That was my why for a long time. This is why I did my first Whole30. And then a few more rounds later on. And that’s why I drank slim fast for multiple meals all through college. And that’s why I’ve done every juice cleanse or “buy-this-protein-powder-and-do-this-30-day program-to lose-weight” that you’ve ever heard of. And that’s why I did Weight Watchers. And that’s why I started running. And that’s why I joined Crossfit. That’s why I exercised harder and ate less and jacked my gut and hormones all up and stressed out my adrenals back a few years ago.
It clicked for me when I realized its not really even about the food but my relationship to food; how I thought about food, how I thought about my body, how I was using food because it was the one thing (only thing) I felt I could control, using it as an emotional crutch, using it to soothe, to self-sabotage, to make me feel better temporarily, to distract me from my the bigger issues. When I shifted my mindset and my why, and stopped viewing Whole30 as just another 30 day diet, and when I actually followed the rules of Whole30 and not just the recommendations of eating compliant food for 30 days, that’s when everything shifted. Whole30 helped me change my relationship to food because I was avoiding foods that were jacking up my sleep, energy, and my mood. I was eating A LOT of food, real food, that was nourishing my body, improving my digestive issues, balancing hormones, lowering inflammation, clearing up my skin, and improving my mood. I slowed down and ate mindfully. And when I finally followed the program as it’s intended and put in the effort of asking myself the hard, not fun questions like: “why am I eating? Am I really hungry or am I sad or lonely? Why do I want to drink alcohol? Does sugar really make me feel better or is it just temporary and then makes me feel worse later?” #duh Or as Melissa Hartwig says in one of the Whole30 books, “Am I looking for a cookie or am I looking for a connection?” And secondly, when I COMPLETED the reintroduction to know and understand how the foods I was eating were affecting my hormones and my mood, versus what I had done in the past, which was come-Day 31-you-could -find-me-diving-face-first-into-any-and-all foods-just-as-quickly-as-I-could-because-hallelujah-it’s-over THAT’S when I truly changed my relationship to food and my relationship to my body and found food freedom. Food freedom is found in changing your mindset and changing your why. For me, for my personality and my behaviors, it was about finding discipline and then finding balance. I yo-yo’ed and obsessed about food for far too long, so I get it. If you’re struggling, just know that If I can do it, you can do it too.
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AuthorChloe is a holistic nutritionist, certified Whole30 coach, certified personal trainer, and Beautycounter consultant who loves all things: food, fitness, wellness, outdoor, dog, and non-toxic living related. (especially people) She's on the hunt for optimal, yet sustainable health and happiness, and enjoys sharing her learning's and experiences with everyone who wants to listen. And some who don't. Archives
April 2018
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