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that I can control. (See more on Nutrition on page 16.)

I would never recommend a sedentary lifestyle or suggest someone give up their exercise routine, but a large portion of the population is not meeting the minimum guidelines of physical activity to receive any health benefits. Studies support that current minimum physical activity guide-lines for adults—two and a half hours of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity per week—is sufficient for reducing the risk of chronic diseases.3 However, in the United States, less than 5 percent of adults get 30 minutes of physical activity a day4 and only one in three adults get the recommended amount of physical activity each week.5

While campaigns promoting a healthy lifestyle continue to find more efficient and effective ways to encourage the long-term adoption of physical activity, a balanced meal plan—including whole foods with proper micro- and macro-nutrient composition—can also provide positive health benefits and prevention of chronic diseases. (See more on Micro- and Macronutrients, starting on page 16.)

The Beautiful Paradox of Adversity

ARVC has redefined my life in a way that many would consider calamitous, but there is a beautiful paradox with adversity. The painful refining process of trials and tribulations can lead to profound personal growth and create opportunities that never would have emerged otherwise. Weight loss is only

a small chapter of this story. Weight loss and a particular body image are not, by any means, a reflection of successfully establishing a healthy lifestyle. My journey has simply highlighted the importance of meal planning, nutrition, and cooking in the attaining of food wellness and has led to the design and implementation of a successful lifestyle for weight management that works with my sedentary life.

The Mission

My mission for The Complete Plate is to redefine people’s understanding of nutrition. Life would be easier if food’s only purpose was to nourish our bodies. Food is at the center of our celebrations, times of fellowship, religious ceremonies, and cultural festivities. The relationship between joy and food has been fused together since the beginning of time, and that is why to establish sustainable healthy eating habits we need to redis-cover joy in eating and abandon the mind-set of good foods versus bad foods (the mentality of eat this, not that). For healthy eating to be sustainable, it needs to be more than chicken, quinoa, and vegetables for the rest of your life. I don’t want to bully anyone into eating healthily. I want to encourage critical thinking and provide a resource that presents sound nutritional information so anyone can develop healthy and positive associations with food. My hope is that The Complete Plate will be a valuable tool in this transi-tion to a sustainable, healthy new lifestyle. Now let’s get cooking!