Principles not rules – any form of strict rule-based approach to eating tends to lead to a lifetime of fad diets and more importantly, a negative relationship with eating involving guilt cycles, disappointment and a sense of failure. Any strict diet is ultimately unsustainable in a physically active, socialised and fulfilled life.
Only eat wholesome minimally processed ingredients
We believe in wholesome, minimally processed ingredients that nourish the body and mind. We believe in understanding food and looking beyond food labelling: a “vegan gluten free low fat” pizza could be full of refined carbohydrates, sugars and salt. We believe in loving vegetables of all shapes, colours and sizes, and re-thinking our plates to think of vegetables and plant based products as the majority (over half) of it, while high quality animal proteins and grains are more the garnish.
Look beyond calories and macros
We believe in looking beyond calories. Who has time to think in numbers? Don’t count calories: make ingredients count! As for fats, again we think in terms of quality not quantity. Good fats are about the best things you can put in your body. We’re talking about oils from olives, avocados, oily fish, seeds, nuts and coconuts. This is the stuff that allows the absorption of vital fat-soluble vitamins, gives you the right kind of energy, a bright mind, glowing skin and glossy hair. Bad fats (any trans fats and an excess of saturated fats) are terrible for you – they raise your cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease. Don’t confuse the two or let the bad rep of the latter put you off the former.
Ditch the sugar
The one thing we cannot sugar-coat for you is sugar. We believe in removing, as far as possible and with the obvious exception of your own birthday cake, all refined sugar and artificial sweeteners from your diet. There may be a million names for them, which we will teach you, but they are all bad for you and do scary things to your body. We believe in baking delicious treats sweetened with coconut blossom nectar, fresh fruits, raw honey and medjool dates, which you will find more delicious than any pre-packaged desert, cake or chocolate bar.
We believe in remembering the basics, especially portion control and listening to your own body’s message system of hunger and satiety. Just in the same way that you cannot out-exercise a bad diet, you also cannot clean food your way out of a huge calorie surplus.
Food should be nourishing and delicious
Most of all, we believe that food and eating should be nourishing and delicious, and enjoyed by families together. Our favourite recipes are ones that can be made by a busy career girl or mother for herself, her children, her partner and any guests in her home with limited time and minimal adaptation.
We are investing more time and effort into the EAT section than any other on the site. Food first – of course! Expect one EAT post a week, always with a recipe prepared with careful nutritional consideration and a lot of love.
