Nutrition – Where Self-Care Begins.
I am not a fan of ‘Diets’
My Story
I have probably tried most of them and they have worked, while I have followed them, they don’t always work subsequent times, but is that due to complacency on my part? Thinking I know what to do, what to count, what to combine etc……? Probably but at the end of the day, it hasn’t been sustainable. I have stopped paying attention and I have gained any weight I lost back, plus some!!
A couple of years ago I promised myself I would get off the hamster wheel of deprivation and obsessiveness over my diet.
The trouble with diet culture is it can have a negative effect on our overall health and well being. We start to look at a small glass of orange juice as something we can swap and ‘save’ the value of for a treat later rather than as a dose of vitamin C which will help us absorb iron from the meal we are eating with it.
Diet = Malnutrition when focused on in this way.
Malnutrition leads to lack of energy, dull and lifeless skin, hair and nails, tiredness, illness and disease!
It hasn’t been easy shifting my mindset from thinking I should be following some sort of diet to eating freely. Have I dropped 3 stone? No, I actually went the other way for a while as nothing was off-limits to me. I also got into some poor habits such as a glass of wine (or two) and something savoury at the end of the working day. Having stopped drinking diet drinks I struggled to find a ‘soft’ drink to enjoy as I loved the taste of Diet Coke.
Was it worth it?
After lots of trial and error, I am happier than I have been in a LONG time with my diet. These days I plan for nutrition and satisfaction and make sure that I am eating 5-10 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Trying to crowd out poorer choices works for me.
I am no longer scared of carbs and fat and understand how much protein my body actually needs, which is less than you think.
At the end of the day, I enjoy a Blue Becks with my dinner and love infused water and herbal teas during the day along with 1-2 cups of proper coffee!
I have made some healthy upgrades to my daily diet which are now as much of a habit to me as brushing my teeth.
The results?
- Good Health – I used to suffer from colds which always went to my chest, I’d cough for weeks and end up with an infection, especially at Christmas Time.
- Energy – I have plenty of energy to cope with my hectic days as a Mum, Wife, Business owner and all the other hats we women wear.
- Time – Feeling well and energetic I have a clear head and make better use of my time, planning and being better prepared. I plan ahead and make dates with friends and family to look forward to.
What I want to make clear this week is that Nutrition is such an important part of Self-Care.
Nourishing our bodies is the foundation of good health.
If you are looking to create more balance in your life a good place to start is your plate. Adding nutrition to your plate leaves less room for cravings.
We need to eat to live but part of living is eating, sharing enjoyable meals with friends and family or savouring a delicious meal by yourself.
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Next Steps……
If you would like to chat with me about your unique menopause transition, book a Wild Well-Being call and come away inspired and motivated to begin your journey to optimal health.