My Philosophy

35 comments

When it comes to food, I’ve had a lifelong love-hate relationship. However, I’ve found the love, and it’s here to stay. Here’s my food philosophy:

  1. Eat to nourish your body. If you’re hungry, eat. If you’re not hungry, don’t eat. Once your stomach is satisfied, stop. Learning to listen to your body and know what it needs takes time, so practice and it will become a habit.
  2. Eat nutritiously. This goes hand-in-hand with eating to nourish. Eat foods that are nutrient-dense and unprocessed, which brings me to #3.
  3. Eat whole foods. This means fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. No, Enriched, White, and anything you can’t pronounce should not be on your food labels nor on your ingredient list. Don’t know what it is? Wouldn’t sprinkle it on your popcorn? Don’t buy it.
  4. Have a balance. Too much of anything, good or bad, is not good for you. Yes, vegetables are amazing for you, but a diet of all veggies is not going to be good. Think of lunch and dinner like this: half veggies, one-quarter whole grains, and one-quarter legumes. For breakfast, be sure to have a whole grain, fruits and/or vegetables, a healthy fat, and a protein (nuts, nut butters, nut or bean or rice milks, tofu, and tempeh).
  5. Eliminate all processed sugars. That means you, Granulated White Sugar, and yes, you too, High Fructose Corn Syrup. These are just straight up bad for you and are converted immediately to fat by your body. There’s a world of natural, guilt-free sweeteners out there that will make your head explode. Stevia, agave nectar, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, and barley malt syrup are all great alternatives.
  6. Minimize salt intake. Sea Salt is a much healthier alternative to its iodized table-salt counterpart, but remember that a little goes a long way. Salt increases cravings and makes you bloat, and a pinch is usually enough. Learn to enjoy the taste of your food – not the taste of salt!
  7. Choose cruelty-free. This means organic and sans animal products. Why would you want something that got to your plate by way of an animal being poorly treated? And why would you ever want pesticides, growth hormones, or chemicals in your food (as well as in the environment, for that matter)? Exactly – you wouldn’t. So choose organic, whole fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Your body, the animals, and the environment will thank you.
  8. Enjoy your food. Yes, enjoy it! Enjoy the aroma, the texture, the taste, and the nourishment to your body. Take time to sit down and just eat. Have the experience of your food sans distractions and you’ll enjoy your food that much more. Also, many believe in chewing more (about 30-50 times per bite, but I often totally flunk the chewing thing), which aids in digestion and keeps the taste in your mouth longer. Try it out!
  9. Learn to cook. Put some time and effort into it, and you’ll reap the benefits. Not only is cooking one of the best ways to de-stress, you’ll be proud and have a big ol’ smile on your face when everyone gives you the thumbs up!
  10. Make your food beautiful. If it ain’t pretty, it usually tastes good anyway, but wouldn’t you love to eat something pretty? Put the effort into making your food beautiful, and you’ll enjoy it even more. Putting love into the food equals getting love out of the food. Pretty nice, huh?

So eat well, live well, and love well, children. My philosophy in a nutshell – embrace it.

{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }

bitt August 27, 2010 at 7:02 PM

love this! especially #7

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Katelyn August 28, 2010 at 6:48 AM

Thank you! :)

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Lisa September 2, 2010 at 5:52 PM

Hi girl I absolutely love your blog! This philosophy is how I strive to eat. Im working on eating intuitively more and this will definitely help to get me there! Really looking foward to reading! =)

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Katelyn September 2, 2010 at 9:45 PM

Thank you!! I’m so glad you like it :) And I’m so glad that it’s helping you to reach your health goals! Thank you for reading :)

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Amber Shea @Almost Vegan November 7, 2010 at 1:51 AM

If only I’d been as wise about food at age 17 as you are :) Keep up the great work!

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Katelyn November 7, 2010 at 9:57 AM

It means so much for you to say that! Thank you :) Nutrition is really my passion.

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Lauren @ Coachlauren December 21, 2010 at 12:33 PM

Just found your blog…love this page! You'll be seein me around :)

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Katelyn January 1, 2011 at 12:30 AM

So glad! Looking forward to it :)

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Andrea@Thin Thighs & January 10, 2011 at 5:20 PM

What a great philosophy! I haven't quite mastered everything on this page, but I'm working to move in that direction! ;)

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Katelyn January 11, 2011 at 3:40 AM

Any step towards a healthier life is a huge one – I'm so glad you're workin' towards 'em:)

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Kate January 17, 2011 at 1:12 PM

How are you only 17 years old yet you have such a great understanding of health and compassion? Most adults don’t understand half of what you do. I am amazed that someone so young is already so evolved.

You have a lot to be proud of. :)

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katshealthcorner January 29, 2011 at 5:27 PM

I love this page! I totally agree. Whole foods, cut out processed sugar, etc!

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Trisha February 11, 2011 at 7:46 AM

I love this! And I love your blog! Especially number 3. I'm all about only eating things that I know what they are – it makes food so much better!

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Elizabeth February 15, 2011 at 4:36 AM

Great philosophy–I can feel your energy just reading it.
Peace & Raw Health,
Elizabeth

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Mindy March 23, 2011 at 7:44 AM

Great philosophy – I'm working on incorporating each of those points into my own lifestyle.

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Kelli@Baker on the Run March 25, 2011 at 11:19 PM

Love your philosophy! Only thing I’m curious about is your position on sea salt vs. iodized salt. As someone who doesn’t eat meat more than a few times a year, I make a point to throw a pinch of iodized salt in my diet occasionally. My nutritional research has led me to believe that iodine is rarely found in great enough numbers in a naturally in a veggie diet. Does sea salt have naturally occurring iodine or do you get yours from other sources?

Just wondering :)

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Stephanie April 17, 2011 at 9:22 PM

Okay, Katelyn, I’ve decided that we must be twins separated at birth or something because THIS IS EXACTLY LIKE MY FOOD PHILOSOPHY. AND your addictions are pretty much the same as mine. What. Is. My. Life.
Love your blog, girlie! =)

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Hillary June 13, 2011 at 3:03 AM

Love your philosophy – LOVE IT! Mine is quite similar :)

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Girl in the pink July 6, 2011 at 12:31 AM

Love this page! Perfect advice IMO!

I just found your blog and am excited to start following for some dairy free inspiration.. I have fallen off the bandwagon! :-/

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Katelyn July 14, 2011 at 2:23 AM

Yayyyay! I'm so glad you stumbled here :)

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runningperspective July 18, 2011 at 3:16 PM

um love itttttttttt!!

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tom August 26, 2011 at 4:10 PM

What made you decide to no longer practice veganism? What influenced your decision? Do you think you are easily influenced by books/articles you read?

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yogamom September 1, 2011 at 12:52 AM

Whole foods, organic sources, selective choices……. being a selectarian is a choice we all have. Remember, life is a journey. Some journeys involve changes along the way.

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Alex September 7, 2011 at 10:29 AM

"sea salt is much healthier for you than iodized table salt" …for many people table salt is their main source of iodine, which is important for normal cellular metabolism. If you don't eat seafood or dairy, and don't use any table salt, you might be out of luck there…

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christinaorso September 14, 2011 at 11:22 PM

this is perfect, just perfect. i have trouble with the sugar part though :)

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stephanie November 7, 2011 at 1:44 PM

I love it. And doesn't it make you feel 100% better when you eat this way than when you don't? I have days when I don't have time to cook or I'm not home or for whatever reason I wind up eating a bunch of junk all day, and I can feel it. And I hate it.

I love your blog, and I can't wait to try some of your recipes! I'm always searching for new ones. Thanks for the inspiration!

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Matt December 23, 2011 at 2:49 PM

Hi Katelyn! I’m very impressed with your level of maturity and wisdom when it comes to your philosophy on food and eating. Bravo!

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Kate @ Run with Kate February 3, 2012 at 1:14 PM

Love all of these points! :) Great philosophy, my friend.

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Meg June 13, 2012 at 6:16 PM

I love this Katelyn!! <3

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Andrea July 13, 2012 at 4:29 AM

Just found your blog & I love it! I totally, 100% agree to all of the above.
Keep on doing what you’re doing – you rock! :-)

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Jodi August 1, 2012 at 6:52 PM

I LOVE your blog!! just added you to my favorites over on my blog :) enjoy the day girl!

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Rebecca August 19, 2012 at 6:51 PM

Hey Katelyn!
Just curious if you were studying to be an RD/nutritionist or have any other kind of certification? Because you seem to have very strong opinions!

“Eliminate all processed sugars. That means you, Granulated White Sugar, and yes, you too, High Fructose Corn Syrup. These are just straight up bad for you and are converted immediately to fat by your body. There’s a world of natural, guilt-free sweeteners out there that will make your head explode. Stevia, agave nectar, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, and barley malt syrup are all great alternatives.”

Have you done a ton of research on these “healthy” sweeteners you’re advocating? You may want to. For example, to say that regular sugar is converted “immediately to fat” unfortunately isn’t entirely accurate – how your metabolism processes any nutrient depends on your needs at any given time. For example, just after exercise, your body is likely to use glucose consumed directly, and in the absence of a direct need, it’s more likely to be stored as glycogen by the liver. Only when glycogen stores are completely topped off will your body synthesize fats. Further, agave can be up to 90% fructose, significantly more than HFCS! And brown rice syrup actually has a higher glycemic index than regular table sugar. Just some stuff to think about!

Happy reading!

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Katelyn Block August 19, 2012 at 7:18 PM

I’m not! Nope. Just my personal trial and error // Internet “research”. Thanks for your comment!

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Caitlin August 24, 2012 at 7:25 PM

What made you change your philosophy about choosing cruelty free and animal free products?

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