Thursday, January 10, 2013

Last Day of DIET!

So,

Today is the last day of my diet and so I'm trying extra hard to steer clear of unhealthy foods. I'll give you a quick cap on what the diet has been like from the beginning to the end.

In the begining...
  • It was difficult. Foods I would normally eat through the day were suddenly not allowed, and I found it a bit tricky to find healthy and fun substitutes. (Just eating bland veggies got boring over time.)
  • I was low on energy. Before going completely healthy my diet was predominately carbs (and unhealthy carbs, might I add), and so, when I started replacing those carbs with more protein my body went into shock. I even had dizzy spells for a while! 
And along the way...
  • I had to increase my energy somehow, so I added a lot more fruit, cheeses, seeds and wholemeal bread into my diet. 
  • Just eating food the bland way was hard to follow, so I started experimenting with smoothies and juices.* Drinking smoothies was by the easiest way of increasing my energy, getting enough seeds and fruits and veggies into my system, and was the most delicious way to be healthy!
  • It got a lot easier to stay away from unhealthy foods, thanks to the above.
But by the end...
  •  I forgot why I was doing this diet in the first place - to glorify God through my body. Because of that I let:
  1. my business get in the way of eating healthy,
  2. myself get too comfortable. I thought, 'I'm healthy now. I can afford to eat that caramel slice...' 
  • Due to increased activity (i.e. roughly 10 hours of dance per week), I'm low on energy again and am having dizzy spells. 
  • Trying to get back to going all healthy was extremely difficult - more difficult than it was when I first started. I'd say the difference is my determination and willpower. 
But overall...
  • I enjoyed the journey; the yummy parts and the challenges.
  • My body feels different - cleaner, fresher, lighter somehow.
  • I've learned that God designed us and our world so perfectly. The foods we find in nature are not only beneficial, but also YUMMY! Not all of us are going to love everything that's good for us, but there will always be something. And God made it that way for a reason.
In conclusion, I say that going all healthy - even if only for a little while - is completely worth the effort and struggle. The diet has been physically, mentally, and spirituality beneficial. Physically, because my body feels great. Mentally, because endurance develops character.** And spiritually, because I've learned more about God, and now have a deeper appreciation for His marvelous design.

Why don't you give it a go? Start today.

*In a later post I will share with you some of my favourite juices and smoothie recipes.
** Romans 5:4-6