In today's episode I invite you into my world of making conscious food decisions that aren't about denying myself the pleasures of eating, but rather about feeding my soul as much as my body. I'll walk you through why the word 'diet' deserves a makeover, transforming it from a feared concept of restriction to a mindful, health-centric way of life. It's not about banning foods; it's about the liberating journey toward vitality and nurturing our well-being.
I will walk you through what zero to 100 or black and white thinking looks like when it comes to the word 'diet' and how tend to perceive it. You can create a lifestyle right in the middle, where you enjoy your food, and at the same time, protect your health and wellbeing.
In today's episode I invite you into my world of making conscious food decisions that aren't about denying myself the pleasures of eating, but rather about feeding my soul as much as my body. I'll walk you through why the word 'diet' deserves a makeover, transforming it from a feared concept of restriction to a mindful, health-centric way of life. It's not about banning foods; it's about the liberating journey toward vitality and nurturing our well-being.
I will walk you through what zero to 100 or black and white thinking looks like when it comes to the word 'diet' and how tend to perceive it. You can create a lifestyle right in the middle, where you enjoy your food, and at the same time, protect your health and wellbeing.
Welcome to the Wealthy Generation Podcast. I am your host, naomi Jerez, your Bronx race, dominicana wife, mother of two new BFF and food and holistic health coach. I went from living a surface level healthy life to learning firsthand how to live my best life, rooted in wellness, and get my status back. Whether you're a wellness enthusiast, a food lover or simply curious about creating a healthier, more vibrant life, this podcast is your guide. We're going to dive deep into topics that will inspire you to make positive changes and elevate not only your well-being but those of generations before and after you. Stay tuned for exciting conversations, expert interviews and a whole lot of inspiration that will lead to action. Welcome to the Wealthy, wellthy Generation Podcast with me, your host, naomi Jerez. Hi friends, welcome back to another episode of Wealthy Generation Podcast, that is W-E-L-L-T-H-Y.
Speaker 1:
So I want to quickly talk about a very, very, very popular word and a word that annoys me a lot of the times. So I want to offer a kind of new way of thinking about it, or break it down even more so I can explain to you why it just bothers me so much, and sometimes just switching the perspective can make a difference. Alright, so that word is diet. Now don't go running off and pausing it and running away. I promise you I won't trigger you. I know everybody talks about this word and it's like diets ruin your life, diets make you sick. Blah, blah, blah. Yes, yes, yes, okay. But what I also want to chat about is what does it actually mean? And I started thinking about this because, all throughout my own wellness journey, the first thing that comes out of everybody's mouth when they're trying to describe to somebody else how I live my life is that I'm on a diet.
Speaker 1:
So I've been in family members' houses where we're eating something like, let's say, sangocho, right, like. It's a big soup with a lot of vegetables inside, with a lot of meats inside, and it's usually accompanied by a side of white rice. Now, normally when I am having sangocho, I usually have the meats and the vegetables inside which I really enjoy, and some of my favorite ones are like yuca and jautia. Sometimes, if I'm in the mood, I'll get some of the plantains, the platanos. I'm not a huge fan of plantains and sangocho, Anyway, but I love, love, love, like yuca and jautia and sangocho, because I'm getting a hearty serving of starchy vegetables already in my sangocho soup.
Speaker 1:
I sometimes don't have rice alongside with it, just because it's my choice. And I know that. You know I don't want to be feeling bogged down and so on and so forth, not because I'm on a diet, it's, it's because I'm already fulfilling carbohydrates and a starchy portion of my meal with the root vegetables. So one time I was in a family members' house and I served myself and they were like Naomi, you're not gonna get some rice. And before I can open my mouth, another family member jumped in and was like no, porque ya tengo una dieta, no, because she's on a diet, and I'm like, and I turned around and I was like I'm not in a diet. I was like I just chose not to have any rice because I have, like, yuca and jautia. You know, sometimes I go into an explaining and other times I just let them think whatever they want to think.
Speaker 1:
But it happens often where people that I'm around do not understand that I have transitioned and adopted a new lifestyle just because of the set of knowledge that I have acquired on food and how it works and the increased knowledge of self-awareness, because y'all, you can live in your body forever, for as long as you're in your body and you might not even know yourself. Okay like this is what. Why one of the first a few podcast episodes I really encouraged you to get to know yourself and get to be very curious and increase and elevate your self-awareness, because that is a key component of adopting a lifestyle rooted in wellness and staying sustainable in it, like making it last very long and, excuse me, also becoming confident in yourself and your decisions. Because if you feel in your body when something doesn't make you feel well, if you feel in your body when eating certain things make you feel sick or make you feel tired or something like that, then the decisions become a lot easier on what you want to eat or not, simply for the fact that you know how it's going to make you feel anyway.
Speaker 1:
So, moving on, a lot of times when I'm in family members houses they don't get that, so the only way that they can describe it and the only capacity and knowledge that they have to describe it of like how I'm living, is that I'm on a diet, and I think that's very unfortunate and kind of a letdown that there is no other idea or possibility of how to live our lives. That is, going full out, eating whatever we want, not realizing when we feel sick, dipping into, like certain diseases, and just like living this crazy wildlife style where you just don't have any knowledge, don't have any regards as to how you're feeling, you're falling into peer pressure, you're going with the flow and you know, I want to be very real about you. Don't know what you don't know and I want that to be very fair, right? So there's that whole side of it and then the other side where it's like very black and white, zero to a hundred. If you're not doing that, then the other side is that you're on a diet and you're being restrictive and you're not eating certain things and you know you're trying to lose weight and you're being very different and all this right. So that's the complete other side and it's just kind of expected that that will end at some point and you will go back to your regularly scheduled activities of living on the other side of this all or nothing spectrum, right?
Speaker 1:
So the other day I was getting my nails done and the nail tech had looked at my instagram, because that's how I tried to book an appointment with her through the dm's, because I didn't really know another way to get in contact with her. So she started talking to me about it, and then she started talking to me about how she's on a diet or like things that she's tried and we're we start talking about food. And then it's along the same lines, like she told me oh you, you follow a very strict diet or something to that effect. I don't really remember, and I was like, hmm, here comes that word again, or here comes this perception again, where people are just not aware of being protective of your health or being protective of how you feel and just having the knowledge base of knowing how to choose foods for yourself and going from one side of things in, in a way of eating, to the complete opposite, where the focus is on restriction. Okay, so then I started thinking to myself I'm like, wait, there's like two definitions that I am aware of of diet and there's like a little bit more if you look at Miriam Webster dictionary and all that. Uh. But I was like you can ask someone what's their diet, as in what do you eat in general, like what's your eating style, what is the food that you eat?
Speaker 1:
And then there's the other word, diet, where it's met like it's focused on restriction of certain foods, usually for the purposes of weight loss and I've never looked this up. And then I was like I'm curious, am I right? Like, am I right about this? Because it sounds like one of them is a verb where you're actively restricting and taking action on limiting certain kinds of foods and taking specific action. And then there's another one that seems like it's a noun, where it's like these are the things that you eat, right, going back to person, place or thing, like these are just the things, the kinds of foods, that you eat.
Speaker 1:
So of course I go on Google and lo and behold, there is diet the noun and these are definitions from Oxford language. As soon as you Google like diet definition, this is what comes up, at least is what it did for me. So I'm literally reading off of my screen right now. And it says diet the noun and it says the kinds of foods that a person, animal or community habitually eats. Okay, and then diet the verb says restrict oneself to small amounts of special kinds of foods in order to lose weight. And, side note, there's a noun number two that says a special course of food to which one restricts oneself, either to lose weight or for medical reasons. So this I want to really emphasize for medical reasons, because there are sometimes. There are sometimes where you really do need to restrict certain kinds of foods because it can kill you or it can really, really really mess with your health, right, so I understand restrict, restricting foods for medical reasons, but I really want to focus on the definition of noun number one the kinds of foods that a person, animal or community habitually eats, and the verb, which is restricting oneself to small amounts or special kinds of foods in order to lose weight. Okay, because what we seem to only know is the verb form of the word diet, and that has such negative connotations restricting oneself to small amounts or special kinds of foods in order to lose weight.
Speaker 1:
And I know that Diet industry like this is their number one focus, and it's so easy to like, hook people on this promise and With no further explanation. Right, because just because you're thin, just because you're slim, does not equal health, just because you're fit Does not equal health. Your body size Does not determine your health, right, and I wish more people would equate Eating and your body and health altogether. It's very disheartening and sad for me when people go through all lengths of Getting their body shape into a specific size, or you know with or something like that, and At the cost of their health. Right, like, what good is it to you if You're super thin or slim or you've reached this ideal number on the scale and you are so sick, you feel so crappy, you have no energy, is hard for you to keep your eyes open, you have lost for your strength, you cannot keep up? Like what good? What good is that?
Speaker 1:
So whenever I personally think of weight loss number one I don't think of diet. I think a diet in the verb sense. I Like to think of diet as in the noun, because what is it that you Habitually eat to promote your health and to fuel your body? Right, not necessarily, and and in a loving way. Right, like, all of a sudden. This is about caring for yourself. This is about loving yourself. This is about what you habitually eat, not what you are eating for a short amount of time, what you're restricting for a short amount of time To achieve this certain look without taking into account your health, right?
Speaker 1:
So when I think of weight loss, it has transitioned to what's my body composition? What kind of weight am I losing? Am I losing my muscle mass weight or am I losing visceral fat, which is the kind of weight you want to be losing? Am I building muscle? Am I keeping and protecting my vitality, or am I throwing it all to crap up in the air? Spaghetti at the wall, anything and everything so to to reach a certain number or to reach a certain size or something like that. Now, I'm not saying that it's easy to accept and it's like a jolly old time and you will be fine.
Speaker 1:
I think that there is a lot of what's it called like mental work and transitions that we have to do because it has been so ingrained in us as to what it should look like and what it should be, and Doing, you know, these activities at zero cost, so that so, when our body doesn't necessarily Look a certain way but we feel amazing and we feel strong and we feel energized, is such a Just position like Brain Fuck, if you will like. It's just, it's just a lot for your mind to wrap itself around when what you thought Was going to Help you feel amazing Doesn't fit the look, if I'm making any sense. So when we think of Diet and what is this word and what are we making it mean, I always love to Associate it with. First of all. I don't even really like to use it because I prefer to use, like, fueling my body.
Speaker 1:
Our bodies need Get what it needs from food to run every single bodily function that we have like, from seeing to waking up to your bowel movements, to Focusing like every single, your heart beating, your lungs expanding, like Every single thing your body does. It gets its energy from food right. So I like to think of food as fueling my body. So what kinds of foods am I eating? What diet noun version am I eating To assist my body in doing all these processes, processes, processes, making sure that I'm giving it what it needs to repair, to rebuild, to do all of these processes that are so important so that I feel well, so I feel energized, so I have energy, so I'm getting strong, so my muscles are protected, my bones are protected, my organs are able to function well and without getting clogged up and backed up right.
Speaker 1:
So that is how I like to think of this word, if I have to think about it at all, and I really do hope that as a culture and as a society, we move away from diet, the verb right, as much as possible and really lean into diet, the noun, whether it's like what kinds of foods the person, animals or community habitually eats, or noun part two, where you are consciously restricting certain foods because of medical conditions right, I think that both can be part of this. But really learning within that bucket of the foods that you habitually eat, it's then okay. Well then, what am I eating on a regular basis and how is it affecting my health? And that, in essence, is not a diet. The verb that is just educating yourself and making choices on which foods you will eat or choose not to eat, based on how it will impact your health and based on how it will impact how you feel, how you feel. I think those are much better gauges when choosing to switch up what you're eating and it will give you a much more hearty why you're choosing to do that and it'll give you a lot more confidence when you build up that knowledge base for yourself and you are confident in why you're making these choices.
Speaker 1:
Then other people's comments of you're in a diet, you are doing this, you're not doing that, won't really get to you as much right, because and it will only cause you curiosity, hopefully, like it did to me because you're just so confident in your decision making. You're like, yeah, dude, when I eat this, I just don't feel good, like I feel so crappy, and then it takes me like three to four days to recover and feel like myself again, or I can't sleep well, or I can't focus well, and nobody got time for that. You start to lose patience for yourself, I promise you. I promise you. You start to lose patience for that. You're like man, this is not even worth it anymore. I don't like feeling this way. All right, so I hope this was helpful.
Speaker 1:
Go look up the definitions for yourself, make a decision on which way you want to lean, and just know that there is so much gray area from eating anything and everything falling into peer pressure, being super reckless, not having any education or knowledge at all on what's happening and not even knowing how it feels in your body to the other side, being so restrictive for yourself that you are still not feeling well on the other side of the spectrum. So I really want you to lean into everything in between and see what works for you. Start to educate yourself, if only in self-awareness, in identifying or building the connection between what kind of food you're eating and how it's making you feel. Even that is such a fantastic start to start making changes in your life, in your health, and making it so that you feel well more often than not. Okay, all right, I hope this was helpful.
Speaker 1:
I cannot wait to hear the kinds of conversation that will come up from knowing these difference and, just like the curiosity and the mind expansion now, when you hear these conversations or when you hear marketing, what new things are going to come up for you as your mind is hopefully being mind blown or expanded to some capacity. And I also want to remind you if you really are having a tough time transitioning from the all or nothing mentality, from going to zero to 100 and you've always lived on either side of the spectrum of just eating anything and everything and not having a really good educational base to the other side of just full on restrictions, so often where it just makes you feel like crap. Also, I really, really, really want to support you in learning how beautiful all of the in-between is and how much education is out there and how you can really, really really make decisions with such confidence on how you are eating and enjoying your food and, yeah, like, completely shift your lifestyle to one that you actually enjoy. That is simple, that you were thriving in. You're probably even going to lose weight in just cleaning up what you're eating and knowing what it is that you are doing and just living your best life, rooted in wellness. All right, if that is exactly what you're looking for and it's missing your life, I invite you to book a consultation call with the link in my bio and, if anything, I will see you next week. Have a wonderful week. Bye.
Speaker 1:
Thank you so much for tuning into another episode of wealthy generation podcasts. Your time and attention mean the world to me and I'm truly grateful for your support. Come and join my community over on social media by following me on Instagram at NaomiHiddes, where you'll have access to real time healthy inspo and see what I'm up to in my own wellness journey on the daily. I invite you to keep elevating and evolving your holistic health journey. By subscribing to my newsletter at NaomiHiddescom. You'll receive exclusive content, valuable resources and juicy stories straight to your inbox.
Speaker 1:
But here's the best part you have the power to spread the WELL wealth. Share this episode with a human who could benefit from this topic. Together, we can create wealthy generations. I will be back with another exciting episode next week. So make sure to subscribe to wealthy, wellthy generation podcast on your favorite platform so you always make time for your promise. By the way, remember I am a certified integrative nutrition health coach. I am not a medical professional. This content should be listened to for informational and educational purposes only. None of it should be considered medical advice. Always reach out to a medical professional for your health care needs. Peace out.