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Minimalism and Eating Well

 

“Moderation. Small helpings. Sample a little bit of everything. These are the secrets of happiness and good health.”

 

-        Julia Child

 

 

Minimalist principles can also be applied to nutrition. Just like any facet of minimalism, what we are ultimately seeking is to reduce or eliminate anything from our lives that does not bring us joy. Wouldn’t you be a lot more joyful if you were eating less junk food? Do you not feel as though trading fewer high quality foods in replace of the fast food restaurants and super convenient instant dinners would satisfy you much more? Would the higher energy levels, increased metabolism and slimmer waistline be more to your liking? I’m sure that you have heard it all before: eat well, live well! While this is indeed true, in order to see lasting results, consistency and quality are crucial to maintain when pursuing your nutritional goals. In this section, I will be discussing several ways to focus on eating well: educating yourself and focusing on quality over quantity. 

 

 

Educate yourself

 

 

“We trust something in a grocery store and assume it’s good. We don’t learn about the most precious thing in life – the food we put in our body. Educate yourself!”

 

-        Paul Prudhomme

 

One of the best things you can do for yourself is to research the sourcing of the food and drink that you consume. Think about it, these items are actually going inside of you. The contents of these foods will be integrated into the only body you will ever have. Once you destroy your body, you cannot simply go to the store and buy a new one. The NOVA food classification system designed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition helps people identify the processing by which foods go through before they reach the consumer. There are four distinct groups of food classifications in the NOVA system:





Group one: Unprocessed or minimally processed foods

·        Unprocessed or natural foods

·        Minimally processed foods


Group two: Oils, fats, salt and sugar

·       Processed culinary ingredients


Group three: Processed foods

·        Group one foods processed with group two ingredients before reaching the consumer

 

Group four: Ultra-processed foods

·       Contain substances extracted from foods

·       Contain substances derived from food constituents (hydrogenated fats and modified starch)

·       Foods that have been synthesized in laboratories from food substrates or other natural sources

·       Food products that contain group one foods in negligent amounts or, in some cases, not present at all

 

 

 

By doing your due diligence, investigating sourcing and educating yourself, you can reduce or eliminate many of the over-processed foods in your kitchen. Aim for as many whole foods in the group one category as possible every grocery trip. Do not simply assume that just because a grocery store sells them that these foods are healthy or nutritious. Choose foods that have less additives, preservatives and pesticides. Go organic whenever you can afford to do so. Be sure to look for the “certified organic” sticker or label on the foods that you purchase. This is the only life you get to live in this body. Make sure that you enjoy it in a happy, healthy physique fueled by nutritious foods!

 

 

 

 

 

Quality over quantity

 

 

 

“One should eat to live, not live to eat.”

 

-        Benjamin Franklin

 

 

 

The obesity rate of the United States is at 42.4 percent of the population. This is partly due to the quantity and lack of quality foods consumed by modern Americans. Granted, a sedentary lifestyle, advanced technologies and modern conveniences definitely play a role in these figures. However, the sheer inability of these individuals to push themselves away from the table is frightening. Although some obesity is caused, in part, by disease and genetics, the vast majority of cases are individuals who do not take proper care of themselves. The USDA defines the five major food groups as the following:




1.   Fruits

·        Whole fruits

·        100% fruit juices

·        Canned fruits

·        Frozen fruits

·        Dried fruits

 

2.   Vegetables

·        Whole vegetables

·        100% vegetable juices

·        Raw vegetables

·        Cooked vegetables

·        Frozen vegetables

3.   Grains

·        Wheat

·        Rice

·        Oats

·        Cornmeal

·        Barley

·        Cereal grains

4.   Protein foods

·        Seafood

·        Meat

·        Poultry

·        Eggs

·        Beans

·        Peas

·        Lentils

·        Nuts

·        Seeds

·        Soy products

5.   Dairy

·        Milk

·        Yogurt

·        Cheese

·        Lactose-free milk

·        Fortified soy milk and yogurt

 

 


By adding these foods to your diet and reducing or eliminating low quality or highly processed foods, it will be much easier to push yourself away from the table. The fact is, by eating lean meats, whole grains, fruits and vegetables and healthy dairy sources, you will feel fuller for much longer than if you only ate processed foods and products from fast food restaurants. The key is not eating less, but to eat more quality foods. Maintaining a healthy diet does not require starvation, but moderation. Honor yourself by feeding your body the fuel it needs to live your best life.

 

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