What does healthy eating look like for me?
What does healthy eating mean to you? Here’s my version.
Eating healthily means something different to everyone. Post cancer, here are my top 5 rules to eat by.
Following my breast cancer diagnosis, I immediately fell down the google rabbit hole and beat myself up about what I have historically eaten, worrying that it had contributed to causing cancer. I have a nutrition diploma but I’m definitely guilty of not practising what I preach. I do a lot of exercise so have never really had to worry about excessive chocolate consumption or my addiction to bread (and wine).
When I asked my oncologist whether I should give up sugar, dairy or meat. He pulled down his mask, looked me in the eye and said, very firmly, “It’s bullshit!”
“Your body needs sugar. Your brain needs sugar. All carbohydrates are broken down by your digestive system into glycogen. Which is a form of sugar. If you are doing sport, you need sugars. My advice is to continue to consume everything in moderation. If you change anything, increase your protein to help maintain your muscle mass.”
I have taken him at his word. I have subsequently done a lot of research - hopefully from reliable sources! - and elaborated on what I already know, in the light of now being a post menopausal breast cancer patient. Here are the conclusions I’ve come to. This is what is right for me.
And our family.
My reality is that I have two young children and what I eat needs to be the same as, or a variation of, what they eat. So we always eat the same meal but the proportions might be different. I’ll add more vegetables to mine and more carbs to theirs but we’re eating the same. We eat simply. I’m not a good cook. But we eat well. I want to set a good example and family meals are important to us.
A perfect plate of food looks something like this. Even it’s all mixed in one bowl.
Eat everything in moderation. I have increased my vegetables and fruit consumption considerably. I have reduced the amount of meat I eat, especially processed meats as there is a proven link with cancer, but I do still eat it. I have reduced the amount of dairy I eat as there may be a link with hormonal cancers. But I still eat that too. I want the calcium and protein. And I like milk in tea and ice cream too much to give them up. I try to buy organic when I can but it’s not always available where we live.
Add protein to everything. Even snacks. This is about balancing blood sugar and maintaining muscle. So if I eat an apple, I have some nuts or a piece of ham with it. As a menopausal, athletic woman, my protein needs are higher than they used to be. I don’t measure it gram for gram but I roughly aim for 2g per kg body weight. I add a whey based protein powder to my breakfast bowl. I have also found some vegan protein bars that I like, which I use as snacks or to top up if I’m having a low protein day.
12 hours fast per day. I have done a lot of research around fasting and I do believe there are benefits. But long fasts aren’t for me. So I eat with the kids in the evening at around 630pm and then don’t eat for at least 12 hours. This happens naturally so it’s not an effort and doesn’t affect my mood or energy levels. I occasionally go to 14 or 16 hours but for my lifestyle, longer intermittent fasts aren’t practical or sustainable. I believe that giving your digestive system a break is a good thing. And cutting out late night snacking can only be a positive.
Perfect plate. I aim to make my plate half vegetables, a quarter carbs and a quarter protein. This applies even if everything is mixed together. So for example for breakfast, I have one bowl with loads of chopped fruit, a handful of cereal, milk and protein powder mixed in. It’s all in one bowl but the proportions are right. Same would apply for a curry for example - loads of veg, some protein, a quarter rice, all mixed together.
80:20 Rule. I do all of the above, most of the time. I also eat chocolate every day. Go out for pizza. Have the odd glass of wine. I don’t allow myself to feel guilty about it. I have a super sweet tooth, enjoy the ‘bad’ meals and never beat myself up. There is nothing like a life threatening illness to make you realise that life is short and to take pleasure in the things you love.
Overall I’m really happy with - and grateful to - my body. Even with no breasts. Even after having tried to kill me with cancer! I don’t need to lose weight. It’s not luck. It’s partly exercise, partly eating well and partly because I manage it. I do keep tabs on my weight and body composition. Not obsessively. I probably weigh myself every couple of weeks. Maybe once a month. If the numbers go out of my normal range, then I know exactly what to do to get back to where I’m comfortable. Aside from pregnancy and boozy student days, my weight has been more or less the same for 30 years. It’s not by chance :)
If you’re interested in weight management as part of your post cancer revolution, drop me a line. I can help you make the choices that are right for you and that will kick start sustainable weight loss. Get in touch!