Posted by kathryn in Blogging

For the last two weeks I’ve been posting daily photos of what I eat.

Much of this blog is aimed at encouraging you to eat well. But I thought it was about time I showed you what I did. The rhythms and patterns of my diet. The foods I choose.

There are many ways to be healthy

While this is the way I eat, it’s not the only way. There are many other people out there with diets quite different from mine, who are still perfectly healthy.

But this is the way of eating I’ve found works best for me.

Many of the choices I make are based on the foods I enjoy. It’s why we eat a lot of Asian-style foods. It’s part of why I choose fetta, ricotta and cottage cheese, over others. It’s why I have soy milk in my coffee.

Some have been mildly horrified at the lack of chocolate in my diet! To be honest, while I like chocolate, I’m rarely that fussed. It’s something I have about once a month. Doesn’t mean I’m a dietary saint. It’s just I’d much prefer a bowl of ice-cream or a bit of cake!

There are also ethical and personal preference considerations – the big one being, I’m vegetarian.

Other choices are based on what I’ve found suits me best. I try to avoid bread and starchy carbohydrates at lunch because they send me to sleep. I try not to drink too much alcohol because it keeps me awake! I put on weight easily, so I watch my portions.

If your diet is not the same as mine, it doesn’t mean you’re not healthy.

The ultimate diet diary

In clinic, diet diaries are a tool I use all the time. It’s partly for my benefit – so I can see what a client is really eating. However, it’s also something most clients find useful.

Many people pay little attention to what they eat. Having to write everything down, forces you to think about it. Forces awareness of your own eating patterns.

I haven’t done a diet diary for years and this has been an interesting experience for me as well.

I’ve enjoyed reading your comments and reactions. Thank you. I’ve been reminded of how our perception of “normal” can differ from one another. Tahini and marmalade on toast, bok choy and other Asian greens, eating salad – these are all normal dietary events for me. But that’s obviously not the case for everyone.

What I eat has also made me stop and consider my diet again.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the series and that it’s also proved useful.

If you want to review what I eat, take a look at the introductory post.

12 December, 2007