Now that the barest waft of spring is in the air, I’ve noticed many more hefty people out there jogging in preparation for the warmer weather. Summer brings more skin exposure and most prefer those revealed elements to be sleek, muscular and sexy.
I’m a normal weight, yet I enjoy watching the reality TV show The Biggest Loser. It’s a competitive weight loss program that is both entertaining and inspiring. One of the personal trainers in the Australian version, Tiffiny Hall, promotes eating naked and I’m a big supporter of this idea.
Eating naked sounds so naughty. Despite the suggestion of potentially licking chocolate sauce and whipped cream off of some sumptuous body part, eating naked actually refers to keeping our food simply healthy. Nude foods are natural, unprocessed foods. Eating naked is also about enjoying the wonderful natural flavours in delicious wholesome food without smothering the goodness with a bunch of sugary, salty sauces.
I’m not a nutritionist, but I’ve read that salt and sugar are incredibly addictive. Since reading about this, I’ve noticed that their presence causes me to eat far more than I otherwise would. I’m now buying unsalted nuts and see that I am far more likely to eat smaller portions on purpose, as part of a meal. Previously, when I bought salted nuts, I’d find myself eating them all mindlessly while doing something else.
I’ve travelled to Cuba on two occasions and enjoyed my visits immensely. Despite sharing the same language, construction style, and climate as Mexico and Central America, the cuisine in Cuba is extremely simple. Many of my fellow travellers complained bitterly about the food, but I encouraged them to take a good look at the Cuban people.
While most of the North Americans and Europeans on holiday normally ate lots of processed food and were quite fat and unhealthy, in contrast the Cubans eat naked and are clearly more beautiful and healthy. They eat less and they eat pure nutritional goodness. They don’t slather everything in condiments, so they get to enjoy the yummy textures and the pure taste of the energy packed awesomeness inherent in fruits and vegetables.
Food is Energy
Sometimes we forget that food is energy because we use food as entertainment, as a pacifier, and as a huge component of socializing. However, it’s really helpful to keep this in mind. If we only put good energy in, it makes sense that we’ll also get good energy out. Since we want to feel great, a huge part of making that happen is to treat ourselves better by eating more healthily.
Getting minimalist with our diet means cutting out the processed, bad-energy food. Simplifying our diet means leaving off the sauces, and saying goodbye to all of that salt and sugar. Try it for a month and see how much better you feel.