Making the Switch to Healthier Eating

February 4, 2014 / Nutrition / Source: Nutrition

For those of you who may not know, I am a thyroid cancer survivor and since my diagnosis over 10 years ago, I have really become more serious about my nutrition.  When I did research on the type of thyroid cancer that I was diagnosed with I realized that there might have been a link with pesticides, so I have made it a point to try to avoid foods with any chemicals or pesticides.  However, over the past several years I have continued to learn about the positive (and negative) effects that certain foods have on our health…and love to share what I have learned with others.

First of all, I would never claim to have it all together because there are days that I still crave foods that are not good for me, but I will say that I have come a LONG way from where I was many years ago.  In fact, I grew up on white bread, processed foods/snacks, and canned corn was our staple “vegetable.”  Not to mention, you wouldn’t have even been able to talk me into eating many of the foods that I eat today…and now, I cannot even imagine eating like I used to eat!  So, I am living proof that you can change your tastes and cravings.  The KEY…having a WHY that is big enough to make you change. 

My WHY?  I wanted to improve my chances of living a long, healthy life…and now even more so that I have been blessed with two, wonderful little boys.  I want to see them grow up, plus I want to stay strong and healthy to be able to enjoy them and be active with them.

Therefore, it all comes down to a choice…and I believe that your decisions/choices are based off of your WHYs.  So, if your WHY is not big enough to cause you to make some lifestyle/eating changes then maybe you need to find a new WHY.  Lastly, as I mentioned before, I did not make a drastic shift in my eating overnight.  However, my diet is now filled with a rainbow of colors.  It took me years to discover the truths about certain foods…and to learn the benefits of others, and now, I want to share them with you.  So, I leave you with a challenge.  Take a look at this Nutrition Rainbow and find a food that you have either never tried before or one that you don’t have eat often and add it to your menu this week.  Then, I encourage you to gradually keep adding new colors to your diet each week.

Note:  I would love to hear how you are doing, so come visit me on my SW Fitness & Nutrition Facebook Page ~ www.fb.com/coachshellby