After years of trying different diets, this is the balance that actually worked for my healthy lifestyle
Spoiler alert: The key to a healthier, more energized life wasn't a diet at all. Here's my experience and the shifts that changed everything for me and my health.
In this post, I’ll cover:
A timeline of my journey to a more balanced plate and what I learned along the way
Overcoming picky eating as a child
Understanding why ultra-processed and ‘diet’ foods left me feeling drained
Trying pescatarianism and the value of wholesome, nourishing foods
Going vegetarian and the impact of a mostly carbohydrate diet
Going vegan and the impact on my hormone health
Quitting diets and my shift to a more balanced plate that renewed my energy
Listening to your body to support your health
The Grace & Greens community: The support you need to make healthy eating easier
A special downloadable resource for the Grace & Greens paid community
Growing up and how I overcame picky eating
My journey to living a healthier life has been one of a lot of trial and error. Growing up as a picky eater, I lived on chicken nuggets and mac & cheese. My mom did anything she could to get me some more fruits & veggies from smoothies to hidden veggies in a loved dinner dish, but at the time, I didn’t have any interest in wholesome nourishing foods.
As I got older, I started getting more involved in sports. I was a competitive cheerleader, a tennis player, and I even dabbled in indoor track. As every athlete knows, energy and fuel is important to be able to perform well in the game or on the field; and I wanted to do just that. With the limited knowledge I had available through Health & PE, along with watching others, I began to incorporate more nutritious foods into my diet. With a busy life filled with many activities, fast food was always an easy option. A couple of cook out trays per week seemed perfectly fine to me, as I was still eating my fruits & veggies on occasion, my metabolism was high and everything seemed well.
If you or someone in your family is a picky eater, here are a few tips to help them make healthier choices:
Pair a new food with a well-loved food to make the change less scary
Get everyone involved in cooking a new dish to make it a more fun experience
Change how you prep an ingredient; it may be the texture of flavor that is unwelcoming
Why ultra-processed and ‘diet’ foods left me feeling drained
As I approached the later years of high school, I started to experience some of the negative side-effects of all of the fast food and lack of nourishing foods in my routine. My period cramps were horrible, to the point I would throw up or feel like I was going to pass out, I had mood swings often, and overall felt like my energy wasn’t as great as it could be. So, with the limited knowledge that I knew and the common dieting information that was shared in the 2010’s, I chose foods that felt “healthy”. For breakfast, I would have a bowl of sugary cheerios touting that they are “great for heart health”. Every day for lunch, I packed iceberg lettuce and shredded carrots with honey mustard, cheese, turkey, and a Fiber One brownie. I also remember heading home after school and making a smoothie filled with fruit juice, fruit, and nut butter before meeting my friends out at the local restaurant.
While the concept of making healthier choices was a good one, I still didn’t fully understand a balanced plate. My lunch had no complex carbohydrates, leaving me hungry after a few hours. My smoothie had little protein, causing major swings in my blood sugar. I continued to explore and educate myself on what healthy eating should be, only to discover documentaries focused on pescatarianism, vegetarianism, and going vegan. In my exploration of health, I also discovered a study on the sugar contents of iced coffee from a national chain and was absolutely shocked! While I didn’t completely cut out sugar, I was much more aware of when I chose to consume it. Inspired by what I saw on food documentaries, I was ready to explore pescatarianism.
Trying pescatarianism and the value of wholesome, nourishing foods
Growing up, our family had always eaten meat. After watching a few documentaries I was shocked when I heard that “meat might be slowly killing me.” (Disclaimer: Eye opening at the time, I now see that this was a bit extreme and the idea of balanced was not at all discussed in the documentaries) Heading into the summer before college, I figured it would be the perfect time to start on this new diet.
Pescatarians consume everything except for red meat and poultry, so all seafood and eggs were still on the table. This was not too difficult for me, as I was still consuming a solid source of protein each day. It was interesting to navigate going to a friend’s house or a fast food restaurants because seafood is not as readily available. This shift in eating made me feel good, but I now know the reason was not because I was eating less red meat. I believe the real reason was that I was actively choosing to make healthier choices. I was eating less fast-food, I was consuming more wholesome, nourishing fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. My body was actually getting many more nutrients than it originally was because I relied far too much on fast-food and package goods previous to this shift. Encouraged by some of the positive feelings I experienced, I decided to take it a step further with vegetarianism.
Going vegetarian and the impact of a mostly carbohydrate diet
Ready for the next challenge, I decided to try out vegetarianism. While in college, I wanted to continue to explore ‘health’ and I thought this decision would support that. As I took the path of vegetarianism, I also started working out in the gym more often, understanding the importance of movement. I did not take into account the increased activity a college student already does, including walking to every class and frequent outdoor games on the field. Each day, I would do a gym workout, head to Zumba, go for a yoga class or something else. Some days, I would try to do 2 classes because it was enjoyable (but also, a bit exhausting).
While movement is good, I didn’t fully understand fueling my body to support that movement. Looking back at a photo of my plate at the time, it was filled with fruits and vegetables (that’s it!). No healthy fats, no sources of protein, just an apple or pear and a boatload of steamed vegetables. I would usually eat a protein bar as an afternoon snack, and I remember absolutely craving it every single day. No wonder I was craving it, my body was desperately in need of some energy and nutrients that I was not providing it at meal time. I have absolutely no idea how my body was still functioning as much as it did, with my grades staying up and being able to keep up with all of my social engagements.
However, I do remember having a lack of energy almost all of the time. With a college meal plan, came unlimited access to ice cream, cookies, brownies, and all the other sugary foods which did seem to temporarily help my energy levels. Despite my early discover of the impacts on sugar, I figured I could indulge often since I was eating so many nutritious foods the rest of the day.
Eventually, I was living on my own and continued to go through this vicious cycle. I was glad to be able to shop on my own and purchase the foods I would enjoy, but still I was very restrictive when it came to eating meat and always craved sugar. In all of the education I found online, a balanced plate was not one that was talked about. So many of my meals were carbohydrate heavy without much protein on the plate. This led to continuous cycles of energy and then crash. Soon after that crash, I would grab a dessert and the cycle would start over again. I was not concerned about the desserts negatively impacting my health because I would try to choose brands that were considered “better for you” ice cream. (Disclaimer: I now know that many of these brands have additives and fillers that can greatly disrupt your gut). Interested in how veganism could shift this negative cycle, I decided to give it a try.
Going vegan and the impact on my hormone health
After months of this continued under fueling and over-exerting myself, it led me to losing my period completely (You can read more about that journey here). But, it wasn’t until a bit later that I started on my hormone-healing journey. Becoming more aware of sugar and its impact, I decided that I would go vegan. This removed the temptation to have ice cream on a regular basis and would support my goals in living a healthier life. I became more aware of the importance of protein, and started incorporating more plant based protein options like beans, quinoa, tofu, and tempeh into my diet. Still, I felt exhausted and had a tough time having the energy to work out. I just wanted to curl up and take a nap or sit to watch a show because that is all I had energy for.
I played around in the kitchen for fun and creative ways to eat wholesome foods, and learned a bit more about what that looks like. I am beyond thankful that my exploration of different diets taught me this, and actually I originally started blogging as Grace & Greens during that time. I was pushing plant-based and truly thought that it was good, but was not experiencing the true benefits that a healthy life can offer.
Quitting diets and my shift to a more balanced plate that renewed my energy
I don’t remember the exact day that I started eating meat again, but I do remember the shift that happened in how I felt once I did. With new insights into how to live a healthier life, and a goal of getting my period back, I shifted my perspective.
I continued to eat more fruits and vegetables, while also consuming quality animal protein, legumes, nuts, seeds, and more. My focus shifted to a lot more wholesome nourishing foods. It was less about not eating packaged goods, less about eating less sugar, less about eating less carbs, less about eating less meat. It was a shift to an abundance mindset: More colorful foods, more variety, more fresh fruits & vegetables, more flavors.
Once I made this shift, focusing on the abundance of delicious and nutritious foods I was putting in my body, I started to feel different. I had more energy, I got my period back, my mood was more balanced, and I felt stronger. It was amazing to me what truly nourishing my body did and how it impacted my life. And each day I continue to learn a bit more about what suits my body well and what doesn’t. What leaves me feeling energized and what doesn’t. I have now learned that my body doesn’t love gluten or dairy, but fortunately there are plenty of other wholesome and nourishing foods that provide me with energy to show up as the best version of myself each day.
Listening to your body to support your health
So, for the point of this long and winding journey, I have tried lots of diets over the years. Through it all, the one thing that actually truly works is listening to your body and providing it with the nourishment it is craving.
Provide it fruits and vegetables for nutrients and minerals.
Provide it with quality meats and sources of protein.
Provide it with healthy fats from nuts and seeds.
Listening to your body is the most underrated health strategy of all.
Listen to your body, you might just be shocked by what it’s telling you. I promise you, it is not telling you to cut out any piece of a balanced plate. This restrictive mindset is only going to lead your to burnout, instead of a balance to feel energized and well each day.
A balanced plate includes:
fiber-rich carbohydrates
healthy fats
colorful veggies
protein
Some of my favorite resources for learning more about the importance of blood sugar balance and supporting your body to help you feel good include:
I have also learned that healthy eating is about choosing to live a healthy life. Food alone is not going to provide your body with the nourishment it needs. Our bodies also need water, movement, laughter, joy, connection, learning, and all of the other wonderful things that make up life. (More about this here)
No matter how busy life gets, your body is what carries you through it all. Listen to it, support it, and love it well - so you can show up well each day.
The Grace & Greens community: The support you need to make healthy eating easier
Building a balanced plate will support you in nourishing your body, keeping you full and satisfied, providing you with energy, supporting your digestive system, and helping your body absorb key vitamins. To start building more balanced plates, here are some ways you can do that:
Visit the recipe box: If you need support with building balanced plates, all of my recipes incorporate a variety of whole, minimally processed foods.
Join the community: You can also join the Grace & Greens community to gain access to the weekly meal plan, grocery list, and prep tips to save you time and mental energy.
Contact me: If you have additional questions, please feel free to reach out!
Best,
Grace
P.S. I believe that each of our bodies was uniquely created, so not everything that works for me is going to work for you. I wanted to share my journey to encourage and inspire you to discover what does work for you so you can feel good and show up as the best version of yourself. May you love yourself well so you can pour out and love others well. 1
BONUS downloadable resource for the Grace & Greens paid community
As a bonus for the Grace & Greens paid community, download this handout about how to build a balanced plate. This resource will help you when you are short on mental energy and want to quickly create a balanced meal:
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