Let me firstly say that what you are about to read isn’t to be used and copied.
I am going to let you in on my journey and what used to be my unhealthy relationship with food.
I will go into how I managed to make a change not just with portion control but I literally did a 360 when it comes to the types of food I eat.
This blog will hopefully inspire you to make a change so you can be the best version of you.
My whole life from when I was younger, all I can remember is hating anything healthy.
You probably think i’m kidding but i’m not.
I went through many stages and sometimes I would eat the ‘weirdest’ things.
In my younger years maybe from the age of about 6-12, I remember only eating cereal.
And I mean for breakfast lunch AND dinner.
Then it upgraded to dry cooked pasta, then to pasta with butter.
No vegetables, no sauce and nothing nutritious whatsoever.
My mum and dad always tried but no.
I went through stages of eating uncooked porridge.
I vaguely remember going into the kitchen cupboard one day, taking a spoonful of butter dipped in sugar and eat the whole lot.
Now when I think about that, it makes me gag.
The funny thing is now I don’t eat dairy and have a relatively low sugar diet.
Honestly 360.
Anyway, as the years went on I did start to eat ‘real’ food but still mostly just carbs and dairy.
This consisted of wraps with hotdogs and cheese in the them, buttered crusty rolls, pizza, mash potato with cheese and a little chicken.
Things that were clearly not dong anything for me.
I would like to say that I have never been so heavy, that weight has been a big issue for me, HOWEVER like all girls I have had my fair share of insecurities.
I never wore shorts from the age of about 15 - 21 because I hated my thighs so much.
I still find it hard sometimes to go out in public with a bikini on when I’m on holiday and its not because I think I’m big its just because we are our own worst critic.
We judge ourselves harder than anyone else would.
Can you relate?
REMINDER - Most of the time people are caring more about the way THEY look and not actually noticing you.
As I started to get older something began to shift. I was going to the gym and being more active and for the first time I started to feel confident in my body.
I must have been about 22 when all this began.
I was working in a gym and not in a bar environment anymore (this definitely helped), I was spending about 2 hours in the gym, teaching dance classes, eating better and learning what I needed to do to be the best version of me.
I wanted to be someone who loves themselves (not in an arrogant way) but comfortable in their own skin.
Let me mention that this has been a VERY long journey and will be an ongoing process that will probably be with me until the day I die.
Always growing, always changing, always evolving.
So I done my level 2 gym instructing qualification to learn more about the body.
I had never used a gym previous to working in it. The odd occasion when I was abusing myself with food and alcohol I would run on a treadmill for about 10minutes and then do a 15minute ab session, completely out of guilt.
Little did I know how much I was going to grow to love it.
I loved it so much that I was going to the gym for hours a day. I was also partying at the weekends and not eating correctly and went from a size 10/12 to a size 6 in a matter of months.
I was completely naive to the fact that I wasn’t eating right or getting the right nutrients and vitamins.
After many chats with friends and family I started to be more aware of the foods I was eating and also my general health.
During the days in the gym I was granted free access to classes.
I started to join my mum at a weekly yoga class every Wednesday.
I was at this point very interested in mindset and how the brain works.
How positive thinking can impact you and just general self development.
I kept hearing all about meditation and how good it is for you.
I looked into doing a yoga course in 2016 to learn more about mind and body. This was the second best decision I have ever made.
The first is for a different blog.
As I was saying I used to be a very fussy eater.
When I started to shift towards a ‘healthier lifestyle’ that’s when the types of food I was eating began to change.
It went well for a few years and then it started to go south.
I started to eat more meat to get my protein up. This was all well and good, and although I was feeling toned and in great shape I was also feeling lethargic, bloated and my skin was breaking out pretty bad.
At the time I wasn’t sure what was happening but I knew something wasn’t right.
This a picture of me when I first started on the health journey, good shape but bloated
Out of nowhere I was asked if I wanted to attend a nutrition course through work.
Yes of course why not, I loved learning and what better than to learn about the stuff that fuels us.
Unknowingly we were taking part in a Vegan Nutrition course.
That course was the turning point for me.
I learned about the chemistry and biology of the body and all about what our body ACTUALLY needs.
This is me still in good shape but less swollen
I know this subject has many different opinions that surround it and that is why I am saying this is something that worked for me, it doesn’t mean by doing the same thing you will have the same results.
I had already cut out dairy as I learned early that my body wasn’t a big fan of dairy so after the course I cut out all things that weren’t plant based.
I did that in 2016 and have never looked back.
I got amazing results from it.
I FELT healthier, I had more energy, my skin cleared up.
I was actually able to come of my IBS medication and have never suffered from it again.
I do sometimes have a small bit of chocolate every now and again but oh man do I feel it.
I stick to most plant based chocolates and desserts.
Food wise it is so easy to be vegan there are so many helpful platforms.
I will be happy to write a separate blog on this and the foods I eat later.
Im not here to convert you into a plant based eater, I am just letting you know my experience.
Everybody is different and everyones bodies work differently so if your feeling sluggish or not quite 100% take a look at the foods your eating.
I invested in a nutritionist and a sensitivity test and it helped MASSIVELY.
I am also very grateful that my partner is a fantastic pt and has really helped me and many others to get great results that are easy to maintain.
https://www.instagram.com/gav.evolve.coaching/
This is VITAL.
Loving yourself enough to be the best version of you should be made a top priority.
I will leave you with a few of my challenges that I have done over the years and as you can see my weight fluctuates, just like everyone else.
I live by a 80/20 rule majority of the time.
80% good 20% bad.
It's all about balance.
Peace and Love
Jen
xxx