healthy eating x Gina

I don't think I've ever written a post about dieting or eating healthy, but I thought I would share what I've learned by changing my eating habits. 

2 months ago, I had exactly 1 week to prepare for an important audition. But when I looked at myself in the mirror, I realized how much weight I had gained over the holiday season with all the carbs and sweets I was eating. With the help of my friends, I dramatically changed my diet and eating habits - for that one week, I cut out bread, pasta, rice, sweets and anything else that would put on unnecessary weight. My new diet consisted of plenty of water, tea, fruits, vegetables, seafood and meat, etc. I also started exercising more and in one week, I noticed a huge difference. Basically, it worked. 

2 months later, I'm still following this diet, but I started eating bread, pasta, rice and sweets, but to a healthy minimum. When I want to snack on something, I opt for unsalted nuts, granola or fruit instead of cookies, chips, or pastries. I also decided to substitute milk with soy milk. I try to eat as healthy as possible so that when I go out with friends, I can splurge on food that I really like, and even sweets that I crave :) Here are some of the types of meals I eat:

for breakfast: plain yogurt with a sprinkle of granola with dry fruit, black sesame kinako (soy flour) and one banana

one bowl of brown rice, one egg, red miso soup, pickles

rice, miso soup, fish, and a small Japanese dessert :)

A few days ago, I picked up the newest issue of Gina magazine and I was pretty excited to find an article about dieting. Almost all of their advice coincides with what I'm currently doing. 

Here are the 5 important rules they list:

1. Cut back on the carbohydrates 

(meat, seafood, eggs, butter, oil, soy, mushrooms, seaweed, and leafy greens are good; bread, cake, pasta, white sugar, candy and carbonated drinks are not; and be careful when consuming rice, soba noodles, pumpkin, potatoes, dairy, and seasonings with sweeteners.)

2. Avoid white sugar & artificial sweeteners

3. Choose foods that have a good chewing consistency

4. If you are consuming carbohydrates, choose (brown) rice

5. Eat your food in the correct order

(soup -> salad -> main dish -> rice)


I am not going to lie though, while healthy eating is addicting, it's also hard not being able to eat whatever I want. But I feel good from the inside out I don't regret this healthy lifestyle:)

Hope this post was helpful in any way! Happy [healthy] eating!



Love,

Samantha Mariko