Hello!
I have created an Infographic for you all, to have a nice little overview over what it means to lead a healthier diet. Of course, this is MY opinion.
I am lactose intolerant, so dairy products are a no for me. (I do eat feta cheese though :) )
I'm not vegetarian or a vegan or a gluten-free person, but I do make choices that are of that nature.
I would say, don't restrict yourself too much, especially if you are only starting out to make healthier choices.
Give yourself room to experiement what works for you. There is no right and wrong, every body takes in food differently. Listen to your body!
When you hear the food group "carbohydrates", you might think of pasta, bread, flour. BUT vegetables are carbohydatees as well.
I remember in my first year of college we all thought, since we workout 8 hours a day, starchy carbs are the way to fuel up our body. So, every break we sat there with our big tub of pasta and red sauce.
Now, in our 3rd year, you either see us eating salads with quinoa or beans or boiled vegetables from the night before.
Yeah, we used to be quite fat haha... but now I live on a plant based diet.
So, if you chose to base your diet more on vegetables, but you are sacred you will feel fatigued and not get enough calories in to feel energized: do not worry!
You can add starchy vegetables and grains to your diet. I rarely eat a salad without some kind of "substance". I love to add lentils, quinoa, chickpeas, seeds, nuts and even sweet potatoes.
Of course it is harder to live on a plant based diet if you are constantly busy and stressed, but just think of one step at a time.
If you decide to follow a clean diet, feel free to print out this infographic and hang it up as an inspiration. But do not treat it as a religion. It will take time to adjust, depending on how your diet was beforehand.
But it is NEVER TOO LATE!
As I told you earlier, in my 1st year I seriously thought I was eating well, even though I ate no vegetables ever and on Fridays I would end up making crepes with an awful lot of sugar :D
Then in 2nd year I did take my diet too seriously. I ONLY ate vegetables and I ended up losing too much weight. I was tired and depressed all the time. So,don't let this happen to you!
Be wise about it. Foods are there for you to enjoy and to fuel up your body.
Let me know how it goes!
Much love,