9 Diet Truths That Will Change Your Life
Shift Your Mindset for Lasting Results
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Intro
This is a nine-part guide to the diet truths that changed my life my mindset, my body, and my perception of food, emotions, and optimal health.
My mission is to shed a different light on some highly debated topics surrounding eating habits and food in general, so let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
No. 1: Eating well is a form of self-respect.
You really are what you eat. Your body is made from the foods you consume. In other words, your body is composed of cells that die, are recycled, and are continually rebuilt. These new cells are created from the nutrients you provide through your diet.
In recent years, studies have shown that our diet and nutrition can influence human health through epigenetic processes. These processes affect how genes are expressed, and metabolism plays a key role in various diseases through epigenetic gene regulation and even inheritance.
No. 2: A Calorie Is Not a Calorie.
While calories measure energy, your body processes different foods in different ways. That’s why eating 90 calories of almonds affects your body differently than 90 calories of ice cream. But why?
- Different Sugars, Different Effects: Glucose can be used and broken down by all your body’s cells, while fructose is mainly processed by your liver.
- The Thermic Effect of Food (TEF): Not all foods require the same amount of energy to digest. Protein requires more energy than fats or carbohydrates, which makes it less likely to be stored as fat.
- Effect on Blood Sugar Levels: The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises your blood sugar. This impacts your energy levels, weight gain or loss, inflammation, and even cravings.
(Keep in mind: the glycemic index isn’t one-size-fits-all individual responses can vary.)
Even if two foods have the same number of calories, they can have very different effects on your metabolism, hunger, and health.
No. 3: Eating habits are personal.
You have the right to choose what works best for your body and lifestyle.
Sometimes the best thing we can do is to listen to our bodies when it comes to food choices.
No. 4: You don’t need to be perfect, but consistent.
Progress comes from showing up daily, not from being flawless.
Being flawless can put too much pressure on your mental health. Remember, you are building habits here, which means your diet should not, in any way, resemble a crash diet or a diet that is overly restrictive and limits you too much.
Instead, focus on what is realistically possible and stick to it.
Maybe start by thinking about your favorite foods. Make sure they have a place in your new diet plan. If they are not very healthy, you don’t have to give them up completely you just don’t have them too often. You could use the 80/20 principle.
No. 5: Healthy foods matter just as much as avoiding unhealthy ones.
It’s not only about what you cut out, it’s also about what you include.
Sometimes we or rather, I hope that by eating one healthy meal, we can somehow go on with our day and immediately lose 5 kg. Well, I wish it were that easy.
So while eating one healthy meal is beneficial, what also matters is everything else we consume, including the less healthy foods.
This is where the 80/20 rule comes in again. What can also help and is probably just as important is tracking our food intake and making sure our bodies get all the nutrients they need to help us feel our best.
No. 6: Sleep, hydration, and stress all affect your body too.
Sometimes you can’t out-diet poor sleep or chronic stress especially not in the long run.
Health and beauty are not just about what you eat, they’re also about how much water you drink, how many hours you sleep at night, and your stress levels. These factors all play a huge role in how we feel and look.
So, in addition to your diet, you should:
- Sleep: Get 7–8 hours of sleep a night (ideally go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even better if you align it with your circadian rhythm).
- Stay Hydrated: Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day (have water before each meal and snack, and carry a water bottle with you at all times).
- Lower Stress: To lower your stress levels, go for a walk, spend time outside, meditate, or do Pilates or yoga basically, whatever makes you happy.
No. 7: Over-restricting often leads to bingeing.
Balance and flexibility help you stick to healthy habits long-term. Starving yourself doesn’t work and neither does skipping meals or obsessing over calories.
No. 8: Emotional eating is real. Recognizing your triggers.
Emotional eating can look very different from person to person.
Some people eat when they’re feeling down and reach for junk food.
Others eat when they feel down and choose moderately healthy foods but eat too much of them.
Some eat when they’re feeling good and want to reward themselves, either with foods that aren’t considered the healthiest or by making healthy choices but still overdoing it.
So, long story short, the issue remains the same, even though the habits may vary.
This is why it’s not possible to generalize the concept of “emotional eating.”
The most important thing is to focus on your own triggers what sets you off to overeat or to eat “less nutritious” foods.
No. 9: Don’t Compare Your Body to Other People’s Bodies
This one is so important that I should mention it at the beginning of the list as well.
We’re often led to believe that if we eat a certain way and follow the exact workouts recommended to us, we’ll end up with the same body as someone else.
But more often than not, nothing could be further from the truth.
So many factors affect how our bodies respond, like genetics, bone structure, and how quickly we build muscle.
There’s no one-size-fits-all diet or workout plan.
Instead of comparing your body to someone else’s, compare it to where you started.
That’s the only progress that truly matters.
Outro + Final Thoughts
In a world where food, diets, weight loss, and appearance seem to be constantly at the forefront, I hope I have shed a different light on these topics because, as you know, that was my mission.
So remember: be in it for the marathon, not the sprint. Focus on building good eating habits. Don’t think you can out-diet poor sleep or chronic stress. And above all, don’t compare your body to someone else’s.
Hi, I’m Sabrina
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