A slave to numbers no more

I've been on a journey for the past year and a half to ditch the scale. I've spent the better part of the last decade counting points, counting calories, counting pounds, counting ounces. It's a little bit ridiculous, if you really think about it, to spend so much time counting these numbers when they really don't mean much. Sure, you can count your 1200 calories or whatever for the day but if the calories are nutritionally empty, at the end of the day all you've done is consume 1200 calories of crap. You haven't eaten anything that provides energy to your body. You haven't nourished your body. Even if you eat a certain amount of calories in "junk" and try to burn them off, you can't burn off the effects that food has on your body. It's really not as simple as burning off the extra calories consumed. Even when it comes to weight, I learned from my own personal experience that the number on the scale means SQUAT. After I had my daughter, I was 5lbs away from my pre pregnancy weight, which also happened to be one of my lowest weights ever. But I was actually SMALLER than I was before I got pregnant. That's right. I weighed 5lbs more but I actually lost more inches because I was strength training. That was a real eye opener for me.

The first time the idea of ditching the scale occurred to me was after my first round of Whole30. However, all I could think about the entire time was, "what do I weigh?" I continued to struggle and I attempted to overcome my obsession with the scale with another round of Whole30. It was around this time that I felt and looked my best. It was a time that I could pinpoint as the version of myself that I liked best. After the birth of my second child, I struggled again. I felt like I had to hit a certain number by a certain time and it was frustrating and depressing. Around this time, my scale broke. Our bathroom flooded and it was waterlogged and stopped working. I took that as a sign to kick that obsession for good so I threw away my scale and never looked back.

I've said it before and I'll say it again--- there is SO much freedom in not relying on any number to determine where I'm at in terms of my health and wellness. I know how to eat and move to get my body to its best version. I thought about that version of myself that I mentioned above and that was my inspiration. That version of myself of myself is who I've been working to be lately. I want to have the strength and energy of that version. The picture on the left is my "best" me. I look at it and see strength and drive and passion. The picture on the right was just a few days ago. I've been looking at pictures of myself for the past few month, looking for that version, and this was the first picture I've seen with a glimpse of that version. I can see that sparkle of determination. I feel like I am finally getting back into my groove and it is the most amazing feeling.

When I look at both of these pictures, there is one thing I DON'T see--- numbers on a scale. I honestly don't even know what I weigh right now or what I weighed in the first picture. But I see strong arms and strong legs and the face of someone who just killed their workout and that's just enough to help push me forward to keep reaching my goals.

Sample dinner meal plan

I'm loving our dinner meal plan for the week, so I gathered up the recipes to share with you! These are some of our favorite dinners and they are all Whole30 friendly! Check out the links below for the recipes. 

http://www.ancestral-nutrition.com/turkey-pot-pie-soup/

Use ghee instead of butter here to make it Whole30 compliant 

http://www.foxandbriar.com/buffalo-chicken-and-broccoli-bowls/

Spiralize some zucchini and sauté them in olive oil to serve with these or use spaghetti squash. http://www.noshtastic.com/oven-baked-italian-meatballs-with-marinara-sauce/

http://cavemamas.com/aidells-chicken-apple-sausage-medley/

Serve this with a veggie of your choice... we eat it with broccoli or green beans. http://www.oatmealwithafork.com/2012/09/14/3-ingredient-apple-juice-chicken/

https://www.grassfedgirl.com/low-carb-hamburger-casserole-recipe/

Food = fuel

Somehow it has been three months since I posted… that is not okay! My last post was right before school started, so I had some extra time on my hands. Since then, I have been trying to find a balance between family, work, and my health. Let me tell you, it’s been a little tough. I have spent two of the last three months feeling down and out because there are many times I feel so overwhelmed trying to balance it all. I feel like I am finally in a good place and it’s nice to feel like myself again.

I left off with my Whole30 results and as I read back through them, I can honestly say that I am still enjoying many of those results. It’s truly amazing the freedom I have experienced in relation to my eating habits since I finished. I felt like a slave to the scale and calorie counting for SO long and I’m happy that I don’t have to live like that anymore. 

Something that has been on my mind a lot lately is being mindful about eating habits. By that, I mean eating for nourishment and energy. What has really changed for me over the past few years is that I plan my meals and snacks around what is going to fuel my body. I no longer mindlessly eat or use food as a reward/punishment and that has affected my health in such a positive way. I remember how lethargic and unmotivated I was when I ate like that. Now that I choose my foods carefully, my energy levels are up and stable. That’s a pretty impressive feat, especially with such a hectic schedule and a baby who still gets up a few times a night. I really started to notice this as I resumed my running. I started up again about two months ago and I noticed that I was much faster and my endurance improved when I was really dialed in with my nutrition. When I ate meals that were balanced in terms of protein, fat, and carbs and stayed away from grains, dairy, and sugar, my runs were MUCH better than they were on a day where I maybe wasn’t as strict. I also found that I was more likely to actually go for a run or go workout if my nutrition was on point. It’s a give/take relationship and I feel so healthy and strong right now because I am treating my body well.  If you constantly feel drained of energy or you hit that afternoon slump, take a look at what you’re eating. It’s possible that you are missing the mark nutritionally, which could be affecting you negatively. That’s not to say that there aren’t other factors to take into consideration . The body is an intricate machine that can be affected by many different things. But it’s always worth a shot. 

A lot of people comment about how time consuming it is to exercise, meal plan, etc. I think it's important to look at health as investment. The time and effort you put in determines your results. You can't complain about how you don't like how you feel or look and not be willing to put the effort in to change. It doesn't work that way. I encourage you today to take an inventory of your health. What is one small change you can make this week to make you feel better? Is it drinking more water? Moving your body? Cutting out sugar? Commit to something this week, just one thing, and see how it makes you feel. Chances are you’ll notice a positive change. Give it a try!