My 80 / 20 Life- Removing the Label
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What does healthy mean to you? For me, healthy has transformed into many different
things throughout the years. I have found though, balance is key. My story began
when I chose to give up dairy close to 4 years ago, due to an allergy I had
struggled with for years. This by far was one of the best decisions I committed
too.
Initially, I was one of those people that HAD to have my
caramel latte each morning and would deal with the stomach pains and swelling, because
it was WORTH it. Boy was I so wrong. The moment I released my attachment to dairy,
and chose to no longer DEAL with the pain, I became free.
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I will be brutally
honest, at first it SUCKED. I was cranky, so many things I knew I could no
longer have. I was lost. It took some time to find my NEW go-to foods, but
there are dairy-free alternatives that will blow your mind, at least it did mine.
Soon after, I chose to give up meat, which is a natural
progression for some. It was quite humorous at first. I was one of those vegans
that would eat a Whopper once a week, not exactly vegan. Then the transition
happened. Honestly, I can’t pinpoint the exact moment when my body stopped
craving meat, but I felt lighter and happier.
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With choosing this lifestyle I have continued to educate
myself and have read countless articles, books and watched many documentaries. For me, knowledge is power. There was never a political
agenda for giving up animal products; it was more of a health based decision.
It was in March 2014, when my body started having MASSIVE
cravings. Cravings for eggs, turkey and chicken. I fought it. I would have the most vivid dreams about eating
chicken, turkey, eggs and even red meat. Choosing this lifestyle, I felt guilty
for these cravings I was having. How can I be living a plant-based diet, yet
crave the very thing that I shouldn't eat? This isn't supposed to be happening.
So what happened next was confusing and so simple, I ate scrambled eggs. Now, I
am not saying this is the answer for everyone going through something like
this, but for me it was. In this moment, I chose to listen to my body and this
is what my body was asking of me.
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What is the happy medium between eating on a plant-based
diet and listening to my body? All I can say is, I will do my research, and I am
not just going to settle. I had to remove the guilt that came along with this
new choice I have made. What it really comes down to is what my body is asking
of me.
Through my health coach certification I have learned so
much about nutrition and my own body. At the end of the day, what I have decided
to do is remove all labels from defining who I am and what I choose to eat. Is
it really THAT important to say I am vegan? Just because I choose to not give
up 100% of animal products, does that make me a BAD person? Does that mean I can’t
advocate for humanity for all creatures? Sometimes the label can be very
daunting and for me there have been times I have chosen the label over
listening to what my body needs. My active decision is to live an 80/20 balance.
Eating healthy and exercising is super important but embracing the fact that we
can’t be “perfect” all the time is equally important.
Once I released the label and started simply listening to my body and my cravings, it has been so much easier living a mostly plant based diet, which I can say is about 95% of the time.
If anything, it all comes down to education and knowing
what you are choosing to put into your body. Once you make that commitment,
cooking becomes exciting. Finding simple recipes that speak to you will set you
up for success. I’ve realized, I don’t have to label the way I choose to eat,
because it is mentally limiting. I have chosen to live the rest of my life
exploring a little bit of everything. Trying things on and seeing if they work.
If for some reason it doesn’t, I will not view myself as a failure; rather,
view myself a success for trying something new on, and being able to speak from
my own experience. Finding something that truly works for you is the key to
success, and that will be different for each and every one of us.
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Here’s to removing the label and loving yourself. To light,
love and happiness. <3
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