Cooking at home and a Healthier YOU!

Hello, my name is Tiara and I make all the foods… (yes, I know that is grammatically incorrect).  Warning, tough love and a bit of rambling coming at you today 🙂

Growing up I loved food, but I was picky. What’s funny is even as a child I gravitated towards healthier options. I mean I didn’t like hot dogs, lucky charms, etc. I was the kid who picked out Special K. Where did these habits come from? Who knows? My mother reminded me that we ate “farm food,” but the funny thing is no one was working on a farm… I guess old habits die hard.

Over time I’ve learned the most successful people in life have a plan. They might not follow it to a T, but it serves as a roadmap. The same can be said about creating a healthy life. Start with a plan and go from there.

I don’t like donuts and even gave up soda, although I only drank spirit, and red meat when I was in High School. Because of sports. I had a coach tell me you are what you eat and it stuck.

In the era of quick and easy, I prefer to make 99% of my meals. Yes, I do occasionally purchase packaged products out of convenience, but that’s life. It’s about being consistent over time verse perfection. The fun part is I’ve gone as far as to make sourdough bread, almond milk, and even kombucha!

BUT, let’s talk about being healthy. Yes, you can eat all the pre-made foods, but you don’t truly know what’s in them. I mean check out the extra stuff and sodium levels — eek. You don’t have to make elaborate meals either to be healthy. I save the “fun” more labor intensive meals for Saturday/Sunday! Otherwise, M-F our meals are super basic.

You can’t out exercise a bad diet. Let me repeat you can’t out exercise a bad diet. And you need to eat.  Been there done that. Then wised up and learned how to create a balanced diet that aligns with my goals. Ok, so let me break it down. You’re likely hitting spin, HIIT, CrossFit, or yoga, etc. 5+ days a week and you haven’t seen the needle move or maybe 1-2 pounds (which is likely water weight) this means your diet needs to change. Sorry but it’s the truth. So what are you going to do about it?

Enter actually cooking your own food and really paying attention to what food is made up of.

Then doing it again and again until it becomes habit. By this point, you might have shed some weight, but I guarantee you’re feeling better, sleeping better, etc.

And when all those things happen they carry over in other aspects of your life. Maybe you’re a bit more confient, a better friend, wife, mother, etc.

Here’s the thing, you just have to start. Don’t worry about what others think. People judge me ALL the time and I don’t care. True friends will support your crazy ideas and will be your biggest cheerleader when you succeed. You’ll likely lose a few along the way too… that’s life.

Be ok with experimenting in the kitchen. These enchiladas are made with greek yogurt! Not kidding.

At the end of the day, if you want to be a healthier version of yourself you have to work at it daily. Give up soda for 30 days, limit your alcohol intake, go to bed earlier, only eat a 1/4 avocado, track your food to make sure your eating in balance. Whatever it is start TODAY!

I could go on and on, but I won’t since this post is already all over the place.

Love YA!