I don’t know where to begin speaking about the benefits of eating healthy other then to give you a little background about myself. I was never overweight, I was actually very skinny as a child and teenager, even through my 20’s, then I got married and then it was 10 years later and I am now 31 and became overweight about 20 pounds from not really eating good in the last 5 years, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups became my breakfast..literally and ice-cream ALWAYS right before bed, Pork about every other day, and homemade large pizzas where I would eat 1/2 in one setting. Then I finally noticed my clothes weren’t fitting properly and had to spend about $200.00 on new ones. My healthy eating benefits have just begun.

A Revelation

I then woke up one day and said, no more. I didn’t get a nutritionist or go on any type of program, I just researched on-line about eating healthy and exercising and the benefits that would follow if I continued to eat good. I bought a mountain bike. And told myself, I can’t just only exercise, I have to start eating right as well or else the exercise wouldn’t matter in the long run.

My Process

I started off eating a little portion of a different fruit and vegetable every day to start, BUT at first, I only drank my fruit (Orange Juice) and V-8! But I started bringing home fresh picked apples from the Orchard and oranges, fresh garlic and green peppers in a salad with no dressing. At first everything tasted bitter to me, but I guess that’s because I was used to chocolate and most other bad food! I worked my way up to an apple, orange or banana a day for breakfast…I slowly weaned my way off of the Reese’s! I started eating lean chicken and fish..instead of feeling like I was going to die riding the bike, I actually started to look forward to it, I rode an hour a day, thank god I live by the mountains and a nice lake so I had a nice trail to ride on. I started eating oats and whole wheat bread, even wheat pasta! I cut out most of the butter and oils I was consuming for the last 20 years and now I only use a little light olive oil when needed. Instead of having ice-cream before bed, I started making fresh fruit drinks with my new blender. Just add a tablespoon of a little fizz liquid to it like ginger ale and they are great.

The Results

I started noticing I was losing weight in my face, I started feeling better in just about every aspect about 3.5-4 months later. I could breath better, I could think clearer, I had so much more energy then I think I ever did, my cholesterol went down to where it should be for my age, my blood pressure which was high for my age also went down. I felt like I could focus better on things and I always use to have a “film” over my eyes where it seemed like I had to much liquid that seemed to disappear and I could see clearer then before. I didn’t feel at all like I used to…dragging around, tired, always buying the same things at the store…Chocolate, ice-cream, potato chips. My doctor said the way I was eating would most likely lead me to heart disease, or worse at an early age. I didn’t watch myself like a hawk about eating because then I would have went backwards being paranoid about it, I just eat healthy now because there are so many positive benefits that come with it then don’t.

The future

Now, I feel like a new person, I eat lean and did a total turn around in my eating habits, I eat healthy now and know I always will, the benefits out way any kind of chocolate that I lived on prior. I don’t deprive myself, but I don’t eat chocolate for breakfast anymore, instead of extra extra mayo on my sandwich, I get mustard, instead of cupcakes, I’ll make a fat free strawberry pie. I just eat differently and not at all the way I use to before, I still have chocolate occasionally, I just wouldn’t die without it like I thought I would before.