Today, I enjoyed a healthy whole food packed chipotle bowl with a side of an extra large cookie. And the amazing part... I felt ZERO guilt.
It was then and there, I knew I was experiencing this new found thing called food freedom.
I felt the same level of confidence and control with each of these foods.
To me, food freedom means indulging when it feels worth it, and passing when it isn't - without any sort of shame for either choice.
As a health coach and a lady who is recovering from a chronic diet culture mindset, I am passionate about finding the healing power of all food groups while being mindful of the foods that make me feel my very best.
The process to get here has not been easy and I have learned some tough lessons. My daughters grew up watching me eat less than 1200 calories on most days. I even did the HCG diet a few times - one where you eat 500 calories or less! Needless to say, it has taken time for my body to adjust to this new found relationship with food. It takes time to reverse years of dieting. It takes support and education. If you are struggling with food freedom and guilt, then this blog is for you!
Here are my top 5 tips for shifting out of diet culture mindset and becoming your most VIBRANT self.
Refrain from labeling food good or bad.
As I began to incorporate more whole foods into my diet, I began to experience food as a way to feel nourished and whole. Whole foods help cravings subside as your body begins to get the much needed energy and nutrients it needs. You know longer see food as good or bad, instead you see it as a way to feel your very best.
Listen to your body's cues to determine what foods make you feel good.
As a health coach, I have the opportunity to guide woman into a whole food based nutrition plan with limited dairy and gluten. At first, it feels really hard and I am often met with some resistance. However, once removed and the body resets, you can be confident in listening to your body's specific cues. It is also a great way to see how your body feels with and without different foods.
If you have never researched processed foods and the effect it has on the body, here is a great short video that is a must watch. It reminds you of the addictive nature of some of the foods you eat!
The Seductive (and EVIL) Power of Processed Food
Allow yourself to eat any food without guilt.
We can never be 100% perfect in your nutrition plan or goals. Perfection is a recipe for disaster. Instead, lean into consistency and watch it give way to enjoying all the foods you love. Remember... Freedom in any sense of the word never comes without boundaries or guidelines. There is freedom in knowing when and where to draw the line.
Practice healthy movement that you enjoy.
There is no need to use exercise as a punishment for over eating or indulging. Movement is a powerful tool meant to be enjoyed and to experience optimal physical and mental well-being. You will come to love movement as you experience how good it makes you FEEL and MOVE. Pair it with a whole food based diet and you will truly experience freedom!
Realize that bodies come in all shapes and sizes.
Your healthiest and happiest self is not your lightest self. Skinny doesn't equal healthy. When you stop chasing the low number on the scale and start finding ways to live vibrantly; then, you will reap the full benefits of your most nourished self.
If you want to learn what fueling your body adequately looks like and how to pair it with exercise that you really can enjoy, click below for more info on my next 6 week New Client round of the FASTer Way.
You matter too!
Over 40 and looking a plan to help with fat loss and becoming your best self? You're in the right place!
Not only is Amy an RN but she is also a Certified Coach with FASTer Way to Fat Loss and has personally lost over 40 pounds in her 40's and helped many others achieve the same results in their 40, 50, 60's... After a scary cancer battle for Amy's husband in 2019, Amy found herself at her heaviest weight and desperate for a way to regain the person she knew deep down that she still was. Amy is passionate about inspiring other ladies to live their healthiest and happiest life. You will find her journey sprinkled with gratitude, faith centered and always focused on being a good steward of one's health. Health truly is wealth.
Amy has experienced pain, battled life's fragility and knows the power of sharing your story. Welcome to this chapter!
For more information, on the FASTer Way program click here:
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