a great figure despite eating junk / never working out!