Featured photo by Tatiana Lapina
It’s so easy to grab prepackaged, convenient vending machine, drive thru or shelf food but what price are you really paying for all that “convenience?” Larger sized clothing, higher medical bills and a decreased quality of life are just a few. Why? Our bodies are designed to eat fresh, natural, whole foods that supply us with an endless array of vitamins, minerals, fiber and incredible nutrients. Denying yourself of what truly healthy food provides robs you of your health, youth and vitality.
[Tweet “we overeat in a search to find that satisfaction that those unhealthy food choices simply can’t provide.”]Here’s what also happens when you eat this way. Foods that don’t nourish you also don’t truly satisfy you. So, we overeat in a search to find that satisfaction that those unhealthy food choices simply can’t provide. Of course all of this overeating causes weight gain and when our weight starts to impact us enough, we may severely restrict ourselves believing that deprivation and discomfort is the only way to achieve lasting health and wellness.
When we simply can’t endure the deprivation any longer, we go right back to eating the way we were eating, only to feel we have somehow failed because of a lack of willpower or compliance. These emotions often encourage self-soothing behaviors and, if we typically use food as our drug of choice, we’re looking at an ongoing cycle of mental, physical and emotional upset that could largely be avoided by changing the choices we make and the way we look at food.
Not only does this pattern chip away at our confidence and self-esteem, it keeps us on a rollercoaster ride of blood sugar, mood and weight fluctuations. It lays the groundwork for insulin resistance (a pre-curser to diabetes) and other chronic illnesses while keeping us frustrated, discouraged and exhausted. It impacts our digestive health, our adrenal glands, fertility, our skin, hair, immune system, sleep, our ability to heal and so much more.
Now, before you get frustrated with yourself and think that your current eating behavior is simply the result of laziness or bad habits, give yourself a break. For many, this eating pattern causes intense cravings, so your desire for these high sugar, empty food feels almost drug like. The sense of temporary numbing and calm you feel after overloading yourself with these foods floods your body with hormones and chemicals, which offer temporary relief-similar to a drug like state. Unfortunately, eating this way only further depletes and desensitizes your body; making it more and more difficult to achieve a healthy hormonal balance, taste sensitivity and sense of freedom as well as preventing your body from achieving a natural, healthy weight.
Can this be changed so you feel a sense of peace and calm around food? Can food be used to nourish your body and mind without fear? Can you change eating behaviors that have left you overweight, undernourished and frustrated for years, even decades? Of course!
It starts with awareness and then a plan.
Identity Magazine is all about empowering women to get all A’s in the game of life — Accept. Appreciate. Achieve.TM Every contributor and expert answer the Identity 5 questions in keeping with our theme. As a team, we hope to inspire and motivate ourselves and inspire you to get all A’s
What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? What are you still working on accepting?
That I have little control over my kids. I can teach, show by example, role model, etc. and then need to sit back and hope they take the path that serves them best.
What have you learn to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? What are you still working on to appreciate?
I appreciate my resilience and determination. I’ve had so many roadblocks and setbacks but I’m so driven to share my message that while I keep getting knocked down, I get up every time.
I’m working on patience! I have a husband, 4 kids, 6 dogs and a business. Patience to understand that I may not be able to get all I want done when I want to is a continual challenge.
What is one of your most rewarding achievements in life? What makes YOU most proud? What goals and dreams do you still have?
My family. I’m married to my best friend (we’re together 30 years!), we have 4 awesome kids and I’m doing the work I love which is helping thousands of others become their personal and professional best. Does it get better than that?! I have so many things I still want to do. I had my first event last May and this May, while the last event was great, I want to make this one even better. I’m also having my first small retreat for 8-10 women this December and I want to fill my group programs with the women who’d benefit from being in them.
We all have imperfections, so we think. The truth–we are all perfectly imperfect. What are your not-so-perfect ways? What imperfections and quirks create who you are–your Identity?
Ha! So many! I’m completely impatient-I do way too much, get too stressed and my health takes a nose dive. This happens often (you’d think I’d learn from it already) but I love what I do and take on too much. I also speak to small and large groups. I get so excited, it’s normal for me to completely trip over my words because I’m so eager to share what I’ve learn/seen to help others. I still strive to get some work/life balance (which I don’t believe in anyway-I feel we’re better off being 100% in the space we’re in vs. being 50% at work and 50% at home and not being fully present anywhere.
“I Love My…” is an outlet for you to express and appreciate all the positive traits that make you…well… YOU! Sharing what you love about yourself will make you smile, feel empowered, and uplift your spirit and soul. (we assure you!)
Identity challenges you to complete the phrase “I Love My…?”
I love my drive, passion for what I’m doing, ability to handle (to the best of my abilities) all these kids, dogs and still stay connected to my husband. I love doing the work I love, inspiring others, making an impact and helping people get to the top of their game physically, mentally and emotionally so they can become their personal/professional best.
