My relationship with food:
I started off on my health journey during my sophomore year of high school. (Head to my "About Me" page for the full rundown.) I took dieting so seriously in high school that I would miss out on going out and eating with friends. Some changes I made were great. I changed my breakfast routine from eating vending machine cinnamon rolls three times a week to having a healthy, nutritious breakfast, and would bring lunch to school rather than paying for it. Despite the changes, I wasn't truly eating properly, and it was majorly affecting my body. During the softball season, I almost passed out because I was malnourished, and by the end of my junior year, my thick, full head of hair ended up thinning out. While I was eating better, I wasn't getting the proper nutrients for my very active lifestyle. By senior year, I ended up being able to course correct so that I was eating well, eating enough, and my hair started coming back. By October of my freshman year of college, I got tired of only eating salads and microwaved eggs in order to be healthy. There were very few--and still are very few--legitimately healthy foods on campus, and I gave up my clean eating attempt. Chicken tenders and mac n cheese were readily available throughout the day--even at 11pm--and everyone was eating the same food I was. I didn't feel bad about the food I was eating until I looked in the mirror during the summer before my junior year. My jawline was gone, my stomach extended so I couldn't see my feet, and there were rolls on my back. So, I decided to try and make the change and I've been going on this journey ever since, trying to find what works for me and my body. I enjoy food. I love nothing more than getting a good dish of Lamb Korma or a slice of as-close-to real pizza. I was miserable on the paleo diet when I tried it because I was saying foods were off-limits. With the meal plan I'm doing at the moment, I can eat what I want--as long as I don't go over my carb limit for the day. This forces me to look closely at what I'm consuming, and either making room for a fairly carb-heavy meal or going in an alternate direction depending on what I've eaten for the day (like having chicken and veggies instead of a sandwich). Food is not the enemy. It's an opportunity to fuel your body in a way that's appropriate for the day you're having. That being said, there's a difference between indulging, fueling, and over-indulging. Indulging: having a good meal and a drink on the weekend. Just one. Fueling: Having a sandwich (wheat bread, tuna, veggies, etc. etc.) before a 2 hour intensive gym session. Over-Indulging: Having a slice of pizza, and another, and another because the pizza's almost gone. Then ice cream because you've worked out all week and "you deserve it." Enjoy your favorite foods, but do so in a healthy and manageable way that lets you enjoy what you're eating rather than making excuses for eating it. I hope you have a happy, healthy, and ful(filling) week!
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AuthorElena B. Archives
June 2020
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