If you’re like me, I used to think about the effect of my eating habits on a more superficial level – keeping my weight in check, fitting into my clothes, and looking good. Somehow though, when our health deteriorates, we just take it in stride that we’re more tired than usual, not as productive, not able to focus, generally not feeling like our usual self. Why is that?
Even though I’ve studied nutrition since the age of 15, and I’ve always understood the correlation between good eating and good health, on the deeper level somehow I had become unaware of the nutritional chaos of my own life – and it didn’t click until I got sick and my body and my business suffered the consequences.
I was motivated to look things differently. Maybe you’ve already experienced the same thing?
Let me ask you this – if you had to build a home that you’d have to live in your entire life, would you make it poorly constructed from cheap, substandard supplies, or would you build it with quality materials so it would be strong and solid for a very long time? Well, your body is that house. Your body is your temple, and it’s the only one you get to live in. It’s not static though – it regenerates throughout your lifetime. If you are rebuilding your temple throughout your life, what are you choosing to build it with?
You are being given a gift, today, to start to rebuild with quality materials.
Most of us know food contains the essential nutrients and minerals to build healthy cells, tissues, and organs. If you don’t eat foods that provide these things for your body, how will it get them? It won’t. So then what? If you’re eating mostly foods with little nutritional value then you’re setting yourself up for sickness.
It’s simple – if you eat nutrient deficient foods, you get nutrient deficient health.
This isn’t about judging or beating yourself up, it’s about becoming aware before your health suffers the consequences of your food choices. It’s about changing things you need to change to improve your health and build a strong, healthy body. It’s about living a quality life as long as you can. None of us are perfect, and now and then we need a wake up call to make us evaluate things.
I’d rather this be your wake up call before your health is.
When I was training for my first fitness competition, I had been working out two hours a day – 5 days a week. Lifting weights and doing cardio and I felt great! All of a sudden, one day I was so exhausted, I could hardly get out of bed, let alone workout. This continued for a week or two, and I went to my doctor. The diagnosis? Severe iron deficient anemia and low red blood cells. Because my diet had been deficient in iron, I had used up all my bodies stores, and was close to needing a blood transfusion. I had been experiencing a host of symptoms I had overlooked for some time, and didn’t pay attention until it got so critical that I could barely get out of bed.
How often do you ignore your health until things get to that point?
Sometimes, you just have to be honest with yourself – really honest and take a good hard look at what you’re eating. If you’re feeling poorly, chances are you’ve been eating poorly. I had become run down and tired over a few months, and decided to take a more proactive approach. I visited a highly recommended practitioner of Chinese medicine. She evaluated me and what she said to me shocked me. She told me I needed to avoid white flour, cheese, and milk. I scoffed! I didn’t eat those things! I have practiced healthy eating all my life!
And then, the light bulb went on. Thinking it and knowing it, is not the same as doing it. I had strayed from my usual healthful eating over those months, and I was feeling it.
Here’s the conversation from my head.. (oh, queen of denial)
“White flour? Not me! I barely even eat bread! Hmmmmm, unless you count the pizza I’ve started having once (or twice) a month, and the pasta dinners that have been becoming much more frequent…. “ding” (that’s the sound of the lightbulb going on in my head)
Cheese? What was that delicious stuff on top of those pizzas – cheese you say? And then there is my favorite snack – lowfat mozza that I’ve been eating a whole lot more of. How about that boconcini that I love in my healthy salads? … “ding ding”
Milk? Oh no, I don’t drink milk - I only drink almond milk in my coffee at home. Coffee..at..home.. …coffee…. Hmmm, coffee at Starbucks Ohhhhhhh! What about those daily lattes (made with milk)? “ding ding ding ding ding!!!” – “gasp”
It’s amazing what you discover when you take the time to be aware of what you’re eating, and to be honest about what you’re eating. You have to know where you are before you can move forward.
Step into your greatness:
Your first step, get a snapshot of what your eating by logging it. A great place to track your eating is available here. It’s a free site that I personally use. Use it for at least 3 days, making sure that you include days when you know your eating is not optimal (usually weekends). After you’ve tracked your food, you’ll want to take some time to review it. It will most likely be surprising, and very apparent where the quality food is, and isn’t. It’s an eye opening experience, and can lead you to greater things, so start right away!
Then, you can begin by slowly replacing the unhealthy foods you eat, with healthier, whole food choices.
If you feel lost in this department, check out these two fabulous women for guidance, Meghan Telpner (Nutritionista Extraordinaire and founder of Love in the Kitchen), and Kris Carr (author of Crazy Sexy Diet). Both are amazing women with powerful passion for nutrition and health, who can advise you how to eat (deliciously) for optimum health and well-being!
Take control of your nutrition today, and take better care of you and your business!
