My story begins when I was about 10 years old. I remember going to the doctor with my grandmother because my stomach hurt so bad we thought something was seriously wrong. Turns out, the doctor said I was not being fed a healthy diet. This is my earliest experience with food and it continues on until today.Me and my dog TJ on a hike...
Growing up, I always had stomach issues: from bloating to cramps to nausea. They would come like clockwork, right after eating. My stomach would swell and I would feel horrible. My family gave me a diet high in grains because they didn't know any better and it seemed like the best food to eat. We ate a lot of cereal, sandwiches, pasta, and fast food. The doctors told us that I didn't have enough fiber in my diet and so I was forced to eat fiber bars on a daily basis. This continued on until I went to college and things seemed to get worse. It got to the point where I had to go to the doctor again because I thought I had a major problem digesting food. The result was "Irritable Bowel Syndrome" with a list of foods I should and should not be eating. IBS is a diagnosis that is given out to most people who live with digestive issues. At this point, I thought I was going to have to accept my Syndrome and learn to live with bloating, stomach cramps, and general uncomfortableness with eating. I started to eat less when I was out in social situations because I was scared to overeat and feel sick. I went through weight gain and loss ranging anywhere from 5-10 pounds because of a roller coaster diet of starving myself to overeating.
Luckily, I stumbled upon a Primal Diet due to CrossFit and my transition started in 2008.
At first, I completely disagreed with it thinking I was the type of person that NEEDED grains in my life. It was an enlightening experience when I realized how wrong I was. At the time, I was an endurance athlete and practically lived on cereal, sandwiches, and pasta, things I had eaten my whole life. Meat was a low priority, as was eating healthy fats. After a lot of research on my part and some help from my mentor, I decided to give the Primal Diet a try. I realized my diet consisted of A LOT of sugar from the types of food I ate on a daily basis. I was not giving my body what it needed to SURVIVE, much less THRIVE. It was time to change and so started my new journey.
Over the past couple of years I have gone from one extreme to another: From eating perfectly clean to falling back into my old rut and eating a lot of bread and sweets. After completing my 30 days of clean eating, I felt more ALIVE and nourished and I thought that I had finally come to a point in my life that I could stay this way indefinitely. Turns out, I was wrong. Every time I decided to have something that wasn't considered "good" for my body, I felt extreme guilt. For some reason, this lead me to eating in secret. I was surrounded by sugar and I felt like I had to eat perfect all the time. Pretty soon, my perception on food had changed once again, but this time for the worse. Eating became a challenge and all I wanted were things that I felt deprived of.
After a lot of thinking on the subject, I decided I needed a NEW VIEWPOINT. I needed to change how I thought of food and also needed to find a balance for my life. I did exactly what I tell my clients-- "baby steps". One thing at a time. One meal at a time. I started having gratitude meals during the week rather than just saving them for the weekend. When I had them, I savored them and then moved on without loading myself down with guilt. Since discovering this new perception on food, I have been much more balanced and whole. My body feels phenomenal, my performance is great, and my attitude and emotional state are in a good place.
Great post, Crystal! I love this blog, btw!
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