You CAN feel better than you do now. How do I know? I used to feel like many of you feel now. I used to be tired all the time. I made excuses on why I didn't have time to
work out. I ate whatever I wanted and
continued to eat past the point of being satisfied. I used to feel overwhelmed about nutrition
and food choices. I used to feel guilty
about the food choices I was making. I
used to feel horrible after my meals. I
used to make some good choices and some really bad food choices. I was looking at food completely wrong. I used to look to food to make me happy when
few other things in my life gave me the pleasure that food did. As a result, I became disappointed in food and
I was on a downward spiral of deteriorating health.
As I mentioned above, food used to be one of the only things
that made me happy. I will be the first
to admit that I was a food addict. My
life revolved around unhealthy food in XXXL portions. The food I was eating was destroying me,
sapping me of the life I wanted and deserved.
I felt ashamed and disappointed that I let myself go. I thought about healthy eating, but at only
about 20 percent of my diet was close to being ideal. For a few moments there, I lost the will to
make a difference in my own life. I knew
what I was doing to myself was not only unhealthy, but was killing me.
Over time, I began to realize a number of things. I started to appreciate is that even though I
exercised that I couldn't just eat anything and everything that I wanted. I realized that I was setting a horrible example
for my patients and my children. I
learned that I had to incorporate exercise AND healthy eating for my body to
respond the way I wanted it to. I had to
reverse many years of bad habits and doing things the way my stubborn self
wanted and thought I should do things. I
did things my way for decades and I realized that my way of doing things was
taking me down the path of self-destruction.
What I needed to make
a change...I had to make a transformation.
I had to make a stand and commit to complete a alteration in my thoughts
and actions. I drew a line in the sand
and told myself that enough was enough.
I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I thought about what I needed to do, I
committed to a dramatic change and put an immediate plan into action. There was no, "I will start next
Monday/after the holidays" . I made
my change that night, the night we watched the documentary, "Fat, Sick and
Nearly Dead". My approach was
aggressive in that many things that I used to eat were not just to be eaten in
reduced portions or in moderation, rather a good portion of my dietary menu
needed to be eliminated. I elected to
make changes that allowed food to be my medicine and not my poison. I embraced this lifestyle change. I was not going to focus my thoughts on
deprivation, rather I was excited about all the diversity of healthy food
options I was about to allow my palate to explore.
My old dietary menu provided me with about 15 minutes of
pleasure and then a length of time of regret.
I now know that the healthy food I eat enables me to enjoy both instant
gratification as well as a lifetime of happiness and health. I just had to flip a switch in my brain to
accept that what I was doing to myself was harm and that I deserved better than
that.
You deserve better, too.
Start today by accepting that you need to change. Create a plan and stick to it. Don't equate
eating healthy with depriving yourself of flavorful food. Explore all that the world of healthy food
has to offer you.
Then come back to this blog daily for motivation, recipes
and ideas of how to transform your life.
If I can do it, anyone can. Don't talk yourself out of doing one of the
best things you can do for your future self.
Be proud of yourself and enjoy the journey towards better health.
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