Nutrition – “If you don’t stand for something….”
All of our bodies are human, but each have their unique sensitivities, strengths, and genetic make-ups. I’ve noticed when I run in cold weather, I have to protect my ears. If I don’t… I get a massive headache! Recently, I completely forgot my headband on a morning run. I was super frustrated with myself, but I realized a lesson from the experience that relates to Nutrition!
I’ve found that nutrition comes down to figuring out your unique body and what works best for you. There is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to nutrition. I’ve learned what works for my body through lots of trial and error. The phrase… “if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything” comes to mind and I think it relates easily to Nutrition. It’s important to have a set of nutrition habits that work for you, and then work each day to stick to it (with the occasional splurge).
Food. Is. Fuel!
Other than Hydration, which I talked about last month (and my number one tip to weight management), my next tip focuses on being intentional with foods you put into your body.
Part of being intentional includes educating yourself about the number of approximate calories that are in the food you eat. Calories can add up quick! As I’ve talked about before, it’s super important to find a balance with nutrition. I’ve struggled with my nutrition throughout my life, and most recently through dealing with my back injury. When we burn more than we consume, we lose weight. However, losing weight isn’t always the goal with nutrition- sometimes it’s to feel better, sleep more soundly, or workout more efficiently. It’s really amazing that so many areas of our lives function better when we focus on our nutrition.
Whole30
During the pandemic, I found myself deviating from my nutrition habits more than usual and I wasn’t feeling well. I decided to take on the Whole30 challenge for the month of January. My mom and I did it together, and we recently completed it! If you’re unfamiliar with the challenge, it’s basically a reset for your body. You focus on eating only whole foods with a complete elimination of all sugar, white flour, processed foods, and preservatives. In all honesty – I’ve never done any kind of complete elimination challenge like this. Throughout the 30 days I dearly missed cheese, diet coke, dark chocolate and wheat thins. BUT, I loved how I felt and saw a lot of positive changes in my Whoops stats (6 month Whoop review). I decided I didn’t want to stop, so I’m continuing with whole foods in proper proportions and only splurging on my favorite foods during special occasions – birthdays, holidays, vacations, etc. My goal in doing the challenge was to feel better, and I definitely did!
Bottom line: find what works for you, and stick to it. Listen to your body and fuel it with healthy foods that make you feel your best! Thank you for reading and following along for the second month of my Wellness Series, I’d love to hear your nutrition tips or tricks!
I’m linking some of my favorite healthy snacks and foods below. Enjoy!
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