Why Pizza Should Be a Part of Your New Year’s Diet

It’s that time of year again. The time for fresh starts and new beginnings. To many, this means a change in their lifestyle. People want to get in shape and be healthier so they start a new diet. Some go vegan, some do Whole30, and some may go the Keto route (why anyone would give up carbs is beyond us). Whatever path you choose to take, we encourage you to be inclusive of all foods, especially pizza.

Pizza gets a bad rap for being unhealthy but in reality, it’s just misunderstood. Pizza can be very healthy depending on how you look at it. First of all, cheese packs a bunch of protein. And if you’re adding meats like pepperoni or chicken you can forget about your post workout shake! Your pie will have all the protein you need to replenish your body after that spin class. 

Now, we’re not gonna ignore the obvious reason you might be giving up pizza: carbs. Carbs are often painted as the villain of the food pyramid, whereas in reality, they’re the unsung hero. Carbs are fuel. If you find yourself feeling sluggish during your workouts, it may be because you didn’t eat enough to fuel your body beforehand. However, you don’t want to eat immediately before your workout, give your body about 2 hours to digest and turn the carbs into energy. Before your next workout, try having a slice of pizza topped with veggies for some extra nutrients. 

Cutting pizza out of your diet completely might be doing yourself more harm than good. Very often when people go on diets, they start deeming certain foods as “bad” or “good”. However, as humans we all know when something is deemed as off limits, it makes us want it  more. Instead of cutting out the foods you love because they’re “bad” allow yourself to have them in moderation. Not only will it prevent you from going overboard in the future, but this mindset leads to a balanced lifestyle which is what health is really all about. So go ahead and keep that pizza in your diet and stick to your (realistic) goals, we’ll be cheering for you at the finish line!