Loving Food That Doesn’t Love Me Back

All my life I have been a bread lover. I can remember as a kid going to Ryan’s buffet and being so excited to eat the yummy bread rolls. Whenever I was asked what my favorite food was, my response was always BREAD! I literally almost got into a fight with a coworker at an Italian restaurant when he tried to take the bread loaf away from me saying I had enough (my blood still boils when I think of it!). In addition to bread, I literally grew up on ramen noodles…I ate them like they were going out of style morning, noon, and night. I seem to just be drawn to carbs, so who would have thought I would ever be advocating for myself and others to back away from carbs???

As much as I love the simple carbs, they simply do not love me back. When I was 30 years old and pregnant with my youngest son I developed gestational diabetes. It was the first time I had ever had to restrict carbs for health purposes. I didn’t know how I was going to make it, but for the sake of my baby I got really serious about carb counting. Once he was born my doctor informed me that I was then at risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes within five years because of having gestational diabetes. He informed me that I could prevent this through diet and exercise; however, he didn’t give me any specifics on how to do so.

Also after giving birth to my baby boy I developed high blood pressure. I have gone through years of trying to find ways to get off of the medications, and diet and exercise have been the only remedies. Finding the right diet and exercise has been an adventure. I can say that I have tried just about every diet and diet pill known to man. At times I would have temporary success, but because I was not properly educated on the science behind what I was eating and how it impacted my body I kept reaching for the wrong types of food for me specifically.

Of course every body is different, and there’s no one size fits all when it comes to dietary needs. I had to experiment to find my magic formula, and that came with lots of trial and error. Ultimately what I know is that while many people can tolerate simple carbs, they may not know the damage being caused internally until it is too late. In general terms, whole foods such as protein, veggies, fruit, and healthy fats are best for most bodies; processed, sugary, simple carb laden foods are not. Avoiding these foods could save your health as it has done for me.

For support with finding the foods that love you and treat you well, reach out to me via direct message or email (Joy@transformwithjoy.com).

Cheers to eating, feeling, and living well!

With Love,

Joy