I have a confession. I completely fell off my clean eating wagon and went crazy for four solid days. Well maybe not completely crazy, but pretty close. When a big life-transition falls into your lap without much notice, routines and schedules get thrown out the window. This is often the demise for most people and an excuse to give up on their healthy ways. I want to share with you my experience and how you can make sure to move past obstacles like this.
Just like most dieters, I definitely have gone through phases of eating great for a few days or so, to quickly falling back into old habits when the slightest hurdle came along. Over the years, as I’ve learned about healthy eating and have found ways to make it easy, I have transformed into eating a clean diet the majority of the time. My ammunition against life’s daily challenges has been preparation and discipline. Once you get meal planning and grocery shopping down, it’s pretty easy to make sure you prepare healthy food each day. But what if something falls into your lap and alters your whole world? Suddenly you are jumping into crisis-mode, making new plans and operating at a high speed. Naturally less time and more stress are a recipe for disaster. Unless you are prepared!
I was not prepared. Positive changes were occurring, but my usual routine was turned upside down. I continued to incorporate salads, lots of water, lean proteins, etc. into my diet, but I lacked inclusion of daily fruit smoothies, a lean dinner, vitamins and resorted to a couple of frozen Kashi dinners. Still sounds pretty healthy, but by day four, I had a headache, was crabby, felt bloated and really couldn’t pin-point my ornery mood. Then it hit me. Years and years of healthy eating supplied me with ample energy and a positive outlook on life. By removing some key components, I was physically seeing the negative side effects of removing these items from my health landscape. It’s almost like seeing very clearly how important it is to adopt a healthy lifestyle and the impact it has on your well-being. When you have a cold, all you can think about is being free of the aches and pains, and as soon as they are gone, you have forgotten about your cold and go on with your life. Let’s take a moment to appreciate health and all it has to offer.
Healthy eating has given me a vibrant life. I have energy, I am positive, I am pleasant to be around, and I can’t wait for the next day to see what’s in store. Doesn’t that sound wonderful? It is! If you can identify with my crisis of how I felt when I fell off the health wagon, then maybe look at ways that you can improve. If you feel pretty good and love life, take a moment to appreciate it. Healthy living and all of its benefits is definitely something that isn’t appreciated until it is gone. Enjoy it!
*The information on this site is designed for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use this information to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor. Thank you!
~by Kimberly Olson
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