I have received a lot of "Have you lost weight?" comments lately. The answer is, "Yes, and I feel fantastic." But, I don't feel fantastic because I lost weight, as that wasn't my goal, rather I am fueling my body with nothing (well, almost nothing) but the good stuff and have noticed a marked difference in how I feel on a day to day basis. The bonus is that I lost some weight in the process. I'm not starving myself and I don't feel deprived of anything, I just feel energetic, less bloated, I'm sleeping better and I'm just plain happier!
I suppose I should start from the beginning, being as brief as I can. I LOVE food. And no, LOVE is not too strong of a word. I guess the new term these days is a "Foodie." I'm one of those. I love to cook, I love to eat. And I'm not discriminatory, I love it all: Healthy, unhealthy, meat, fish, veggies, starches......Oh do I adore my starches...pasta, bread, rice, potatoes.....YUM! And salty snacks. Can't get enough of those. And, in all honestly, I could single handedly eat half a cow. One of my favorite dates that my husband and I have is on our birthdays we go out to the finest aged beef restaurants in Boston and just have an obnoxious meal. It's been the highlight of my year for the last 10 years. However, as I've gotten "older" (I hate to write that.....makes it real) I've noticed that I don't digest as well as I used to. That beef that I can so easily devour.....is still sitting there the next day. If I eat late in the evening/night, I'm still full in the morning.....and it's not pretty. Now mind you, over all I'm a very healthy eater. I like to indulge, but my regular diet is all good, nourishing food. I just was eating at weird times, probably indulging more than I should, and it wasn't working for me any more. I had heart burn all the time, I tossed and turned all night nearly every night and I just felt weighed down and bloated. So, I decided it was time to clean up my act and see if I could feel better. And so I did.......and it has rocked my world!
I started with an Ayurvedic cleans (Ayurveda is a 5,000-year-old system of natural healing that has its origins in the Vedic culture of India) which really isn't diabolical. It's basically a week of eating Kitchari {an Indian preparation made from rice and lentils (Dal)} and steamed vegetables. The Kitchari is actually quite good, so it really wasn't a hardship. I got all my information and supplies from Banyan Botanicals, a great site with a LOT of information on Ayurveda.
After I completed the 7 day "detox cleanse," I returned to a book I had read about 4 years ago called, "The 3-Season Diet," by Dr. John Douillard, which basically takes the Ayurvedic concept of eating with the seasons and Americanizes it. It's a very informative and easy read, and it makes so much sense! Additionally, it's the only "diet," though I rather like to think of it as a lifestyle, that does not deprive you of certain food groups. You learn when it's best to eat certain families and types of food. AND Dr. John says you should eat something sweet at the end of your big meal (lunch) to make it feel complete.....YES!
I didn't need to go crazy with changes being a fairly health conscious person, but what I did do is 1. for the most part eat with the season (the growing season). 2. Eat clean. Clean clean clean...nothing processed and as much organic as possible. 3. I am not eating a thing after 5:00 PM. That works for me....I determined that I stop digesting food after 5, so I eat my last meal of the day around 4:30, and even that is very light, my biggest meal is lunch. That's it.....nothing crazy....basically just good clean eating.
So....the long and short of it......yes, I lost weight....now 18 pounds since Thanksgiving. But that wasn't my intended end game. I wanted to feel better....and you know what......I do! I haven't had heartburn since Christmas (overindulged then of course....and paid for it). I am sleeping better than I have slept in YEARS. My skin looks fantastic. I have energy like I haven't had in long time and overall I just feel excellent!
This is undoubtedly the best lifestyle for me and it really is transforming my relationship to food. I'm still a foodie....and I do look forward to my birthday steak....but it will probably be at lunch time!
I'm not suggesting this is the right path for everyone....we all need to listen to our own instincts and be mindful of what role food plays in our life. I hope this inspires you to figure out what fuels you, work with it, and create a healthy lifestyle for yourself!
Discover the Wonders Yoga
155 Broadway Road
Dracut, MA
