As a teenager I never cared about what I ate, and I actually consumed an exorbitant amount of sugar. As I came into adulthood I curbed the excessive sugar consumption, but still was not concerned about it. 

In my mid 20's I began having terrible headache attacks one summer. I went to the doctor, and after the standard 2 and half minute conversation, he diagnosed me with hypoglycemia and told me to try the South Beach diet. Diabetes runs heavily in my family so this was a real wake up call for me and I became very scared of developing diabetes. 

I immediately made a change and dug down into the key principles of eating healthy. I have always been passionate about food and even became an Executive Chef at one point in my restaurant career. I knew I wanted to be able to eat most of the foods that I enjoyed, without being tied to a "diet". I discovered that healthy whole foods didn't have to taste bland and boring! They actually were flavorful and enjoyable! By minimizing the processed foods and incorporating more of the nutrient dense ones, I was able to balance my blood sugar and reduce my risk of developing diabetes.

My blood sugar is in a good place now where I do not have to limit an occasional sweet snack or have any real dietary limitations. Although I choose to eat foods that are fresh and nutrient dense rather than packaged, processed, nutrient depleted foods. I have learned to create simple meal plans for the week so eating fresh and healthy is simple and not overly time consuming. 

If you're ready to take control of your food consumption without feeling like you're on a "diet" and want to learn strategies for creating a sustainable meal regimen, click on the link below for a free training video I've put together to get started on that path.