Everything I discuss will be based on my personal experience and research and by no means I am attempting to give any health or medical advice to anyone. If you are wondering what diet I follow now, it's a combination of raw and cooked foods. This makes ME feel the best version of myself.
And if you want to learn more about my diet and what I eat now, check out my eBooks!
They are filled with super delicious, macro-balanced, plant-based recipes that everyone will love!
Okay, on with my story!
In 2009, I had found the vegan lifestyle and even dabbled in raw veganism but at that point being so young with very few role models on the topic, I couldn’t stick with it. In August of 2013, when I was just 24 years young, I discovered the HCLF (high carb low fat) lifestyle. At first, this lifestyle inspired me to stay mostly raw, fruitarian for 4 years. During this time my diet consisted of excessive amounts of high glycemic fruits, virtually no healthy fats, and in the last 2 years of this time period, I also incorporated some high carb cooked veggies and roots for dinner. For me, following this strict, high fruit diet resulted in:
- hair loss
-loss of skin elasticity
-premature aging
-low hormones
-sunken eyes
-loss of muscle definition
I want to stress something here: I do believe this lifestyle CAN work for some people long term. Perhaps not every fruitarian ended up with these issues, but it happened to me.
Photo from Instagram: @thekateflowers
I attribute these symptoms to the massive amounts of sugar I was consuming. In no way do I think that fruit consumed in any normal amount would have done this. Nor do I think that short term HCLF or fruitarian cleanses would have done this. These things did not happen overnight and it took me a long time to even realize and accept that they were happening.
Of course, the aging process is unavoidable but to be 27-28 and noticing drastic changes when my diet was “supposed” to be the healthiest out there?! That did NOT seem right to me.
When I started doing research, I found that our bodies need healthy fats in our diet for our hormones and BODIES to function properly, especially for women. Since adjusting my diet and going towards a more balanced approach, I realized something. I was focusing all of my energy on one food group and not having variety to my diet. Some people can focus their energy on one food group and maybe it really works for them long term! My body could not do that.
One message I really want to also stress in this post: Don't just listen to one person. I have said from the very beginning: my way of eating is NOT the only way of eating. Some people feel better eating a high carb diet, others do not. I'm not trying to convenience you that