When I turned thirty, my health spiraled into an unpredictable mess. My entire body hurt when I moved and I wanted to lay in bed all day. I was eating whatever I could get delivered from some fast food joint every day just trying to get through the day. I felt bad because I was eating badly. The weeks of extreme joint pain, the hours lying awake in bed not able to move. There had to be a better way as man cannot live on Italian beef and Chicago hot dogs alone.
Part of living intentionally is eating. I insisted the Chicago hot dog was a salad when it’s clearly not. There’s no lettuce on it, for one. To be able to practice minimalism genuinely, I had to overhaul my diet. I thought about the food pyramid from elementary school health class.
I begin my day with a bowl of oatmeal topped with raisins and honey with some toast and cream cheese. Lunch is rice, chicken sausage, cheese, butter, and some hot sauce on top. Dinner comprises an organic salad of spring mix, shredded carrots, grape tomatoes, mushrooms, croutons, and cheese. I drink a 12 oz. classic Coke on the way home from work because I like the taste and it makes me feel American. Throughout the day, I incorporate all the food groups, and I feel much better physically. I don’t have to make so many decisions about what to eat because I already know beforehand.
My life has definitely changed significantly since finding minimalism. Thinking about everything I eat has been difficult because I was used to eating heavy foods every day. The temptation hits especially hard this week as the temperature dips below zero. Despite the temptation to eat heavy foods when I’m tired, cold, and worn down, minimalism has helped me think about everything I’m doing, starting with what food I put in my mouth.