high-level
I started to dip my toes into the 'health-and-wellness' ecosystem after college, when I realized yo-yo dieting was not working for me. I simply didn't know what "exercise" was or what a "balanced plate" looked like! I would "eat healthy" on weekdays, and have "cheat days" EVERY weekend... then feel awful and regretful every Monday. I had major battles with cystic acne, migraines, and fluctuated weight gain.
When I realized that what I needed to do was make a change, I started to explore options, research things that worked for others, and find what I loved to do:
- consistency in my food-choices
- not grouping foods into "good" or "bad"
- 80/20 rule (learn more here: )
- balanced plate & macros (one protein - chicken or salmon, two to four carbs - sweet potato, broccoli, brussel sprouts & spinach, and one fat - avocado or egg)
- workouts that are fun, high-intensity, and easy-to-follow (shoutout to Kayla Itsness & the SWEAT® program!)
- study my body and listen to what it actually needs in that moment; for example if I am bored, I'll turn to an intriguing podcast, go on a walk, do a craft....OR perhaps dig into that bag of popcorn that I've been eyeing because I feel like it!) ☺️
ORIGIN STORY
as told by yours truly!
The effects of clean eating habits go far beyond becoming “skinnier” or “more tone” (i.e.: physical manifestations); the effects dip into energy levels, mental stability, gut-health, clear skin - the list goes on! 📃The reason I am such a huge proponent of this idea that ‘clean eating = positive correlation to holistic wellness” is because I experienced its effects first-hand when I was struggling with (1) acne, (2) migraines, and (3) steady weight gain.
I want to make it clear though...I did not always believe or fully understand the profound effects clean-eating had on holistic health. I really started to dip my toes into the 'health-and-wellness' ecosystem after college, when I realized the common ‘yo-yo dieting’ was not working for me. I simply didn't know what "exercise" was or what a "balanced plate" looked like. I would "eat healthy" on weekdays (i.e.: boring salads, dressing-less chicken), and have "cheat days" EVERY weekend...then feel awful and regretful every Monday. I would experience debilitating migraines that prevented me from going to classes, work, or social gatherings because of the extreme nausea I could not seem to shake. My acne was also out of control; I had cystic pimples that lined my cheeks, oily skin, blotchy pigmentation...which not only forced me to lather concealer all over my face, but promoted an extremely insecure and anxious side of my personality that was not truly “me”.
MY OWN ‘ROUGH’ PAST
ACNE: Ever since sophomore year of high school (~15 years old), I remember having horrific and painful cystic acne all across my face. I tried every topical cream known to mankind and every oral treatment that my dermatologist let me get my hands on; so many medications that I am 99% positive my parent’s insurance company questioned how many adolescent teens they were allowing under their insurance...because it sure-as-hell could not have just been one!). I would then try to pile on loads of makeup, which not only didn’t look great, but it also felt so very out-of-character for me. The combination of helplessness, money-down the drain, and having to cake makeup all over my face left me crying myself to sleep wondering why none of these expensive and ‘dermatologist-proven’ methods were not working on my oh-so-stubborn epidermis. Eek, dark.
MIGRAINES: Again beginning in high school, and well into college, I remember being struck with severe, biweekly migraines - to the point where I would vomit for hours and could not leave a dark room. When no over-the-counter pain suppressants worked, I decided to visit a Neurologist - who simply prescribed me with medications that were not only expensive, but also had gnarly side effects (like more nausea, moodiness, bloody nose...not really things I wanted to add on top of my already epic list).
WEIGHT GAIN: I started to experience steady weight gain midway through in high school that continued all throughout college...and couldn’t put a finger on exactly why. I was fed a few different theories, common amongst my age group: birth control, decreased metabolic activity that naturally occurs with aging, yo-yo dieting, etc....all of which were definitely at play.
BECOMING ATTUNE WITH YOUR BODY
Now that we have…. I want to dive into the importance of
becoming more hyper-aware of our bodies.
I want to make it clear though...I did not always believe or fully understand the profound effects clean-eating had on holistic health. I really started to dip my toes into the 'health-and-wellness' ecosystem after college, when I realized the common ‘yo-yo dieting’ was not working for me. I simply didn't know what "exercise" was or what a "balanced plate" looked like. I would "eat healthy" on weekdays (i.e.: boring salads, dressing-less chicken), and have "cheat days" EVERY weekend...then feel awful and regretful every Monday. I would experience debilitating migraines that prevented me from going to classes, work, or social gatherings because of the extreme nausea I could not seem to shake. My acne was also out of control; I had cystic pimples that lined my cheeks, oily skin, blotchy pigmentation...which not only forced me to lather concealer all over my face, but promoted an extremely insecure and anxious side of my personality that was not truly “me”.
I then decided to make a pivot in my life: I wanted to feel invincible ALL days of the week. I did not want to start every week so negatively by hanging onto feelings of self-punishment and the ‘bad foods’ I ‘allowed’ myself to eat back-to-back on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I was over constantly feeling like I needed a to skip lunch that day because I ate [insert unhealthy food here] for breakfast - or constantly feeling like a needed to eat a Tums or Advil because of my incessant stomach aches and migraines from all the salty / sugary / high fat foods...So, I started doing more research into “clean” and “lean” foods, then experimented with how I could make them unique, tasty, and agreeable with my stomach. I slowly began learning how to add balance to my plate with one-two proteins (i.e.: chicken, salmon, ahi tuna, shrimp, garbanzo beans), two-three carbs (i.e.: sweet potato, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, etc.), and one fat (i.e.: avocado or egg). I gradually learned that the trick for me is to add loads of variety and ensure I get the perfect ratio with each bite - which has launched me into what I like to call the ‘BOWL IT’ approach: take a traditional meal, and whip it up in a bowl.
- For example, I would turn traditional chorizo tacos wrapped in flour tortillas and melted cheese into a bowl version by swapping the chorizo for lean chicken, tossing some cauliflower rice and mixed greens as a base, and making my own guacamole to pile on top.
- Another example I eat pretty much every single night is bowling a standard ‘chicken and veggies’ plate: toss some mixed greens and cauliflower rice into a bowl, steam some broccoli, sautee fun choice veggies (i.e.: diced eggplant, mushrooms, peppers, etc), perhaps some cauliflower gnocchi for some texture?!, and then drizzle some homemade low cal/ low-sodium dressings (soy sauce + lemon juice + garlic is my fav).
Aside from the fact that I now personally love the taste of all vegetables/fruits/clean foods, I want to stress the other importances of eating hearty / balanced / nutrient-dense meals. It’s not only the physical, inexplicable feeling of something close to “invincibility,” but it is also the vast amounts of physical energy I feel to run, do HIIT workouts, enjoy a migraine-free life, clear skin - the list goes on!! Though it took around 6-10 months for me to experience changes from my newfound eating habits, I can confidently say that pivoting my diet has not only brought about positive results in my weight loss journey, but I no longer get migraines (ever!!!) or cystic acne. Of course, we all still struggle with the occasional stress-induced breakout or headache, but LITERALLY...changing my diet changed my life. I now try to eat intuitively, find healthier kitchen swaps, and do workouts that get me EXCITED to sweat! I've learned to study my body and listen to what it actually needs in that moment (i.e.: if I am bored, I'll turn to an intriguing podcast, go on a walk, do a craft....OR perhaps dig into that bag of popcorn that I've been eyeing because I feel like it!) ☺️
