MY FOOD IS FOR NOURISHING MY BODY, and even though I’m ALLOWED to eat whatever I want, if I want my body to be well and function for me, I’ve got to give it what it needs.
I’ve seen way too many posts about how “toxic” it is to
chase being skinny, and trying to lose weight means you don’t love yourself
enough as you are, or accept yourself for who you are.
Fair enough. If that’s how you feel, I understand. I’m not suggesting anyone turn themselves inside out or upside down to chase a number on the scale or a certain size jeans.
But I AM suggesting that if you want your body to function
optimally, you have to nourish it with the foods it needs. Your body needs
protein, it needs fats, it needs carbs (yes, really), it needs vitamins,
minerals, phytonutrients, and water. The ratios in which your body needs these
nutrients will vary, but you still need them.
And I’ve been gaining a lot of clarity in the last few years
as I’ve gotten older, learned more about health, nutrition, and wellness, and
as my wants, desires, and needs have changed – I’m way more interested in being
stronger, longevity, and protecting my health than I am in being “skinny”.
Quite frankly, given the state of our world right now, I’m far more interested
in those three things than any number on the scale.
As I have joked with Hubs on more than one occasion, I wanna
be a freaking Amazon. Strong, confident, and healthy.
I also want peace. I want calm. I want to be Zen amongst the chaos. All of these things require three major components:
- Nourishing my body with the foods and water it needs to maintain itself and build stronger systems.
- Move my body in ways that are going to also support these systems: doing cardio, strength training, and stretching.
- Manage my stress, get enough sleep (very difficult with perimenopause), and focus on what is going to get me to my goals.
All of these things are interconnected with each other. You need them all in order to thrive and reach your goals. I’m not going to pretend any of this is as simple as snapping your fingers and it’s done.
Life is complicated. You’re busy. You’re tired. You’re
juggling your hectic schedule. You may not want to think about balancing your
meals, finding the time to exercise properly, and somehow creating a
stress-reducing routine every day.
Sometimes your kids’ leftover mac and cheese and chicken
nuggets are the best you can do on a busy day. Walking back and forth between
parking lots and ball fields while dragging a wagon full of sports equipment
and a toddler to an older sibling’s ball game is the most cardio and strength
training you’re getting in the evening.
These are all valid, and you’re obviously not alone. Finding
the ways to make it work for you are personal, and there’s no right or wrong
way, no matter what anyone else tells you.
My starting point is nutrition.
As I said, I want to give my body what it needs, and right
now, that’s the most doable step for me.
I’m making sure I:
A.) get enough water every day,
B.) work on my fruits and veggies each day,
C.) work on my protein intake.
It’s all a work in progress.
So, pick your starting point, and spend the coming week working on the area that will nourish your body and get you a step closer to your health and wellness goals.
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