Learning about Food Through Social Media
Social media is a major outlet that our generation uses to access information but, it is important to look at everything you see with an open-mind. There is so much information on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc. and it is valuable that we understand how to look at this information and evaluate it for ourselves. The potential future of social media is what motivates me to continue my blog and expand the content I post. In addition, before I get into the main points of this blog post I want to state that I am not an expert on any of these topics however, I have a lot of experiences and healthy tips that work for ME.
Through Instagram, I was able to find out about the F-Factor diet that ultimately has changed the way I view food. Essentially, F-Factor is a diet that promotes a high fiber intake eating foods that have low net carbs and sugar. The information I have learned from the founder and owner Tanya Zuckerbrot (via Instagram and her book) has been life changing and inspires me every day to live a healthy life. I am not a nutrition major in college however, it is an interest and passion of mine that I love to learn about. In addition to Tanya’s Instagram page, there are a lot of smaller accounts created by people who do the F-Factor diet and post the food they eat. A sense of community is created among people who follow the same accounts which makes a very effective collaboration platform between health and wellness brands and individual influencers.
Since there is so information out on the web, I am influenced by a variety of different users, brands, and blogs. I like to take information from multiple sources rather than strictly follow one way of eating. Recently, I have been eating more similarly to a plant based diet however, this does not mean I am not looking to try new foods and products. I’m always happy when I find a new brand via Instagram that resonates and complements with the way I eat. When looking for new snacks and healthy meals there are a few important things that I look for. In my opinion fiber is the most important ingredient that all snacks and protein bars need to contain. In addition to looking for products high in fiber, I also look at the carbohydrates on the nutrition label to make sure that they are not too high. So… if you take the amount of carbs minus the amount of fiber it equals the amount of net carbs in each serving. I typically aim to eat 35-40 net carbs a day, but that will be different for each person and their own goals. Before I started counted or being aware of net carbs I probably ate more than 100 grams of carbohydrates a day which is CRAZY! It is important to be aware of foods high in carbohydrates and consume them in moderation. Even healthy foods like quinoa are high in carbs, so you should eat it in smaller portions or find an alternative rice like cauliflower rice.
There are so many healthy options but, it is important to find what is right for YOU! There is not one way to live a healthy lifestyle because everyone has their own routine that works for them. Everyone’s body requires different foods and figuring out what works for you can really make a difference in your life.
