The Right One For You

Hi girlies! I hope you’re all enjoying your weekends so far. Mine is being spent at home with my family so you can guess it’s basically wonderful. My family is like my best friend, not gonna lie!

Anyways, today I really wanted to discuss a topic that I’ve been thinking a lot about lately.

It’s about diets. And no, I  don’t mean dieting as in losing weight. I mean a style or way of eating.

Healthy diets should all include veggies!

I’ve noticed a lot of people in the blog world experimenting with the “Paleo” lifestyle, which is basically all about lean meats, veggies and fruits. It sounds pretty healthy but my beef with it (haha get it?) is that a lot of people who follow it act like it’s the best way of eating. And honestly, that bugs me.  Because I think every person is different, and different ways of eating work for them. I don’t believe there’s a “one size fits all” diet out there.

Haha, this cracks me up!

So I see people eating Paleo and then I feel guilty. Not gonna lie, it makes me feel bad for eating grains. I don’t even eat that many, aside from oats and cereal and Ezekiel bread, but with the whole low-carb craze and Paleo, it makes me feel like grains are the devil and will make me fat.

I call BS though. Grains, as long as they’re as natural as possible, don’t make me feel like crap and they never have. In fact, I seem to thrive on a roughly 60-20-20 diet, which means slightly higher carbs, which also come from fruits and veggies (especially fruit, I am a fruit-a-holic basically). I realize it’s different for different people, and some people don’t do so well eating grains. But for me, I feel it would be restrictive and unnecessary to cut out my beloved oats and quinoa just to follow the “cool” diet. And honestly, I don’t believe all the hype that grains of any kind are “fattening” or “bad”. Yes, refined grains aren’t the best but sprouted or whole ones are really healthy, full of fiber and protein and just taste good.

I personally think whole grains rock!

Same with my almost-veganism. Personally I feel so good eating beans, veggies, tempeh and tofu, fruits, nuts, grains and a little organic dairy on occasion but that doesn’t mean I’m going to attack meat eaters or claim that veganism is for everyone. If dairy and meat work for you, more power to you! If they don’t, I can completely relate and I think vegetarianism and veganism are healthy ways to eat.

This is why I'm almost vegan!

Basically what I’m saying is, eat what works for you. Feel good  about it and don’t feel like you have to conform to what everyone else is doing. And if you’ve found a way that works for you, awesome! Just don’t act like it’s the be-all-end-all diet, because that can make people feel guilty. And enjoy what you’re eating, because if you don’t like it, what’s the point?

What is your opinion on the “diet wars”? Have you ever eaten a certain way just to fit in?

27 thoughts on “The Right One For You”

  1. I think people should do the diet they want to do for *themselves* and what they feel best fuels their body. Personally, I could never go vegan. I like eggs, dairy, and lots of other products that contain them, and in my area, there really aren’t very many vegans or restaurants that serve much of anything that would be considered vegan. Likewise, I would never be able to eat the amount of meat required for a paleo lifestyle. I’m a fairly lenient vegetarian (I do eat seafood every now and again), and it works for me. My body likes it.

    I have a friend who genuinely tried vegetarianism for awhile and felt like a diet that included some meat was better for her- and that’s perfectly okay. I don’t feel like any one diet is better than the other. As for Paleo, I only know a few people who follow that diet, and all are associated with a certain CrossFit box in town that has a reputation for being a little snobbish (not everyone there- lots of great people CrossFit there, just that the box itself has that rep). I think because it’s up-and-coming like CrossFit, it’s sort of becoming the “thing to do”, but honestly, a trend is a trend, and if you’re doing something just because it’s the in thing to do and not for yourself, it’s just following a trend- even if that trend is a healthy diet :).

  2. “And enjoy what you’re eating, because if you don’t like it, what’s the point?” EXACTLY. Food takes up a huge portion of my life and I completely agree with that statement. It took me while to realize it but now that I know, I’ll never eat something I don’t enjoy just because it’s healthy or “won’t make me fat.” Seriously, whether I eat tons of chocolate or tons of spinach, I weigh the same. Only difference is, chocolate satisfies me 🙂

  3. Great post! I hate how people think there’s a one size fits all diet too. I do kinda like paleo, but if I’m craving oatmeal or grains, I eat it! When people start depriving themselves of nutrients on so called diets, I think that’s when problems begin. Everything in moderation if you ask me! 🙂
    Hope you have a fabulous weekend home!!

  4. I am SO glad that you posted this, Ash. Honestly- and this isn’t meant to offend any food/healthy living bloggers!- the reason why I don’t read many food blogs other than yours (I read ED recovery blogs, but they focus more on behaviors and emotions rather than specific foods) is because I feel like a lot of people are pretentious about their diets and it really bothers me. I got so much judgment about my food choices from my “ED voice” for so many years- why would I want to get judgment from other people? I’m glad you eat the food that YOU love that makes YOUR body feel good. Just in case you need any reinforcement, there is nothing wrong with having grains in your diet!!!! I love my carbs. 🙂 You rock and I hope you have an awesome weekend with your family!

    • Aww girl, thanks, your comment really made my day! Thanks for the encouragement to continue eating the way that works for me, thanks for your insight and thanks for reading! I love hearing from you again 😀

  5. I love this post as least as much as I loved your “Too much fruit?”-post in December.
    Everything you say is So true and I am really really thankful you have the courage to talk that honest about a topic that bothers a lot of bloggers though they would never admit.
    I’ve deprived myself from grain-y carbs for a long time because my ED-voice told me to,but honestly,I never want to go back there. It took away so much living quality,happiness,liberty… No,that’s not the right way for me. I love grains and I agree: Whole grains are absolutel healthy,and even having a slice of white bread sometimes won’t kill you (although personally,I prefer the taste of whole grains/whole wheat bread in any way).
    It’s great how you encourage other people to listen to their body and feel good with it. 🙂
    Have a wonderful weekend,my friend!

  7. Aja says:

    I like it. Every body is different and requires a different diet. It’s always hard for me to give people advice when they ask what to eat to be healthy. I start with stop eating the greasy fatty stuff and then figure out what works from there.

  8. This is such a great post!
    I have a couple friends who consistently try new diet “fads” and, you know what? They never work! I think the healthiest “diet” is focusing on eating as many whole foods as possible- staying away from processed stuff, refined sugar, and saturated fats. I also think it’s important not to deprive yourself of any one food group (like the paleo diet does with grains) Our bodies need whole grains for fuel and energy!
    There’s no perfect diet. It’s a matter of what works for you and finding a balance. (:

  9. I’m 100% with you on this one. I hate to conform to the stereotype, but I grew up in a very Asian household, so cutting carbs seems like heresy to me lol. I would like to follow a few aspects of paleo, but I would never do well on it by following it like some of those hardcore paleo people out there

  10. I can totally relate to this post. For a long time I tried different blogger diets in an attempt to “fit in”. Then I realized just how pointless that was because I needed to do what was best for ME and MY body, not what someone else considers good or healthy.
    I don’t eat meat personally, but I don’t look down on people who do. I think it’s really important to respect others and their choices and not look down on them just because you don’t personally agree with their choices.
    Great post!

    • Respect is really important! I think there needs to be more understanding and respect of people’s choices because arguing about who is right is pointless, since everyone has completely different needs and preferences.

  11. Thank you so so much for writing this post! This is exactly how I feel about diet and it’s why I don’t put a label on the way I eat. I get really irritated when people act like whatever diet they follow is the healthiest because as you say, everyone is different and therefore what is healthy for one person isn’t healthy for another! I get especially annoyed as from my point of view with chronic fatigue, if I cut out grains I would lose a strong source of NATURAL energy. (sorry I get really annoyed when people say that grains are unnatural for humans, we’ve been farming them for thousands of years!) Anyway rant over, I love this post 🙂

    • Yes, I think labels do more harm than good and make people think their way of eating is better than someone else’s. And I agree, grains are a really great source of energy and are totally healthy and normal! I don’t see a point in trying to eat like cavemen because that was a really long time ago and we’ve developed so many things since then so it makes no sense!

  12. Excellent post Ashley, and one of course i can relate to more than I care to admit! I have labeled myself as the “healthy” one for far too long now and that part of the many reasons for my destructive behavior. I want to keep this label which means I “always” have to eat healthy in front of people and I am the girl that never gives into treats, always exercises, stays fit, etc. No one can be like this all of the time and people will still like me if I am not so dang rigid constantly!
    Thank you for this post 🙂

    • I know what you mean about wanting to fit in the label of the “healthy” one! I can definitely relate to that but like you said, its pretty much impossible to be that way all the time and being a little less strict us actually healthier!

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