Why I Don’t Follow The Standard American Diet (SAD)

I find it very ironic that the acronym for the Standard American Diet is SAD. It literally spells out SAD! I mean, that right there should be a red flag to NOT follow it.

What is the Standard American Diet?

What’s the Standard American Diet, you ask? Well, it’s a general term used for the types of foods Americans are known to eat; fast food, fried food, processed food (filled with fake/imitation ingredients), too much refined sugar, too much sodium etc. I think you get it. And we wonder why so many of us are suffering from preventable diseases like obesity, diabetes and autoimmune diseases?

I Thought I Was a “Healthy” Eater

What’s crazy is that I always considered myself a healthy eater. Looking back, I don’t know what I was thinking. I was addicted to sugar, over-indulged on dairy products, didn’t drink near enough water, and was obsessed with bread (to be fair, who ISN’T obsessed with bread?) Most of my diet was sugar, carbs (which turn to sugar) and dairy. I wonder why I had blood sugar issues…. humm… let me think??

Saying Goodbye to the Traditional Food Triangle

The traditional food triangle that we all recognize from childhood is totally messed up. Think about it… the bottom of the triangle (the largest part) is 100% CARBS and grains. Like… what??? Carbs are good for you when consumed in a balanced way, but not when it’s the majority of what you eat. Carbs turn into fat/sugar, so WHY would would that food group be the largest? So everything you eat can turn into sugar, which ultimately turns into fat? No thank you.

I understand carbs provide energy for the body, but not when they’re over-consumed. In fact, for a lot of people, too many carbs will do the opposite, and wear your energy down to just about nothing.

Fruits and veggies should be what you consume the most. They contain the most nutrients for your body. Generally speaking, grains and carbs should be limited, just like refined sugar should be limited.

What Did I Replace the Standard American Diet (SAD) With?

For me personally, I replaced the Standard American Diet with a Whole-Foods, Plant-Based (mostly vegan) lifestyle. It’s a diet consisting of WHOLE foods, cutting out as much processed junk as possible. If you’re interested in starting a Whole-Food, Plant-Based lifestyle, you should check out this post here to stock your kitchen with some of the basic ingredients and foods.

I do still eat fish occasionally, and I also indulge in *healthier versions* of tortilla chips and tortillas, amongst a few other exceptions. I have another post coming soon about the few processed foods I eat, so stay tuned for that!

If you want to read more about my food journey, you can check out these posts here:

Changes I Noticed Once I Changed My Diet

  • I lost 10 pounds of water weight within the first week of my diet change
  • I lost a total of 28 pounds in a 4-5 month period (See my post here)
  • My mood was noticeably better/happier
  • I had more energy than ever before — even before I had mono!
  • My chronic bloating was gone
  • I lost weight very quickly within the first 2 months, then more slowly after that
  • I continue to follow these steps daily, and I have maintained all of the above!
  • If I ever have a “cheat day (or two),” I notice it almost instantly. My mood goes back down, I’m more irritable, I’m tired again, I sometimes get bloated again etc.

Did You Like Today’s Article?

I hope I can help you in your health journey and be the positive light you need to make those healthy changes. If you thought today’s article was helpful, make sure to pin the image below!

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