When "Weird" Becomes Normal: My Food Wake-Up Call

Ever look back and realize something that once felt totally new is now just... your everyday norm?

That happened to me recently at a health conference. When I signed up, they asked about dietary needs—so I shared that I’m diabetic and eat mostly above-ground veggies, nuts, seeds, and high-quality meats. I figured, "Hey, it’s a health conference—they’ll get it."

Fast forward to the actual meals that contained lots of rice, beans, bread, potatoes, desserts... Uh-oh. This wasn't going to work. Although the food at the conference was considered "high quality" compared to the standard American diet (SAD), it was NOT a good match for my needs. AND we were in the middle of nowhere with zero grocery options.

I vented to my friend, who was also at the conference. She seemed surprised and made a comment that took me a while to digest. I wanted to disagree, but realized she was probably right. She said,

“Most people don’t eat like you. Your diet is really rare.”

It’s been nearly six years since I completely revamped my way of eating. Back then, I was dealing with a fresh diabetes diagnosis and some relentless joint pain. I started diving into the science behind metabolic health and experimenting with my diet.

And guess what?

• Cutting gluten, dairy, and eggs eliminated my joint pain
• Lowering carbs (down to 30–70 g/day) stabilized my blood sugar

During these changes, I also connected with other people who were on similar journeys. So when I’m surrounded by like-minded people, this way of eating doesn’t feel weird at all. But in the wider world? Yeah… I guess I’m the odd one out.

Most people are still eating a high-carb, high-processed, high-inflammatory Standard American Diet (aka SAD). Seed oils like canola, soybean, and cottonseed are still everywhere. Processed food is still the norm. And most people don’t even realize how deeply food marketing and outdated USDA guidelines have shaped their choices.

But here’s the cool part:

What started as a drastic change for me has become second nature. These days, I don’t think twice about how I eat. It’s just me.

If you’re on your own health journey, know that it doesn’t have to happen overnight. I didn’t overhaul everything in one go—I made changes little by little, habit by habit, over a few years.

So here’s my invitation to you:

• What are one or two small habits you could start today to improve your diet?
• Can you find a buddy or community to support your journey?

Surround yourself with people who get it. Because before you know it, your “weird” will become your wonderful new normal.

Hi! I'm Tina Hallis, a speaker, advocate, and thought shifter in the areas of health and wellbeing. My goal is to educate and empower you to take control of your health. I've trained with Dr. Nasha Winters in her Terrain Advocate Program that focuses on metabolic health, and I continue to learn and practice many approaches to improving my wellbeing. Learn more at PositiveHealthspan.com.