Comments on: My diet and why I don’t eat certain foods but am open to them

By: Maria

Maria — Mon, 24 Jul 2017 19:38:55 +0000

Your approach to food is similar to mine and I have always had a challenging time explaining it to people. I am going to send them to this blog post whenever someone thinks I am breaking my own rules or doesn’t understand why I choose to eat the way I do. I do eat more meat and eggs than you, but other than that, I am right there with you on most fronts. Lately, I have been craving carbs like a pretzel. I finally bought a bag that has about three ingredients. This is the first bag of pretzels I’ve bought in probably 10 years or more. But allowing myself to have something that normally bothers my stomach (gluten bloat) is normal. I had a serving size and closed the bag up. They’ll be there if I want more and if I don’t, oh well! 🙂 Thank you for being so open and honest about your food choices.

By: Danielle

Danielle — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 03:47:39 +0000

I wanted to say thank you for your Inspiralizer, blog and amazing recipes. I am thinking much more creatively about veggies, increasing my veggie intake and trying new ones. I liked this post and your encouragement to do what works for each of us. You have a very approachable way of sharing information – not preachy at all. I’ve told so many people about your site – and the FB group which I really enjoy. Congrats on your pregnancy! I’m a mom, a parent educator and therapist and I can tell you it is a truly transformative experience to raise a human being. Best wishes!

By: Andria Hall

Andria Hall — Sat, 24 Jun 2017 00:20:54 +0000

I don’t read your blog as often as I’d like to, so I’m often reading many posts at a time. I love how the majority of the “what I ate”s that I read say something about you trying to venture out for lunch, but returning to your veggie sandwich. I get a kick out of that every time.

By: Katie

Katie — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 15:02:02 +0000

Ali – do you think if you were still single you’d be a vegetarian? I wonder if the pressure of living with a meat eater has influenced you to eat meat?

By: Meaghan

Meaghan — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 18:42:24 +0000

In reply to Eugenia. Thank you for your thoughtful comment!

By: Eugenia

Eugenia — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 18:28:10 +0000

All sounds good, but I think you’d feel better if you went gluten- and oat-free (oats have its own bad proteins, and are never truly gluten free, even if labeled as such — research shows). I know you were Paleo for a while too, so how did going gluten-free worked for you?

As for eggs, I’m willing to bet you money that if you buy truly pastured eggs (hens that do forage and they aren’t only eating soy/grains), you won’t have a problem. In fact, it’s known that people with an “egg allergy”, are actually allergic to soy. These hens are only fed soy, and its proteins then are found in the eggs!

I find truly pastured eggs on my CA super market, but Costco now has “pastured” eggs, that aren’t truly pastured (the hens don’t forage, they are fed 100%, they just happen to be outside, on a place that’s full of stones with no grass ). So to check if truly pastured work better for you, you’d need to research first what you buy exactly, or visit a farmer’s market and ask there exactly what their hens eat. I pay $8 a dozen for mine.

By: Meaghan

Meaghan — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 13:04:58 +0000

In reply to Sandra Rutherford. Thank you for your note!

By: Sandra Rutherford

Sandra Rutherford — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 16:00:17 +0000

Thanks for all the sharing, love your insights and recipes. Look into responsibly pastured animal farming. From what I’ve read, it is a good thing for the planet to rotate animals and vegetables.

By: Alicia @Bridges Through Life

Alicia @Bridges Through Life — Tue, 30 May 2017 18:19:55 +0000

I absolutely loved reading this. You have to find what works for you. I used to drink like 6-8 glasses of milk a day and eat ice cream every night. That eventually caught up to me in high school and I think I am lactose intolerant now. After my denial phase, I finally switched to soy and then almond milk and for the most part am dairy free. I notice that dairy, lots of sugar and especially milk chocolate make my skin break out. I’ve learned more veggies and less carbs work for me to feel my best. I have been experimenting with making more vegan dishes and have loved them, even if some of my relatives give me strange looks. I have learned, like you, I have to do what is right for my body and digestion. I also feel like I finally figured out why I was always bloated as a child. Giving up milk was a big one for me, but I am thankful for alternatives like almond milk.

By: Deb

Deb — Fri, 26 May 2017 03:00:53 +0000

I just lost 30 lbs. with MyFitnessPal (free calorie counting app and website), so now that the weight is off and I am at the low end of my BMI, I have been reading more about nutrition. It all contradicts each other, some say no fat, (like olive oil), some say butter and olive oil are “healthy fats,” etc., etc. etc.

I am also confused on “processed’ foods. I consider processed to mean, “made in a factory”, i.e. “ran through a process” which would mean even healthy bars, smoothies or protein shakes that come out of a package, essentially anything that is not just the ingredient is “processed” to some degree, correct?

I totally agree with knowing your body and the affect that food has on you, although my dh has a cast iron stomach and I don’t know if that is a good thing. 😉

By: Molly Stone

Molly Stone — Thu, 25 May 2017 20:27:09 +0000

Have you thought about your little ones diet? I don’t do much dairy and I am about to transition away from breastfeeding (my girl is turning one soon and has only had breastmilk). I’m trying to decide if she should have cows milk? Of course, I’ve talked to my doctor and I know you are not a doctor 🙂 but just curious if you’ve thought about this or done any research?

By: Becky

Becky — Thu, 25 May 2017 18:21:37 +0000

Thank you for this article! I had been a strict GF Vegan for a few years and recently began changing my diet because it wasn’t sustainable for my lifestyle, but I’ve felt kind of lost trying to find a “new” way to eat that worked. Reading your experience has motivated me to become more mindful and less restrictive! I’m wondering, what type of bread do you use for your sandwiches? I feel like that’s one product that can be hard to find a fairly pure version of!

By: Tara

Tara — Thu, 25 May 2017 14:16:17 +0000

In reply to Elizabeth PM. Such smart advice. Every single person's body is unique, so every person needs a diet that works for them. This finally clicked for me when I was working with a neurologist on managing my MS, and I asked him what I should and shouldn't eat. Instead of denying that nutrition had any affect on the disease (which many docs do) he gave me the best advice: Eat what makes you feel good. Good as in, fueled, happy, balanced and satiated.

By: Ali Maffucci

Ali Maffucci — Thu, 25 May 2017 12:59:11 +0000

In reply to Corinne Adams. Thank you so much Corinne, what a kind comment! I'm so glad you enjoyed the post!

By: Ali Maffucci

Ali Maffucci — Thu, 25 May 2017 12:54:27 +0000

In reply to Rachelle Weber. Rachelle, goodluck in your vegan journey with your hubs! And thanks for sharing your journey! We're all so different, it helps to talk about it!

By: Ali Maffucci

Ali Maffucci — Thu, 25 May 2017 12:53:42 +0000

In reply to Kerry. Thanks, Kerry! :)