Since I am living in the heart of the Sao Paulo, there are not a lot of places to run and since smog and air pollution is a problem here…exercising outside is a little difficult. So instead of spending money on a gym membership, which can get expensive…I thought I would try out new recipes and try learning how to eat healthier. I think while I am in Brazil I want to try and change my eating habits—controlling portions, cooking with good ingredients and shopping for healthy snack foods. Since one of the biggest reasons I gained weight was from poor eating habits and food choices, it seems appropriate that I try improving the way I eat and then when I am back in the states, incorporating physical exercises. So for most of July, I’ll be posting easy and simple recipes that incorporate good ingredients, taste good and are still good for you!
For the past month, I have been learning how to cook and shop for healthier and fresh foods. One of my roommates is a vegetarian and grew up eating really fresh food; since she is so familiar with certain types of vegetables and fruits and how to cook them, I thought this would be a great opportunity to eat and cook healthier. Being in the city, I walk a lot more than I usually do (I am from a rural/suburban area so we drive a lot) and I am eating somewhat healthy with the occasional treat. In Brazil, cheese and bread are huge staples and coincidently some of my favorite foods, which can also be bad for the waistline.
Thinking about the long run, I know that whenever I try new diet and exercise plans, I struggle to eat properly and workout at the same time. Often, I feel like working out makes it okay for me to eat poorly. I really need to change that mentality because if I really want to become healthier, I need to learn how to pick good food in my eating club and dining hall and buy better snack foods. I hope by the end of July, I will more readily eat healthy.