BODY BEAUTY: BUILDING BLOCKS

I've been getting a lot of questions lately on how to start living a more nutritiously based lifestyle and to be 1,000,010% honest with you—nutrition will come in due time with consistency, but what the biggest transformation has to be is your state of mind. It's about gaining the proper knowledge, knowing that you are capable, and learning tips and tricks along the way to become mentally focused (+strong) in achieving a healthy lifestyle. I've shared a few post within the past few months that really hone in on this such as everyday food essentials, everyday self-care habits, self-love, and one of the toughest life emotions to overcome: stress.

I’ve highlighted (what I think are) some of the most essential everyday habits to implement into your life from food to self-love in hopes that it'll take you steps closer to living a healthier lifestyle. Just as in any sisterhood—there are building blocks that build the foundation for a stable, honest, trustworthy, and fun-loving relationship. Today, I’m breaking it down to the basics and what the configuration of your meals should really be constructed of from here on out. The three major factors of any meal should #foreverandalways include these three nutritional components:

CARBOHYDRATES, FATS, AND PROTEINS.

I repeat: carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Yes. 1,000,000,000,000,000,010 times yes! These building blocks are called macronutrients. Nutrients are the most essential substance for our survival. Each and every single one of us need large amounts of macronutrients for energy, growth, overall-health, and most importantly developement. Our bodies need a balanced consumption of the basic three components of nutrition, everyday. No days off. There are countless diets, fads, and trends surfacing these days that actually tend to damage our beauty (from the inside out) rather than enhance it. All of these celebrated diets, fads, and trends lack the proper protein that our bodies crave for sustainability, the essential fats our bodies need to keep our cells healthy and hydrated, and they’re deficient in the desired carbohydrates that keep our wheels turning. The industry has sneakily replaced whole foods with processed protein bars, shakes, snacks, quick pre made meals, and everything in between that claim to aid in weightless within days. That’s a lie. You may notice a slimmer you, but the problem is—you’re not going to be able to maintain that type of food consumption. You’re starving your body beauty process from the inside out. You and yo’ body deserve the best. Your body deserves an approach to food that encourages you and has the power to change you, for the BETTER, cell by cell.

Let’s talk building blocks—

01. PROTEINS

Think growth. I’m talking THAT lean, high-quality, grass fed, non-GMO, and unprocessed protein. I’m talking the REAL deal. I’m also not only talking about meat as a protein source. I’m talking amino acids—which are the components that make up protein. Nope, there are ways to consume protein in a plant-based manner. Have you been TRYING to kick-up your collagen, keratin, and elastin intake? All of these components aid in youthful skin, hair, and nails. Your skin alone is about 25% protein. Yup! Did you know that? Boom. When we focus on our body beauty from the inside out, I’m encouraging you (very, very much so) to eat a variety of pasteurized proteins (like eggs, wild salmon, oysters) AND plant-based proteins (legumes, quinoa, raw nuts, hemp protein, tempeh). Yes. I highly suggest you try and vary the sources of protein that you’re consuming in your diet to efficiently supply your body with a well-round amounts of amino acids.

02. FATS

Think over-all health. Do you ever see foods being promoted all over the place with bold + underlined print of ‘1/2 the fat’ or now ‘less fat’—yeah, horrible. What the food industry doesn’t tell you that the numbers may be less fat, but the sugar count is probably doubled if not tripled. Trans-fat is the worst fat that aid in bad craving, super dull skin, fragile nails, brittle hair, and weight gain. REALITY CHECK: we need to consume fats, healthy fats. Healthy fats are imperative for well-hydrated skin, nutrient absorption, energy, and strengthened cell membrane. Fats that are plant-based are ideal for the simple fat that these types of fats are packed with omega-3 (the building blocks of fats) and omega-6 fatty acids that we need because our bodies do not source these naturally. Reach for plant-based fats like grape seed oil, coconut oil (a BOMB AF and healthy saturated fat), wild-caught salmon (omega-3 fatty acids), avocado, chia seeds (omega-3), ETC. FYI: omega-6 fatty acids are more abundant in foods than omega-3 fatty acids. We must focus on finding sources of omega-3’s to include into your meal like—ground flaxseed, walnuts, shelled hemp seeds.

03. CARBOHYDRATES

Think energy. Always. I feel like carbohydrates have such a bad reputation in the nutrition world because we’ve always been told that carbs make you fat—like what? No. We must put an end to that thinking this instant. The carbohydrates to stay away from (that will indeed add on a few pounds) chips, processed cookies, refined snacks, refined desserts, soda, processed breads and cereals because THESE carbs will spike your blood sugar, quickly burn through your systems, and leave you hungry for more! Ever wonder why after eating ½ a bag of chips, you still feel famished and will more than likely just continue to eat the rest of the bag? Yeah, bad, we’ll call those beauty betrayers. Ditch those! What we need to start eating are more complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are sourced from vegetables, legumes, and grains that are a natural source of energy for the body and provide sufficient fiber, vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. These kinds of carbs slowly digest and won’t give you that spike in blood pressure. Let’s start implementing more sweet potatoes, carrots, quinoa, oats, chickpeas, beets, black beans, ETC. to keep our bodies functioning properly with the ideal carbohydrates.

Hazl