A few weeks ago I began noticing some symptoms crop back up into my life. It frustrated me. I know all the hacks. I know all the tools to keep those symptoms at bay. Did I need another cleanse? Another pantry clean out? Did an inflammatory food creep back into my diet? Am I not combining my foods right? Do I need more probiotics?
To keep my head from spinning, I decided to get quiet and ask myself, “what do I need?” Two words came out loud and clear.
“Slow down.”
You’ve probably seen this. You or someone you know has done at least 5 rounds of the Whole30, and yet, in some ways nothing has changed. They’ve just swapped food out (which is good, don’t get me wrong) but the habits around how they eat are exactly the same.
Instead of taking the time to listen to their own body during a clean-eating challenge, they just muscle their way through it. Follow all the rules. Barely breathe. And this is where the rubber meets the road.
We can be eating the best diet, but if we don’t take the time to address our habits around how we eat, we aren’t really moving the needle that far. Particularly those habits around how we may be using food as a buffer even with ‘healthy’ paleo/vegan/keto treats.
Those same symptoms we are running from, are going to come right back at us.
Maybe you also noticed some not-so-fun symptoms over the holidays. Everyone’s diet goes off the rails a bit during this season. We’re all human and it’s ok. Maybe you also had the knee-jerk reaction of doing a big cleanse, another Whole30 or RESTART at the beginning of January.
I ask you to take a moment and get quiet.
If you’re reading this, I know you’ve already done a clean-eating challenge. Probably several. What do you really need right now? What is your body asking of you?
What is it that will really nourish you for a healthy start to 2019?
I bet it’s not another Whole30.
Not that a Whole30 isn’t valuable. But let’s take this to the next level because your relationship with food is just as important as what is actually on your plate.
This month, sure I’m going to focus on the foods that I know make me feel a whole lot better (hint: it’s not sugar). But, more than that, I’m going to really focus on how I eat. Slow it down. Sit down. Not eat when I’m overwhelmed. And make sure I’m tasting and enjoying whatever it is I am eating.
What about you? What’s your focus this month? Comment below and let me know. 🙂
Cheers to a vibrant 2019,
Kristi