Hi, everyone! I haven’t posted in a while – I apologize. with finals, moving out of school, AND leaving for Greece, things got to be very hectic extremely fast! Now that things have settled down and I have some peace of mind, (with a beautiful meal on my left and my chocolate lab on my right) I can sit down and talk to you guys about something that is very important to me.

Eating healthy is a part of my everyday life. I’m known as “the healthy friend”, and the association fluctuates between positive and negative. I should start this off, first, by saying that I am very fortunate to particularly enjoy/crave healthy food. I don’t think I was always this way – I mean, I always enjoyed fruits, but vegetables and whole grains took experimentation and some adaptation to truly enjoy.

I can’t really pinpoint when I decided to change my eating habits. My older sister has always been a healthy eater, so I want to say that it stemmed from that, but I was also always researching on my own. The great thing about Tumblr is that there are so many knowledgeable people. The only downside is finding things you really wish you had never seen/read. The American food industry is a business, and money is the primary motive. The amount of chemicals/hormones/artificial who even knows what that we consume on a daily basis is truly sickening. There’s a reason our nation has such a high obesity rate and a staggering amount of health problems. 

I’m not here to tell you that your eating choices are poor or that you should immediately stop eating anything that isn’t organic, but what I do ask is that you pay attention to what is going into your body – because that is the basis of how you function and grow throughout your life. You literally are what you eat, so remember that.

I am an absolute foodie. I. love. food. Not to be confused, I love a good greasy meal that just hits the spot. But, I also know how terrible that kind of eating makes me feel afterwards, and it just isn’t worth it to do that to my body all the time. I love a good fried Oreo (which is now sadly a thing in the past – thanks to my gluten intolerance) and don’t even get me started on mac & cheese bites – but there are always little switches and healthier alternatives to ultimately get the same taste out of what you’re eating.

I also love cooking. I have such a passion for experimenting with things I predict will pair well together. I was vegetarian for 2 months and vegan for 1 month (due to animal cruelty reasons), so this gave me the opportunity to really explore and make due with the very limited amount of foods I was able to eat. Although I do eat meat now, I have adapted a gluten-free lifestyle and this means that I’m back to having to make substitutions/switches in the kitchen. However, this is sometimes when the best innovations are created. For example, homemade mac & cheese actually tastes better (I promise!!!) with gluten-free flour then wheat flour, because it allows the cheese sauce to thicken better. Taking the time and effort to cook meals on your own also allows you to get a feel for what you enjoy the most and what you would prefer to do without. You also get to taste and see your ideas come to life! 

For the longest time, I wanted to have a career in nutrition and would definitely still consider it. I just am so fascinated by how what you put into your mouth can change how you look and feel as a person. I am also very in tune with my body and how my eating makes me feel. The amount of energy I get out of what I eat is really imperative to me, given that I am always on the go. Healthy eating can be a very gradual process and doesn’t have to happen overnight. Just making little switches here and there such as incorporating more vegetables or fruits than usual can make all the difference. And the stigma that healthy eating doesn’t taste good is complete bogusness. Some of my best meals have also been extremely healthy!

if you ever have any questions, I am always here to give my best answer!

Truly,
Taylor