I don’t believe in diets. This is my personal opinion. I believe in a balanced life with sport and food that makes your body work 100%.
For some people, eating healthy is a trend and for others is a way of life. When I start taking care of myself, it took me some years to get to the point that eating healthy is my only way to function at my full capacity mentally and physically. You need to be 100% healthy and full of energy when you take care of a kid or more.
My parents took great care of us (we were 3 kids) when we were kids. Even without so many fruits and vegetables, we had healthy meals and we were doing lots of sports. We always had a big breakfast, lunch and dinner, and all the snacks were healthy. I never had McDonald’s and burgers till I got to University.
Moving to another city without your parents was a good way to learn to take how to take care of yourself.
Getting up at noon and eating chocolate on an empty stomach never helped. All my healthy habits went away and I start embracing new bad ones like burgers, McDonald’s, carbonated drinks and others.
That wasn’t everyday food but still it got me to ulcer. After treatment, I felt invincible.
All my life I was very skinny and I could eat anything I wanted. My metabolism was very good. In high school I had a few nicknames because I was very skinny but it never bother me. During University I manage to put some weight and I got from 50kg to 60kg. I am 1,72cm tall so 60kg for me was great.
So, after all that crappy food, my body gave up one day.
After 10 days in hospital, some complications and a gallbladder removal operation my world changed a lot. I had 45kg when I got out from the hospital and when I arrived home I start crying. That was not the way I wanted to live my life. So, that day, I made a life changing decision to change my bad habits into good habits. That was in 2006.
In the first years, I still had once or twice a year a burger or a Sprite at McDonald’s, but in the last 5 I stopped. I don’t feel the need to drink carbonated drinks or have a McDonald’s. I remember the last burger that I had there had a plastic taste.
I start cooking and I learnt how to make my own burgers. A few months ago, I took out white and brown sugar and I start eating lots of fruits instead.
I was always a sporty person and I will always be. I need to give my son a good example and teach him like my parents taught me about sports and good food. He has time to make mistakes when he is older like I did. This first years are so important for a good development.
We go hiking, biking, skiing or walking in the park. Spending time with him is the best part of the day.
So, that’s why I eat healthy. Life is so short and I don’t want to make it even shorter. I have so many things to do and so many places to see.
Cooking Without Limits 
I agree with you, eating healthy is a way of life. I’m still going through the journey of cutting out certain foods (yes, admittedly like McDonald’s as well!) completely, and working out what works for my body and what doesn’t. It’s an eye opening journey really and I’m glad to see someone else who has done it, and for whom it’s working, so thanks for sharing your story! 🙂
Thank you. Gook luck with your journey!
Wow this sounds so much like me right now. I’m trying to be a better example for my daughter and encourage my husband that eating healthy doesn’t mean starving as he puts it. Simply making better food choices and more homemade dishes are they way to go. Great post
There is a big problem with people that think that eating healthy means not eating at all or eat just a few bites.
Exactly. Healthy eating is about balance and moderation.
Thank you for sharing your story. We can have complex relationships with food, but it sounds as though you’ve now made it really simple — and it works for you. Inspiring!
True. Thank you
I agree with you 100%, eating good food and being active is all you need to be happy and healthy, I don’t believe in diets too😀. I’m sure the food pictures in your blog will inspire people to eat healthy, it looks so beautiful. Awesome post!
Thank you
This is a great post. It’s so easy to eat unhealthy fast food! I’m glad you are back on track eating healthy and enjoying life to its fullest!
As always I continue to enjoy your beautiful stories and stunning pictures!
Thank you
Yes, this is amazing, thank you for sharing your story! I suffered from an eating disorder for 10 years so I also had to learn how to create a healthy balance of a variety of foods and exercise. I look forward to reading more of your posts!
Thank you. I am happy when people change their life in good.
I went through a similar epiphany a few years back and am so grateful for my new way of life! Thank you for this inspirational post!
You are welcome
Love this post. I have to be careful to eat too healthy and to not allow some of the “bad” stuff once in a while 🙂
Your photos are beautiful! What setting did you use for these pictures? I am trying to learn and it is challenging!
Thank you. You can find here: https://cooking-without-limits.com/2017/02/23/an-easy-way-to-start-learning-about-food-photography/
Living healthy are the key words here – eating is essential to living – eating healthy is the key to living healthy. The scrumptious pictures you post shows me that your family is living deliciously healthy! The bonus is the mindful nature of choosing recipes, choosing ingredients, and the preparing the food. Your family is building amazing rituals and memories!
Thank you. We want quality not quantity .
Lovely blog, thank you
Thank you
Yeah… there’s a saying too Abs are made in kitchen😄💪
Nice saying!
Yep. Dieting can be unhealthy. I’ve watched my sister in law try this or that but overall goes back to unhealthy eating. Meanwhile her sister and I have been vegan for nearly 10 years. Results are awesome. But the sister in law just doesn’t get health is a lifestyle.
She’s scheduled for that stomach surgery. So sad.
It is sad.
Same for me. I grew up and lived 26 years with my parents in Italy: we had (have) a field by the lake, we have olive trees and we have our own extra virgin olive oil (the only I ever used, and I use it every day). Most of fruits and vegetables came from there, we had our own pigs to make our own salami and sausages, our own free range chicken/hens, sometimes some guinea fowls and some ducks, rabbits, and until not long ago we always raised 1 or 2 beefs. I like fishing, so living next to the lake we always had fresh freshwater fish too. Then my uncle is a fishmonger so we had also good sea fish. And since my mom is a housewife we always had good meals 365 days a year 🙂 and I always had sport: helping in the field 😀 and mountain running races and mountain bike.
I had few McDonald burgers in my life, the last I remember it was on a school trip in Paris, about 15 years ago. I never liked fast food chains.
And thanks to that food education, once I moved out from home I always took care of my shopping (that’s the first step) and about what I eat and cook every day.
Without forgetting that food is also a pleasure 🙂
Beautiful story!
Sometimes getting sick is what it takes for someone to realize that it’s the food we eat. After eating organic now for a long while, when I eat at a restaurant that’s not, then later I will feel aches and pains in my body like it’s the pesticides trying to make their way through. Very thought provoking article.
True. The food today is worse than 20 – 30 years back.
Excellent post. I hope it gets more people to change their habits as well. Sometimes I indulge (guilt-free always) but most times, I eat healthy, homemade… I really think eating well makes the biggest difference in our health.
Thank you. I hope too.
It’s very hard to eat healthy these days with the temptation and ease of takeout food, but it’s great that you’re doing it and showing an example to others, especially your kid. 🙂
Thank you
I agree. ☺
I love this! I grew up eating very healthy, hiking etc . . . And married a man who grew up on fast food, mac-n-cheese and hot dogs. We’ve been married 22 years and I changed my eating habits to match him rather than him matching me. Sadly, he never had any weight issues or energy issues until about a year ago. I, on the other hand, put on tons of weight and developed autoimmune disorders over those years. Our 16 year old daughter also has issues, so we have been changing our lifestyle.
She had a cheat day Friday. She didn’t even go all out, but since she had friends over, she didn’t want to limit herself. She is regretting it now. I think those cheats are needed though when you are first changing your habits. They remind you how much your body hates the junk!
Now, the battle to get my hubby more healthy is a harder one, but I won’t give up! 😊
Don’t. We all need a cheat day sometimes.
It’s so nice to hear others’ stories. I eat healthy so that my family will eat healthy. I’d like to think that, if I wasn’t responsible for providing foods for others, that I’d eat healthy. But, if I’m being totally honest, I probably wouldn’t.
Being a product of the 80’s, where excess was key, a lot of people fell prey to the fast food empires. It is sad that more people with truly horrible health issues do not see the poisons they are pumping into their bodies each time they go through the drive through.
I used to be one of them. The automatas that you see rushing through red lights to get to the late night menu boards. It also took me a major health issue to get me out of the loop of fast food addiction.
Now when I want a junk food, I make it at home. Burgers and fries are a favored dish in my house (blog soon to come on burgers and fries). Potato crisps, those too are fresh made.
Anything served at any fast food restaurant I can make at home, cheaper, faster, and better. Plus, I can use the best ingredients to make these “junk” foods into healthy alternatives.
You are right. We can have our fast food home.
Thank you for sharing your story. We ate healthy as children by necessity–my parents couldn’t afford restaurants or fast food. They grew almost all the food we ate, with some exceptions, like bread, milk and meat. Even the meat came from farmers they knew. My dad, raised on a farm, sometimes helped with the butchering and packaging. When we had enough space, we grew our meat too. When I started a family, I passed the healthy eating habits on to my children, and added to it–with whole grains and using less sugar.
Somewhere along the way, though, we started going out for fast food once a week. Then, when I went “back to work,” (as if I hadn’t been working long days already), I no longer had the time to invest six or more hours a day in growing and preserving food, cooking from scratch, baking my own breads and making yogurts and the like. We relied more and more heavily on processed foods, takeout and restaurant dining.
For the first time in my life, I gained weight. Today, I’ve returned to a much healthier lifestyle, again baking bread, cooking with whole foods from scratch, and minimizing the fats and sugars. But we still eat out or order in a couple nights a week, and I indulge in cream in my coffee and delicious pastries from the local patisserie. When I stick more to the fruits and vegetables, I feel better, have more energy. When I over-indulge in the goodies, I tend to feel run-down, move more slowly, and my arthritis rears its ugly, achy head. Or should I say knobs?
You remind me to up my nutritional and overall health game. I thank you for that.
You are welcome. Sometimes I feel life was simple back then.
Good for you! This inspires me to keep eating healthy. Thanks so much for sharing your story.
You are welcome
Thank you for your post. Our children learn so much from us and if we can teach them healthy habits it contributes much to their future even if they take a short detour. Once you get use to eating healthy your body craves the good flavor and it reacts negatively with you don’t give it what it needs. Thank you for sharing your story.
You are welcome
Good for you!! Love to see others doing things that make them feel good!
Thank you
This is an amazing post! Thanks for sharing! I definitely agree that while my parents built such great eating habits for me, as soon as I left home for boarding school, those habits went spiraling down. My parents were born and raised from South Korea – and the typical Korean meal always has rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner. While the media these days are always saying no carbs or low carb diets, all my relatives are slim and healthy. I don’t think it’s the specific nutrient that’s to blame but our attitudes to food that is to blame. In Korea, we eat balanced meals with a variety of food groups and the portions are quite small compared to the States. However, despite all the diets that are publicized in America and the rigorous exercise and gym memberships people sign up for, America is one of the unhealthiest country in the world. I really do think it’s the habits and our attitudes toward food than the actual food in itself. Thanks for sharing an important reminder! Food is for fuel and nourishment NOT for the vain of an appearance. Xo, Steph
Thank you for your thoughts.
This is a great post. I see it was something a lot of people relate to. I avoid fast food and chain food except for rare occasions.I will sometimes skip a meal rather than eat junk. There are so many wonderful delicious foods but here in the US people’s taste buds are ruined by too much sugar and salt.
True. We have great food around the world. We just need to take our mind of junk food and start cooking a little bit.
I’m learning to be a healthier person. I’m not on a “diet” it’s going to be my way of life. It’s a big change and I’m trying! I know I feel better when I eat better. I’m getting there! Slowly but surely. I agree that eating healthy is a way of life!
Good for you! I had a long journey too.
Some days I wonder why it’s taken me so long to get this far, and other days it seems impossible!
Thanks so much for sharing – very inspiring! It really helps to hear the journey of others – what a great post!
Thank you
Thanks for sharing your story. Looks like you really got a wake up call! I’m glad you managed to recover and are now living a healthy life. I agree – it’s definitely a way of life and a conscious choice. Keep it up!
Thank you
When women start having children, their perspective in life changes. You want to be the best mom you can be, and teach them the right things in life. But if you happen to make a mistake along the way, don’t beat yourself up. Kids don’t come with manuals. 😉 The Thanks for sharing your story!
That is so true.
Truly inspiring!
Thanks for sharing.
As a mother I also share the same feeling.
Great blog and I respect your courage to be so honest. Like you I have used nutrition to heal from a chronic illness (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and it has taught me a lot about natural health. I don’t believe in diets either but I think we can choose a good eating ‘style’ and what works may be different for different people at different stages of their life. Well done, you!
Thank you. We all are unique so what is good for me could not be good for you. We need to find what is good for us.
I’m glad you’ve recovered and found what works for you. I had similar problems but managed to avoid surgery. I agree about healthy-eating being a lifestyle and not a diet, it’s tough when all around you are eating things you have to avoid.
Great to read this and I can’t agree more .Thanks for sharing .
You are welcome
Reblogged this on DinamicDynasty and commented:
A very nice piece
Thank you
You welcome
Everyday I appreciate the fact my parents gave me the love of really good unhealthy food and the knowledge of when to eat them, and why I don’t eat them everyday. I had to learn, when I moved out of their house if I wanted to butter and fat all day and not do anything. Or eat healthy and have energy for days. I choose the healthy option, mainly I hate sitting around.Very good piece, something I wish more people thought of.
Thank you
Great post!! I have the same philosophy, but you put it so nicely in words, I hope many other people will read it too and find it inspiring.
I’m also glad that all your health issues are behind, let it stay that way!
All the best!
Thank you
Wow, I couldn’t agree more… I think being healthy is about living a healthy lifestyle. Diets are such intense short term goals and can end up damaging someone more than helping them! Thank you for sharing!
I recently started t be more concious of what i eat and the effects that they might have, it helps a lot to pay attention to one’s body. Soda was definitely the first thing i cut off!
Good start!
Great story. I gave up sodas, never ate red meat. I grew up in a house where health food was cooked daily. I can relate to you. True, life is very short; Its shorter than we think.
Thank you
I totally agree – the word “diet” should be banished! It has such a negative connotation. I too have focused more on being healthy and eating foods that are good for me. I have never been thin, but I can say I am relatively healthy. I have arthritis (two kinds actually) and a nourishing food based filled with veggies and anti-inflammatory foods definitely helps. Thanks for putting it so succinctly and reminding us all!
You are welcome
It’s not easy to stay on course of healthy eating, exercise, sleep, no worries and laughter. however, I learned like you it’s best when it’s not a diet but a lifestyle change.
Great post…. Even I love cooking our own healthy food, exercising, yoga.. So i really liked this post….
Thank you
Good luck on everything , it really is a beautiful journey
Thank you
i totally agree with you, ive been doing this and i cud see postive changes
Loved this post! It has a very powerful message. I have been on the healthy streak since last year but do allow myself a treat on weekends.
Thank you
Great post, beautiful story and important message.
Thank you
I really enjoyed reading this.
‘Life is so short and I don’t want to make it even shorter.’ > This line really touched me! It’s so true. Our health is our wealth. Even if we have all the money in the world, you really cannot buy your health. You have to earn it by working on it and maintaining it in the long-run. Over time, it brings peace to our mind, soul and body and I really, really believe in this.
I recently came back from a trip to Rome and it was quite the eye-opener, even when regarding food. Everything was much more homemade, authentic…organically-sourced – you can tell. There was very little fried foods (which is impossible to not see in the UK, ugh) and it wasn’t at all greasy. After every meal, we felt content but not bloated. It gave me a new perspective in eating which sounds crazy because we eat since almost the moment we are born! But being cultivated in this area is a constant journey that can either be our nemesis or our best friend 🙂
Sounds like a great trip!
Che fache! … my young beauty. You are right. The key to health isn’t high intensity of exercise but of moving every day so you are teaching your son well. My daughter and I ran a few 5ks together which was really cool.
Peace be the Botendaddy
Bine
Stay on this healthy path, it won’t steer you wrong.
Thank you. I will.