WHOLEFOODS. EAT MORE PLANTS. OIL FREE. REFINED SUGAR FREE.
We believe that what you eat, makes who you are. What you put into your body not only affects the way you look, but the way you feel about yourself. The phrase “food is thy medicine” can’t be more true. Food has the power to improve hormonal imbalances, prevent diseases like diabetes or cardiovascular problems, and also improve your energy levels.
We try to create EASY recipes so that “eating healthy” can be sustainable for you and for us.
Our recipes try to encourage you to:
- Eat more WholeFoods (unprocessed foods) that satisfy your cravings
- Healthier (by making it low calorie)
- Reduced Sodium and Sugar intake (as we make healthy twists on classics)
In addition to all the above, we recommend trying to exercise daily/frequently and relieving stressors in your life. Mental health is key to overall health as well!
Some of our favorite books about health include “How not to die” By Dr. Greger if you want to learn more about eating healthy.
What we don’t do:
- We try to limit our use of pre-made products especially pre-packaged sauces, salted or seasoned nuts. They are packed with preservatives and sugars. This is why we try to make our own salad dressings, ketchup, gochujang.
- Most gluten free substitutes such as breads, burgers, crackers, dairy free cheeses are highly processed. In order to replace the texture and flavor, these products are often packed with more sugars, more starches and flavorings to make them taste good. They can be as unhealthy as the original, if not worse for you. This is why we try to recreate our own versions of everything!
- We do not believe in using flour blends them since they are not accessible to everyone. Our main choices of flours are: almond flour, coconut flour, tapioca starch, oat flour, brown rice flour.
- We don’t use oil in our recipes, but even if we do it is very minimal. Vegetable oils, canola oils all are really bad. Get your “fat” from nuts, avocados, salmon or eggs.
- We don’t use refined sugars like white or brown sugar. We mostly use raw or more natural sugars. However, we also don’t encourage excessive use of healthier sugars like maple or honey or even calorie free alternatives. Use in moderation.
How to lose weight and stay healthy without yoyo-dieting?
It is a balance between nutrition and exercise.
Overtime, we have learnt that excessively restricting how much you eat doesn’t necessarily help you lose weight. In fact, after some time your body will naturally go into starvation mode and store fat. However that being said, eating smaller portions in moderation may be beneficial if you are overweight. On the other hand, overeating and constant exercising isn’t the best way to go either. No matter how much you exercise, 80% of weight loss is still due to diet. Working out excessively is also not sustainable and incredibly unhealthy for your hormones. It can also increases cortisol which could lead increase in lower body fat. We definitely had to learn this the hard way.
As much as “how much you eat” matters, “what you eat” is just as important. Not all calories are one for one meaning 200 calories of oreos vs 200 calories of carrots aren’t exactly equal because carrots provide you lots more fibre, nutrients and doesn’t cause insulin spikes. Try your best to focus on eating a variety of plants, whole grains, legumes. Whole foods are also a lot more satiating (especially beans) and will curb cravings because their glycemic index is generally lower than processed foods. Your blood sugar will become more stable. Reality is you can eat a lot more of “volume” of food than if you eat unprocessed healthy foods, because they are lower in calories. However, don’t go overboard, because the law of thermodynamics will always be true:
Less energy in = Weight loss
If you eat less calories than you need you will lose weight; if you eat more you will gain weight regardless. The amount of calories you need depends on your height, weight and lifestyle as well as your goals (weight loss, maintenance or weight gain).
ALSO LOOK AFTER YOUR GUT HEALTH. There is more and more research that supports the importance of gut health. If you are struggling with bloating issues and extreme gassiness despite eating a clean diet, try to 1)Eat more cooked/warm foods 2) drink lemon water every morning 3) eat easily digestible foods e.g. tofu over beans/lentils 4) practice food combining (RECOMMEND: KENZIE BURKE).
We both don’t really ascribe to “labels” or at least we try not to. Balance is key. We generally try to eat a plant based, whole foods diet with no added oils or sugars. We do eat egg, seafood and poultry but we try to eat less of it.
