Dear J,
Now's the time. Challenge yourself. Chuck and I aren't the only people who are passionate about this; and hopefully you'll soon join the fun. To kick start your movement and get you motivated, watch "Food Inc.". It's on Netflix. It's a perfect start. Then if you have time, watch "King Corn". Read any of the Michael Pollan books. Or "Fast Food Nation". You don't have to do them all at once, but gradually, once you start educating yourself on how your body, health and food work, you'll want to know more.
The first thing I did was go through my kitchen and start reading labels. Anything with "high fructose corn syrup" was no longer allowed in my home. Definitely not in my body. This was the most important step. And because of my runner's diet, I cut out all sugary sweets (cookies, donuts, cake, ice cream, candy). Every now and then I'll partake -- as a treat -- but very rarely and only in very small portions. I have found that my now healthy diet palate can't handle too much sweet anything anymore... and staying away from sweets is not difficult for me at all. I simply don't crave them.
But that's me and what works best for me. You'll find your niche. And, as promised last night, here are some of the basics I keep around the house that are not only healthy staples, but taste great too.
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Bread (whole grain only) -- Stay away from anything that's labeled as "enriched", that's code for "bullshit"
Pasta (whole grain only)
Cous Cous (again, whole grain only)
Fresh Veggies (i.e. Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots, Mushrooms <--- can be eaten raw (dip in hummus for extra flavor) or stir fried in olive oil, steamed
Fresh Fruit (use fruit to quell sweet tooth; makes an excellent snack)
Cheese
Olive Oil
Greek Yogurt (high in protein, low in fat; I suggest buying the flavored kinds)
Trader Joe's Pasta Sauces (already made, ready to go, just heat and serve)
Hummus
Black Beans (i prefer canned; goes well with any carb-based dish or meat)
Eggs
Fish (fresh or canned... i like canned salmon cuz it tastes great and is so fucking good for you it's not even funny)
Lean Meats (Chicken, Turkey)
Peanut Butter (or almond butter) [The only ingredients in your peanut butter should be "peanuts" by the way]
Jam [read the labels... gotta be careful with these but Trader Joe's has excellent selection]
Almonds
Fresh Greens
Drink wine (it's really good for you in moderation)
Bagels (whole grain)
Light Cream Cheese
Granola
Dried Fruits
Cereals (whole grain; I exclusively eat Kashi products; they're delicious)
Pita Chips
I'm sure I'm missing something, but the above are basic for me. I like to get adventurous at times too.
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Cooking... well, I'm not much of a cook. But, I am learning. And I'm getting better. I can make pasta and stir fry some veggies in olive oil, season, then add some premade sauce. Add some fresh bread and olive oil, perhaps some cheese and BAM! Awesome fucking meal on the cheap.
Also, remember that you can pretty much stir fry anything in olive oil and it will be delicious. Some nights I cook, but sometimes I'm a bit lazy and don't want to take the twenty minutes it takes, so I eat salad or a veggie plate with hummus and fruit or a pbj or whatever. Get creative. Explore new things. Get a simple cookbook. Test yourself. Challenge yourself. Why not? You might be surprised by how well you do!
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When it comes to how you eat, my first-step bit of advice is to START EATING BREAKFAST. Don't skip this meal. Eat something. It will get you off on the right foot every day and keep your clock regular. If you live an active lifestyle (active meaning regularly exercising, working that heart rate), then you might want to consider eating snacks throughout the day. I eat a tiny snack right before running at around 6:30am, then eat full breakfast after my run around 8am, snack at 10:30 am, lunch at 1pm, snack at 3:30pm, dinner 6:00pm, snack 9:00pm. That's how I eat. That works best for my body. I eat appropriate portions. I don't get tired midday. I sleep great. Libido on full. I feel good in general because my body is always fueled properly. Keep in mind, I am running 5 days a week, burning anywhere from 400 to 1900 calories per workout, just running, so I need to eat a lot to keep my body going, to keep it fueled for the activities I put it through. You will find your balance once you find a routine.
The key is finding what works best for you. And like I said before, once you start living like this, you will feel the effects pretty quickly and most likely, won't want to go back. At least, that's how it worked for me.
J, my friend, please... don't ever hesitate to ask me questions about this stuff. Asking questions is what lead me to feel good again. I'm not a quack. I swear. I am serious about how much simply taking better care of my body and investing time/thought in my health has made me feel, regardless of the world around me. I've taken SRIs, I've seen shrinks, I've seen doctors. You know this. You know how down I've been... but nothing has ever come close to equaling the feeling I get from staying active and eating right. If only everyone in the world would live this way... I swear. It'd be an awesome place to live.
So, that's the manifesto.
I'm your friend. I got your back. Just do it.
and that's the end of my letter.
*note: this life transformation of mine has many people to thank. they all know who they are. and i am forever grateful.
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