Hi everyone, I’m Angela from A Healthy Fit 2bahealthyfit.com and I’m so excited to be posting on Missy’s blog. I haven’t been a long time reader, but I did become an instant fan.
I wanted to post today about something that I think is so important and it’s also something that we forget to do. No, I’m not talking about flossing our teeth. I’m talking about listening to our bodies.
First, a couple things you should know about me. I am German & Italian, so it goes without saying that I am stubborn– very, very stubborn. I make up my mind about things and then that’s that.
Sticking to your guns & not backing down can be a great quality, but it can also blow up in your face. Needless to say, my stubbornness has gotten in the way of my health because I was being stubborn about being healthy. Huh? Yes, I am so stubborn that I forget to listen to the person who knows me best…me.
I have kept running when my knees have shouted for me to stop. I have not eaten when I’ve been hungry. I’ve eaten too much after my body told me I was full. I’ve pushed my body to its limits…in a negative way.
After years of ignoring my body, I am finally starting to listen and there are some major changes that have come along with that.
Currently, I’m not running. I want to run. My mind wants me to run. My body, however, has a different plan. Instead of incessantly pushing myself to run, I am backing off. This is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. When I see runners out on the street, I feel pangs of jealousy. When I read other blogs where people are talking about running, I feel heartbroken. In my heart I am a runner with two marathons and countless other races under my belt, but my body is not able to do what I want it to do right now. Maybe my body is taking its revenge on me for abusing it, not appreciating it, and ignoring it. I know now that I will never do that again. My ears are open.
Vegetarian, Pescetarian, Ovolacovegetarian, Vegan…so many people these days are eating in so many different ways, all in an effort to be healthy. So what is the healthiest? Is there a healthiest? This is when knowing you own body and actually listening to it comes into play. Don’t knock anything until you try it, but don’t be so stubborn to not realize when something doesn’t work for you. It doesn’t mean that you aren’t healthy or you are a failure if you eat meat or not.
I was a pescetarian for quite a while and eventually made the leap into vegandom after reading The China Study and Skinny Bitch. I thought it would make me my healthiest and I dreamt of losing those 3-5 pounds that everyone always wants to lose. I was a moderate vegan for 6 months. I say moderate because I still ate sushi once a month.
After six months I went back on the organic, hormone free meat wagon.
My body needed more protein. I know that you can get adequate amounts of protein from foods like legumes, nuts, tofu, tempeh, seitan, and some grains. For my body, it wasn’t enough. I craved sugar all the time.
If Cookie Monster on Sesame Street had a cousin named Sugar Monster that would have been me. I wouldn’t eat the good kind of sugar, you know like fruit. I wanted the crappy kind found in jelly beans and that cheap frosting you find on cakes made at the grocery store.
For a long time, I didn’t realize that my sugar cravings and my food choices went hand in hand. Since I’ve started incorporating more meat and dairy (with the help of my nutritionist) back into my diet, I’ve had more energy and less sugar cravings. This is what seems to work the best for me.
There are so many different ways of eating out there, I urge you to find the one that suits you best regardless of what may be most popular at the moment. I don’t think there is only one right or better way to eat.
So when it comes to exercising, eating, making decisions…listen to your gut. Your body knows what it wants and needs. So many times we ignore it. We go to the gym despite the fact that our body is crying for rest. We deprive ourselves of food that we know our body would enjoy. We don’t listen. It’s time to stop ignoring and start tuning in. I know our bodies are going to thank us for it.
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Great post! I’m trying to figure out, however, how more protein would make you want less sugar? PRotein isn’t sugar. However, when you eat more protein your body will use less sugar for energy, so maybe that is the idea here?? Any thoughts?
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Love this post, listening to our bodies is SO important.
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I totally agree with you! I just recently came to terms with the fact that every body is different and because of that each body has different nutritional requirements. I read Eating for Your Tipe and it has totally changed my outlook on nutrition and eating!
Great Post!
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That is so true! Great post!
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Great post! I have to really work on listening to my body, especially when it comes to rest days…I want to go go go and my body is screaming STOP
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This is a really fantastic post! I am also trying to listen to myself these days. My mind so often wants different things from my body… and sometimes it sends me conflicting messages but I’m trying to still listen and “de-code.”
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great guest post. i wish more people would make the connection between sugar feeds cravings in an addictive and unnatural chemical alteration in the brain.
protein and fat are 100% necessary in everyones diet IMO.
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What a great/informative post!
I also dabbled in veganism and found my sugar cravings were off the hook. And like you, we aren’t talking fruit or natural sugars, but rather sour candy, confetti cake, cookie dough (well I still like the latter).
When I went back to eating meat, I found I was just never satisfied by the protein I was eating, with the exception of sushi (I coulda started a 12 step program) and would seek other foods to try to get sated (cue the sugar symphony yet again).
Now, plain old vegetarianism works for me probably b/c I am obsessed with vegetables and eat a lot of greek yogurt (good source of protein plus provides the creamy texture I love).
However, many of my friends who are triathletes and former vegetarians had to slowly incorporate some meat into their diets, as they could were not getting enough protein to support their rigorous training schedule.
I agree, you must listen to your body and what it is telling you and “feed the machine” accordingly.
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