A ‘Fresh’ Start.

With the new year usually comes a resolution of some sort- for those that are eager to change something and start anew. But by about the second week of January however, it is often easier to retreat to our old habits; after all, aren’t they more painless?- no exercise plans to stick to, no crazy fad diets, no silly schedules to follow. To the waitress at the new restaurant you try: “Please make sure that my meal is: non-GMO, gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian, oh! – and my eggs- I really prefer them cage-free.” Really?! In all fairness, I am well aware of the health and dietary restrictions many have because of allergies to certain foods; I for one am lactose intolerant and have been since a child. But in all reality, could you really see yourself saying the above phrase when out to dine, unless absolutely necessary? In public, probably not, but at home- well, that’s perhaps a whole different story.

I made a choice this year. For many reasons. I am turning 40 next year; I want to be in the best ‘health’ of my life; I want to improve my inflammation; I have many health conditions and want to have them in control. I could go on. So I made a promise to myself, that this would be my year. Surprisingly, it’s been rather easy to go ‘green’- (vegetables, that is)!

I have always been one to self-sabotage, binge-eat, eat my feelings; this has been an easy way for me to self-soothe, and take whatever pain I was feeling away. And, just prior to my ‘fresh start,’ I did just this. I ate. A large amount of a ‘treat’ that my father and I enjoyed together: doughnuts. Only he obviously was not there any longer for me to enjoy them with. Which is why I decided to eat almost all of them, 9 to be exact, over a 3 day period. And it didn’t take the pain of him not being here away. In fact, it only made me feel worse. Everywhere. So after this 3 day binge, I stopped. Completely. I decided to ‘clean eat’- everything that was going to go into my mouth was going to be a fruit, a vegetable, or a lean protein. I immediately got rid of the notion that I was going to eat anything processed, nothing from fast-food (although this isn’t typical of me anyway), no bread products, and nothing with added sugar. And I haven’t looked back since.

I know it can be hard. Resolutions. But give them some time, and they just might, actually work. Now try some steel-cut oats; they’re amazing!

-K