Once again, I’ve discovered that minimalism can apply to yet another aspect of my life — healthy eating. This week, I’m talking about four ways minimalism has helped me to eat better, feel better, lose weight and get back on track when there’s a lag in goodness going into my body.
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I’m not a doctor or nutritionist and this really doesn’t have anything to do with A diet, but rather with eating more healthfully. There have been so many times I’ve over-complicated things. It’s made my life absolutely miserable sometimes, while other experiences of creating an unnecessarily complex situation have allowed me to learn. I would say that my journey of figuring out what healthy eating means to me has been full of side paths and backward motion, but they’ve all led me where I am now, and I’m a much healthier individual at this point.
I’ve knowingly and not-so-knowingly used minimalism to help me find my way. The first intentional step I took toward minimalism came when I realized our dinner menu was way too complicated. Out of desperation, I decided I would purchase lots of fruits and veggies for the week, but create a menu I’d use EVERY week using a few different bases with a variety of toppings to make them interesting. Beans and rice, rice and veggies, potatoes, and pasta were spread over the week, and I changed up their flavors with all of those veggies and seasonings I had on hand. It was wonderful to eat so many delicious foods, but also know what was for dinner because Wednesday nights were potato nights, etc.
On top of simplifying our dinners, I’ve simplified my lunch and breakfast. Over the years, I’ve accepted that I enjoy having a smoothie for breakfast and am happy to have one each morning. I switch them up, but mostly, I know what I need to have on hand and keep it pretty basic. It’s comforting to have a salad each day for lunch — I’m getting my greens in, I don’t have to waste mental energy on wondering what’s for lunch, and it’s nice to find different ways to eat a salad. Minimalism in the kitchen is amazing!
The previous two minimalist practices have helped me to eat more healthfully than the others in some ways, but I couldn’t do it without practicing emotional minimalism around food issues that arise, as well as finding my healthy eating hero (High Carb Hannah — see link below). These two practices keep my mind clear and healthy, and also keep diet distractions and confusion to a minimum. With all the noise around what’s healthy and what’s not, I’m so grateful to have found High Carb Hannah because my body simply reacts to her kind of plant-based diet.
Whatever your health goals, I hope me sharing my minimalist practices around healthy eating can help you simplify and focus on what’s important.
High Carb Hannah’s YouTube channel
My latest videos on YouTube:
How to Make Cashew Yogurt
Sushi Bowl Salad
My book, How to be a Minimalist with Kids: Finding YOUR Kind of Minimalism
Instagram @howtobeaminimalist
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