When you start to realize that food is a gift and honoring your hunger is one of the best things you can do for your body 🩷
I spent the majority of my teenage years restricting my food and over exercising, which eventually developed into anorexia nervosa. These past few months I have committed to recovery and am in my healing girl summer (inspired by you @growithtori 🩷).
Nourishing your body is one of the best ways to care for yourself.
#hormonehealth#holistichealthjourney#wholefoodeating#wellnessjourney#oatmeal#holisticlifestyle#breakfastclub
'just eat less and move more' is the response I always got back when I was obsessively seeking weight loss and 'health'
But what if that isn't the answer?
If you're like me and struggle with food + restricting, this definitely isn't the answer - we actually need to do the opposite, at least for a season, to start healing 🩷 which is SO hard!
I would also argue, though, that even if you're not trying to heal from an ed, that eating less and moving more (especially as a woman) could hurt you more than help.
What if instead we really tuned in to our bodies and listened to what they need? God created our bodies uniquely, so we all require different amounts of energy and have different taste preferences.
This goes for movement too - try out several kinds and see what feels best! I love strength and Pilates currently.
Just be aware that eating less and moving more actually can put a lot of stress on your body, and if taken too far, has a lot of consequences.
Some ✨ snack-spiration ✨
Snacks are a great way to get more nutrients into your diet, and also satisfaction! I always try to pair protein with a fat and/or a fiber rich carb for a snack. These three have been on repeat for me lately:
- plain whole milk Greek yogurt, frozen blueberries, peanut butter, and raw honey
- plain whole milk Greek yogurt, banana, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and raw honey
- snack plate with a hard boiled egg, green grapes, and almond crackers
I love adding in fruits to my snacks to increase the amount of micronutrients I get in a day! And of course adding in fats + protein to hit my wellness goals.
What's a snack you've been having lately?
#healthjourney#healthyfats#hormonehealth#snackideas#wholefoodeating#wellnessjourney#wellnesslifestyle#healthyrecipes
What's nutrition by addition?
It's where you focus on what you can add instead of what you 'should' cut out!
Wellness trends are starting to get out of hand, and I believe that it's much healthier to add nutritious foods to your diet instead of restricting different food groups or avoiding processed foods 100%.
Especially for those of us who are recovering from an ed, it is SO much better for our health (both physical and mental) to add to our meals instead of take away. If you're at a place where you feel you have a better relationship with food and want to add some gentle nutrition, you can start by asking some of these questions when choosing a meal or snack:
- do I have protein, fats, and fiber?
- can I add a fruit or vegetable?
- does this incorporate the food I'm craving with other foods satisfy me?
- is there color?
Then take a few deep breaths and enjoy your meal/snack. Slowing down has been so helpful for my digestion and also realizing fullness cues, and eating without distractions is also key.
For this yogurt bowl, I started with plain whole milk Greek yogurt (protein + fats), added blueberries (fiber), peanut butter (healthy fats + satisfaction) and raw honey (adds health benefits + sweetness)
I've found that nutrition by addition has really helped me to include more fruits and vegetables in my diet, feel better overall, and be more satisfied with my meals.
Let me know if you try it out!
#nutrients#nutritionbyaddition#hormonehealth#holistichealthjourney#adddontrestrict#eatingtoheal#eatwholefoods#wholefoodeating#wellnessjourney
Super super basic 🫐
☀️ spending my mornings outside when I can - doing my Bible study outside, standing in the grass, soaking in the morning sunlight, and sunshine before my phone
📵 reducing screentime and limiting blue light - no screens for the first and last hour of the day, and less than an hour on IG daily. This is a new one for me - spending time on my phone in the evening and scrolling way too much during the day are two big stressors I need to reduce.
🫐🍌 whole foods focused. I love including the foods I'm craving into my meals/snacks, but I find that I feel so much more energized and less inflamed when I make whole foods my focus. I'm also trying to add more healthy fats and protein in as recommended by my dietitian.
👟 movement. I currently work out 5 days a week for 30-45 minutes and try to get a walk in everyday, but I'm thinking of swapping my heavy lifting for lower impact movement, and also incorporating Pilates because I love it. This is something I saw @alexiadegremonthealth talk about and I'm so intrigued 👀
What's one simple swap you can make?
#hormonehealth#holistichealthjourney#healthjourney#yogurtbowl#oatmeal#bakedoats#balancedlifestyle#wholefoodeating#wellnessjourney#wellnesslifestyle
Let your body have what it wants 🩷
I used to be so scared of adding toppings to my yogurt or oats that weren't 'clean' or that had added sugar. Then I would stress out because the 'clean' versions of the toppings I wanted were so expensive and I felt like I was spending way too much money on food.
But do you know what's so much worse for our bodies than food that has added sugars or flavorings?
Stress.
Stress wreaks havoc on our bodies, and I believe that God didn't intend for us to stress out so much about everything we put in our bodies. Yes, it's important to eat fruits and vegetables, protein, fiber, healthy fats, etc, but it's also important to eat in a way that satisfies our cravings.
God designed our bodies with hunger and fullness cues, so one way to honor God with our bodies is to listen to those cues!
I'm challenging myself this week to include fats in at least my breakfast and snacks, as I need to increase my dietary fat intake. What's one way you can challenge yourself to add on to your meals?
#holisticlifestyle#healthjourney#hormonehealth#holistichealthjourney#wellnessjourney#wellnessjourney#listentoyourbody#nourishtoflourish#nourishyourbody#intuitiveeating#yogurtbowl#toppings#balancedlifestyle#breakfastclub#bakedoats#balanceddiet
🍓 weekly roundup 🍓
honestly this week was pretty good! I've had a few more stressful days due to signing up for college courses and trying to figure out work (so I can afford those courses 😅) but overall it's been a better week.
I met with my dietitian and we made a goal of incorporating more fats into my diet. Because I've skipped a few periods, which she thinks is likely hormones out of whack due to undereating, I'm supposed to increase calories and fats.
One really hard thing I've noticed is that my body is just now seeming to see side effects from undereating. I've lost a lot of hair, haven't had a period, and a few other side effects as well. It's really discouraging because I've been doing so much better with eating and am just now seeing these side effects!
But I'm trying to remind myself that God is in control - He made my body and designed it uniquely, and I believe that He can heal me, both physically and mentally.
Any tips for how to incorporate more fats throughout the day would be appreciated! 🩷
#holistichealthjourney#hormonehealth#wholefoodeating#wellnessjourney#healthyfats#listentoyourbody#peanutbutter#yogurtbowl#balancedlifestyle#blueberries#periodrecovery
This summer we are focusing on healing and health, not striving for a specific body type 👏🏼
My dietitian told me to increase the amount of healthy fats I consume since my hormones seem to be out of whack, so as scary as that is, I will be trying my best these next few weeks to up my daily fat intake.
I'm also prioritizing whole foods, plenty of sleep, strength training and walking, time outside, and mindfulness when I eat.
I'm minimizing screen time by choosing to put my phone in a drawer or another room and setting app timers to reduce the amount of time I spend on social media.
What is one change you're making this summer to prioritize healing and health? I'd love to know!
#holistichealthjourney#holisticlifestyle#hairhealth#hormonehealth#wholefoodeating#wellnessjourney#healthjourney#mentalhealthawareness#wellnesslifestyle#balancedlifestyle#breakfastclub#yogurtbowl#walking#listentoyourbody
Something that I didn't really realize would be affected by my ed is my hair. I've been talking about this a bit on my stories but I want to be more open about it because I'm sure I'm not the only one struggling with hairloss from malnutrition.
I've lost what feels like half of my hair, even though I'm in recovery - things are starting to catch up with me. But as frustrating as it is, I am so blessed that the side effects I'm experiencing aren't worse!
I want to document my hair growth journey on here because 1) I hope it encourages others struggling and 2) hair health is part of a holistic wellness journey!
Here's what I'm focusing on in my hair growth journey:
- oil masks on scalp 2x a week, and jojoba oil mask on the lengths
- jojoba oil on ends nightly
- silk pillowcase + protective styles to sleep in
- trying to find a good shampoo + conditioner
- 5 minute scalp massages 2x a day
- 1 week of inversion method each month
- prioritizing protein and healthy fats in my diet
- hydrating hair mask 1x a week
I'd love to hear your tips! I can't wait to look back at this video one day and see how far I've come 🩷
#hairgrowthjourney#hairhealth#healthjourney#holistichealthjourney#wholefoodeating#wellnessjourney#hormonehealth#healthyrecipes#yogurtbowl#holisticlifestyle#wellnesslifestyle
👟 walking 👟
Walking is the most underrated form of movement! So often we look for the highest intensity form of cardio for our workouts, but doing HIIT multiple times a week actually isn't that great for your health (esp as a girl...)
It doesn't have to be high intensity/high impact to 'count' - any sort of movement is beneficial!
Why is walking so amazing?
- it's low impact
- it's free - you can walk anywhere
- it gets you outside into the fresh air and sunlight
- it's a great way to spend time with others
- walking is effective for weight loss
- walking is a sustainable way to work out long term
- increasing your daily step count helps you be less sedentary
- walking after a meal aids digestion
+ a ton of other benefits!
What I don't recommend, however, is tracking your steps if you find numbers to be triggering - instead you could aim for a 20-30 minute daily walk, and take a quick walk on your work breaks.
I just recently started wearing my fitness watch again as I'm interested in seeing how many steps I'm getting, but I also have to be veryyy careful with that as I'm an ✨obsessive✨ person 😅
The point is, walking has so many health benefits and is the perfect way to get into exercising if you're a newbie! I love lifting 3x a week, doing some sort of calisthenics or Pilates 2x a week, and taking daily walks.
#walking#inclinewalking#healthjourney#hormonehealth#holistichealthjourney#wholefoodeating#hairgrowthjourney#yogurtbowl#balancedlifestyle#breakfastclub#wellnessjourney#wellnesslifestyle
If you would have told me a year ago that working out could actually be bad for your health in certain situations, I never would have believed you.
As a teenager, I would do hours of HIIT, Beachbody, and whatever other cardio focused workouts I could do to try and 'burn off' what I ate. I also thought I was being healthy, because working out is always good for you - right?
Not always!
When working out becomes stressful and harmful to your mental health, it's worth considering taking a break. When you find yourself more focused on the appearance results from working out, the number of calories your watch tells you you burned, or how high of an intensity you can force yourself to do, I think it's time to reevaluate.
Exercise (or what I'm starting to call movement) does have so many benefits for your physical and mental health, like strengthening your muscles and bones, keeping your heart healthy, and helping you destress. But when it becomes a way to control your appearance, maintain a certain physique in an obsessive way, cause you stress if you miss a workout, or turns into something that you MUST do no matter how your body feels, then it isn't healthy anymore.
Exercise should add to our lives, not take away from them! Try focusing instead on the benefits that exercise has - and not appearance based ones 🩷
Personally, my body feels so much better when I'm lifting, incorporating Pilates, and walking - and when I take two rest days. I don't feel well doing all HIIT, and that's fine - everybody is different, because God made our bodies uniquely. We can and should work out in ways that honor our bodies as we are to take care of them - but obsessively exercising is not that.
And sometimes it's healthier to take a full break from exercise for awhile 🩷
What's your favorite form of movement?
#pilates#girlswholift#hormonehealth#holistichealthjourney#intuitiveeating#listentoyourbody#healthyrecipes#holistichealthjourney#wellnessjourney#wellness#wellnesslifestyle#hairgrowthjourney#eatwholefoods#eatingtoheal#balancedlifestyle
Weekly recap 🌸
This past week was honestly a really good one! Most days were sunny, I am loving my new job, and I've been getting back into haircare which has been so fun.
Wins:
- convinced myself to try a new breakfast - for me changing up my meals can be so stressful!
- got a coffee with regular syrup in it
- tried a chicken bacon sandwich (sadly not pictured) that had a sauce on it, which I've never been into before but tried it this time
- hit three gym sessions and had so much fun
- did two days of Pilates!
Focuses for next week:
- try a new food/a new meal
- spend less time on my phone - set an IG limit to reduce screentime
- more prayer time
- two scalp massages a day, one being the inversion method for this week
I would love to hear a win you had, no matter how small we live to celebrateeee
#healthjourney#hairgrowthjourney#holistichealthjourney#holisticlifestyle#listentoyourbody#intuitiveeating#hormonehealth#healthjourney#wholefoodeating#wellnessjourney
