One of the best things that you can do for your self care is to take care of your physical body…what you eat and how you move. These are both areas that I’ve struggled with my entire life. I’ve gone through phases where I’ve felt like I have it under control and I’m on the right path and others where I’ve made choices that weren’t really in my best interest.
I’ve tried all of the different diet fads. Really…all of them I would imagine. I have finally I’ve come to a point in my life where I’ve realized that I know what I need to do and it’s really up to me to decide to choose to actually do what I need to do. This past summer I attempted the Whole30 for my second time (first time was more of a Whole17) and this time I completed the challenge…and I loved it. I lost weight and that was my goal, but the best thing that happened was that I realized that I can be in control of what I eat. It was the first time in my life that my relationship with food became more about fueling my body than eating because I wanted to (for stress, emotion or out of spite when I was upset with myself). I was able to order Dairy Queen Blizzards for my family and easily pass on one for myself. And not feel deprived. Not feel as though I was wishing for the day when I could have one again. Just proud of myself for making the choice that best suited me and my goals for right now.
Do you struggle with what to eat, how to eat, when to eat? Here are my five best tips on finding what works the best for you.
5 best tips for fueling your body with love
Drink lots of water…take your body weight and divide by half and that’s how many ounces of water you should be drinking EVERY DAY.
Fill your plate with mostly fruits and vegetables.
Choose foods without added sugar.
Choose foods with ingredient lists you can understand. I try and keep the foods that I eat to fewer than 5 ingredients per item when I’m not on the whole30 (as most all whole30 foods I eat are whole foods). Better yet - choose foods without ingredients. Whole foods. Foods that only have things in them that your body knows how to handle.
Keep healthy food options on hand (at home, in your car, in your bag) so you don’t end up in a situation where a drive thru is your only option…and if it is, remember your goals. Remember how your body feels when you fill it with fake foods.
Some of my favorite books to keep me motivated are shown above and linked below. At this point, I’m not 100% following any of them but am taking bits and pieces from each. Learning about the science behind the foods and the way that the different foods make me feel and effect my body. The main thing that I am trying to focus on in my world right now is making sure that the foods that I eat are as real as possible (aside from my morning coffee…because I’m just not prepared to drink black coffee at this point, and that’s just ok) and have ingredients that I understand. With things like the coffee…I’m making the choice to drink that as it is currently the better choice than what I might want. You can’t always make the perfect choice, be 100% clean and healthy all of the time. Sometimes the lesser of two evils to keep you on track is what works best. Finding what works for you may not be what works for someone else.
MY PINTEREST BOARD FOR EAT TO LIVE
I try to pin recipes and quotes that inspire me to make choices that are in line with my overall health goals. I’m often an “all of nothing” type of person and I need to be careful of giving myself a “treat” or taking a detour “just this once” until I’m fully committed (and seeing results…I need results). For me, counting points or calories or things along that line don’t really work. I need guidelines. But I also know that sometimes the best things for me is the “unhealthy” choice. Restrictions aren’t healthy and finding a way to live where I am giving my body the best chance at being healthy is my goal. Maybe, just maybe I’m finally figuring some of this health thing out.
Reminding myself daily that eating well is one of the greatest forms of self respect. What tips do you have to keep your body healthy with the foods that you eat?
xo,
c