My Personal Journey:
I had my son when I was 19 and at that time I was not into food and nutrition at all. In the spring of 2012 following his birth, I did the Master Cleanse, for the second time – the first time I gave it a whirl in high school for maybe 2 days. During the cleanse I read a book that swayed me into becoming a vegetarian! The book talked about all the nasty components of meat and how awful it was to consume. I thought I was being “healthy” for the 4 years that I was a vegetarian but as fitness became important to me, I felt like my body was missing something – high quality protein.
I wasn’t living in my parents’ home anymore at this time and was purchasing food on my own. I read and learned more and more about the food I was consuming. I realized that there is so much more that goes into choosing the meat you purchase. Organic, grass fed, good quality meat existed. I also realized that while I was a vegetarian thinking I was super healthy, the cheese, breads and processed snacks that I was living on, along with veggies of course, were not benefiting my body the way I needed it to. SO.. I slowly transitioned back into being a carnivore towards the end of 2016.
Now, as I added meat back, I started to eliminate cheese and processed carbs like breads and pastas and chips. I rarely had dairy and kind of put a ‘bad’ label on those types of foods. I would bounce back and forth going from being super strict to then falling off the wagon and feeling so icky and guilty.
It wasn’t until August 2017 when I really learned so much more about food and how it affects ME. I did my first round of WHOLE30 and I have to say, it was truly life changing. That month was a serious self-experiment where I eliminated certain food groups for 30 days and then strategically added them back into my diet to see how different foods affect my body. A WHOLE30 is not meant to be long lasting. It is for only 30 days and truly worth every day. I learned a ton through my experience and took the ‘bad’ label off of foods. There are foods that make you more healthy and foods that make you less healthy but it doesn’t mean you should eliminate certain foods f o r e v e r. I learned that processed cheese and some dairy are most likely the cause of the migraines I have suffered from for most of my life. I learned that peanuts give me a tummy ache and rice sometimes makes me feel bloated. I learned that I do not have any true food allergies but some things don’t always make me feel the greatest and I have more of an understanding of foods that are worth it to me. I learned that my body enjoys and functions better when keeping processed foods to a minimum but it can totally tolerate fun things in moderation – and I enjoy these things guilt free thanks to my Food Freedom. (thanks to the whole30)
During WHOLE30 I cooked… A LOT. I have always enjoyed cooking and experimenting. I think my love for it started when I was little. I remember my aunt always cooking and getting me to try new things – tofu at 4 anyone? She is an amazing cook also. When I was a vegetarian, I cooked more because I always needed to make my own meals to make sure I had something meat free. My passion for cooking continues to grow every day. I love taking a traditional meal that is less healthy and filling it with beneficial ingredients. I LOVE cooking for others and sharing healthful meals with them. My kitchen is my happy place. Through WHOLE30, my love for nutrition began.
Me today:
I continue to learn every single day through articles, podcasts and individual courses. I was doing my own WHOLE30 two times a year for fun, especially when I’m pregnant, but have shifted to really enjoying and living out my Food Freedom plan. Feeling great while truly loving the food I am eating is so fulfilling to me. I’ve done my fair share of trendy “diets” and experimented with all different eating modalities giving me insight to what most have experienced trying to figure out what works best for them. I want to share science-based information so you can feel as good as possible in your Food Freedom too. I hope to be able to help those who don’t love to cook find a passion for it, to educate people on their own personal bodies and what foods work best for them and shift the idea that eating well means restriction and deprivation. The more you know, the better your actions can be! Food is an amazing and delicious tool packed with tremendous information to help our bodies function to the best of their ability and you deserve to feel great!