So What's This About?

Over the years, I have started watching what I eat – with a family history of diabetes; my mind is always on eating right. Thankfully, growing up my mother cultivated some very healthy eating habits which I managed to carry with me throughout my adulthood. When I came to the US, I still ate my fruits and veggies (after acclimatizing to the different taste) but also ate a lot of junk (enter Cheetos, Chips Ahoy!, Newtons). Part of the reason was me being broke, the other was the attitude that I was too young and these were the “golden years” of my life where I could burn all junk calories. 

Thankfully no health problems were diagnosed, but that carefree attitude prevailed over the next several years. When I moved in with my, now husband, we started to examine our diets and our weight and discovered we were several pounds heavier than we should be. Determined to change that, we engaged in a 7-day detox, began an extensive gym program and reduced the intake of all foods detrimental to our health. Over time, with access to information and interest in my eating, I started reading blogs, books, and other resources on eating healthy. As my aunt puts it “food is the only foreign object present in your body so you have to eat right.” I took that adage seriously. 

I became passionate about healthier food options, eating more and more fruits and veggies and exercising. The effect was dramatic; not only did I shed the excess weight but I felt better than I ever had in my entire life! I did not subscribe to any dietary regimes – my belief is they do not work and are a waste of your time and $ (two things we are all short of) – but made simple changes to my eating habits. Cutting down meal sizes, snacking and exercising helped me change my outlook towards myself and the world. 

With extensive research also came the knowledge of the kind of food we eat. Realizing that a lot of our food is grown with the aid of pesticides I started a “clean food” revolution in my house. We began eating organic food, banning plastics and buying locally grown produce. I also started reading labels (which I hated to do until that point) to understand the nutrition value the food I ate provided me. 

Then I got pregnant and at six months was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I was LIVID! Despite eating the way I did; my daft genes got the better of me! Planning to use the last month of my pregnancy as a free pass I was utterly disappointed but tried to look at the bright side. Gestational diabetes meant I could not gorge on carbohydrates or eat willy-nilly; which in turn meant my baby ate right too. The idea was to keep my blood sugar at acceptable levels so my portions became extremely measured and protein-heavy. This was a unique challenge for a pescatarian, like me, but with the help of my husband I managed to make the best of it. Net result – I gained only 23 lbs during the entire duration of my pregnancy.  

After my daughter’s birth I gave myself a few months of haphazard eating but started examining my diet once again. Realizing that I was at a higher risk of developing diabetes (thanks to the gestational); I started looking for ways to cut carbohydrates and replace them with healthy but delicious food choices. With a 3 month old who will soon be eating, I also wanted to make sure she started on the right foot.  This brings me to where I am today. 

Over the past year, many friends and family have suggested I start a blog with my  knowledge on food. While there is a lot more to learn, I do believe I have a lot to share. Now, there are a lot of resources on losing weight but my focus is not just that. Whatever your weight is, the idea is to eat healthy. The basic aim is to watch what goes in your mouth and how, if at all, can you replace your existing food choices with smarter, healthier ways to eat. Of course, they have to be delicious but sometimes it does take a little getting used to flavors hitherto unknown; so time and patience are also important. Finally, nothing starts without will so if you lack the desire don’t even waste your time. The idea is to not “diet” for a few weeks and then fall back into old patterns; but to make eating right a lifestyle. 

So here we go, I will attempt to share my research, success stories and other interesting food facts. Since I am a pescatarian, this blog will primarily be about veggies and sea food but I will try to include the omnivores too. If you’d like me to include any of your stories/healthy recipes, feel free to share. I’ll try and keep it entertaining. 

Happy reading!