It's been a while since I've written in this space, and I don't really have a good reason other than I couldn't come up with relevant material that I thought "interesting enough" to write about. My focus is on health and wellbeing and although I always try (key word is try) to take better care of myself, to listen to what my body is trying to tell me ... and to not stress too much. Lately I haven't been "nourishing" my body as well as I normally do.
So I woke up today with a mission: I'm gonna start incorporating more fruits and veggies into my everyday diet again. Let me explain...
For quite some time, my breakfast consisted of a smoothie. I would literally put anything and everything into my smoothies. I'd start with a banana, almond milk and kale base, then added any fruit that was over ripe, some chia seeds, some super foods like spirulina, maca, amaranth seeds, raw cocoa, almond butter, etc. and anything else I thought interesting, like beets and ginger. It was a high-powered, high-calorie breakfast, one that nourished my body and pretty much made me feel satiated until 1.00pm.
When the colder weather arrived in the Fall, I stopped craving these smoothies and started craving hot oatmeal and all hot grain cereals. So, I listened to my body and did just that. I also started drinking "whole milk" lattes — so delicious — whereas before I used to just have a double espresso... black. And yes, I do put some fruit in my oatmeal, normally a banana or an apple. I've been doing this for 5 months now, and I do feel fine. I like the energy this breakfast gives me in the morning and I like the warmth in my belly. But, what I've realized is that I have not been eating nearly enough fruit or veggies.
After 5+ months, I feel a bit heavier (probably gained about 5 lbs., but I always do in the fall/winter months) and lately, I have felt a bit lethargic, with not enough energy to tackle the activities that I used to do almost effortlessly. I don't want to overthink this, but I believe there's a simple answer ... and it has to do with BALANCE.
So, the lesson for me is:
+ I'm proud of myself for listening to my body's cravings. My body told me it was needing/craving more warm foods in the fall/winter, and I gave it just what it wanted — especially because I ignored these cravings in previous years. ...
+ I likely reduced my fruit/veggie intake by about 50% — so that definitely affected how my body fueled itself.
+ It's okay to experiment, especially if you become hyper-aware of how your body reacts to the changes in diet you make. There is always a chance to rectify any situation. There's always tomorrow to eat better and make better choices.
+ I totally forgot about what I always preach: BALANCE.
+ I need to get back into incorporating more fruits and veggies into my daily diet. It's still a bit cold outside, so I'm not craving a cold smoothie in the morning... yet, but what I can commit to doing is to juicing again and getting some natural energy and nutrients that way. I usually get a bunch of veggies and fruits, juice them all at once and get two 2-liter glass bottles and fill them to the brim. This usually lasts me about 3 days. It's still fresh enough by the third day so it saves time as juicing is time consuming especially with the clean up.
+ I'm sure my body will thank me for this with renewed energy to do what I like to do.
Change is good and it happens all the time. By recognizing what things work and what things don't work, we can relentlessly continue moving forward.
Have you ever had an experience like this one? Please share.
Remember to commit to thrive and always, always Pay Your Health First.
-- Chris
