We’re about a week into this, and now feels like the right time for a hot take. Just to make sure you stay engaged while we make our way to the real juicy stories in the back half.

Food is fuel.

There was a time in my life when I thought brain fog was a symptom of being human. That naps were necessitated simply by being awake for eight hours straight. There was a time when I believed life’s adjectives of choice were blah and meh.

Of all of the dumb things I used to do and believe, this is by far the worst. Thinking about regressing to that state of being gives me a panic attack, I can’t do it.

Eventually I asked myself what life would be like if I felt good all of the time. That question sent me spiraling. I looked at my sleep, my alcohol habit (more on that next week), and the worst culprit of them all, the food I was eating.

It’s not meant to be controversial, and there will always be nuance, but the bottom line is the processed foods we’re being priced into have no interest in your health. They were created to maximize intake and maximize revenue.

I’ve seen the dark side of gluttony. I’ve trod the path of overconsumption, and I remember how paradoxically empty it made me feel.

It’s not the life I want. I’ll be 40 in 36 days, and it’s no fluke this is the best I’ve felt since before I started drinking.

Eating clean, whole foods, and avoiding sugar like it has a big A on its chest will forever be the most important change I’ve made to my life.

Eat the good food and find the savings elsewhere. Your body is going to thank you.