"People who love to eat are always the best people." Julia Child

Oh how I love food, and oh how easy it is to love food that's not really food.  I needed a change.

It all started when I came home one night and felt horribly bloated, and it had been happening more regularly. Worst feeling ever, so I started thinking about making working out a priority again.  On top of that we've been talking about kids.  Kids = pregnancy, which equals not only added weight gain, but the huge responsiblity to eat well not just for myself but for another human!  Don't get me wrong we are still probably about 2 years away from kids, but I know it will be much harder for me to make a decision to eat better when I am pregnant and having cravings, lol, who am I kidding I'd fail horribly (if you didn't know I love food). I also feel the results of getting older. Now, I know I'm not old by any means, but I will be thirty in less than a year, and I've noticed subtle changes.  I remember when I was at college as long as I worked out, I could eat however I want and lose weight!  I didn't realize what I had.  Nowadays, I can work out and sure, I can eat what I want, but I do not get any more fit.  I don't really gain weight but I don't lose a thing.  (Let me just say I don't really want to lose weight, actually I'm ok gaining some as long as it's muscle weight and healthy, I just want to be fit)

Also, on a side note.  Something that really annoys me.  If someone who is overweight is trying to lose weight and be fit, they get all sorts of praise and encouragement.  For someone who is not overweight, but is not "fit" trys to be better and healthier, all I get is, "What do you have to lose?", "You're going to be unhealthy!", "You're just trying to show us up" "you're going to waste away" or, even better, laughter. What!?! I know I'm not big by any means, but I also know I'm not fit or toned, and I certainly haven't had the best diet.  Yet no encouragement my way, everyone seems to get annoyed or irritated and make it about themselves. Please don't do this to your friends, it's not helpful.  If you have nothing encouraging to say, just keep it to yourself.

So, at first I was just calorie counting, which I now realize is not good.  So, although I keep track, I don't live by that number.  For the first two weeks the hardest thing was the craving for salt.  Who knew?!  But in between meals I wanted chips, or salted nuts, or fries.  And the hardest change was chosing to eat better snacks. Still not easy, but certainly easier.  Actually I'd say, this being week three, has been the first week were I crave my cucmbers, carrots, or some sort of fruit.  We've also cut down eating out to maybe two times a week, as opposed to the possible four or five times in the past.  So not only have we saved money, but are saved from that horrible feeling of being heavy! As I said before, bloated. Worst feeling ever.

I started doing pilates this week as well, and the lady who teaches the sessions said, "Being fit is 80% what you eat and 20% working out and genetics"!  That was a huge eye opener.  Obviously, it's not cheaper to eat better, which is why we have cut out eating out, but it definitely has made a difference in how much energy I have and how good I feel.  When I went shopping this past week, I must have bought 90% of our groceries from the produce section and 10% from the inner isles.  Which is a huge difference, as a matter of fact I did not buy one frozen food item.  Not that all frozen items are bad (fruit for example) just the majority of it.

I realized the hardest part about deciding to be healthier was actually deciding lol.  You know you won't see progress for a while, and it's so easy to say "oh i'll start tomorrow".  So that first run (after a 6 month or so absence) was the hardest, then choosing to eat better was even harder (as working out is a 1hr eveny daily or so, and eating better is 24/7, yikes).  After three weeks I can tell you I am feeling awesome, more energized is the hugest difference I see! Another huge help is diversifying my work outs. Normally I just run, it's easy, free and I can do it.  But I get bored easy and thats why I end up stopping.  So I've made things exciting by pairing running with zumba twice a week and pilates everyday (pilates is great for toning-feel it already!).


Anyway not that anyone really cares about my eating habits.  But putting it out there in social media keeps me accountable.  So forgive the endless pictures of food, or posts about working out. I'm under no delusion that everyone cares or anyone cares! However, it's a form of self accountability, because if I stop someone might ask me about it, and that would be no fun. Soo just unfollow me or my posts, I won't be hurt :) There might be one person though (like my mom <3) who cares, and wants the reciepes and maybe it'll be motivation for you to make some small changes that make a huge difference.  I want to learn to be disciplined in more areas of my life (spiritually is a huge one), but food is a huge weakness for me!

Sidenote: Food is glorious, and when I see all the amazing things that can be done with it, I am reminded of how creative God is, and how full He wanted our lives to be! Just as in anything, however, there has to be balance.  I was not achieving that, definitely more garbage than anything going in! I will forever have a love affair with food and cooking, it's beautiful :)

Cheers