My journey to better food + nutrition: Carla’s story
I was 45 years old, and my son had just graduated from college and gotten married. I was at a time in my life when my kids were growing up and moving on with their lives, which is what they are supposed to do, but it left me feeling a little sad. Now it was just me, my husband, and my daughter at home. It was also a time when some important relationships were not in a good place, and I noticed that I had been drinking a little more because of it. When I felt upset about a certain discussion or an argument and didn’t know how to communicate it well or gain control over an uncontrollable situation, I turned to food and sometimes alcohol to comfort myself.
I also noticed my emotional eating patterns. I would be “good” for a little while, but then my emotions would get the best of me. I would either snack a lot, not eat at all, or just drink to feel better. I began complaining about how tired I was, and I couldn’t understand why, because I was so active—I played golf and worked out quite regularly. But I wrestled with the reason for my tiredness and thought about the increasing amount of alcohol I was drinking. Most of my family struggled with their weight, and I knew I didn’t want to get heavy.
What changed all this was a conversation I had with my daughter-in-law about healthy eating, buying organic, and clean foods. She told me about a woman blogger and food activist she was following named Vani Hari, aka The Food Babe, and shared what this blogger was doing. I was so intrigued because being in shape and eating healthy has always been important to me. I started following her as well. Over time, I cleaned out my pantry and fridge of all the conventional and non-organic foods I was eating. I remember my head spinning in the grocery store from reading food labels to make sure they were healthy to eat. I hadn’t realized how many “crappy” ingredients were in our food, and it made me angry. So, the plan moving forward was to eat clean and organic food, and that is what I did.
Not too long after, I started eating healthy. I began feeling so much better. It wasn’t necessarily that I changed the food I was eating; I just changed the form it came in. I would still make my delicious recipes, but instead of using conventional ingredients, I used organic, clean ingredients. I can’t tell you how good I felt within my whole being and it just made me want to continue this path. I remember going to my first physical after I started eating clean and having blood work done. I was shocked to see how good the results were, and the nurse practitioner even left a note that said “keep up the good work” on my MyChart App.
After I did the hard work of making all the changes, I was feeling so good. I began to realize that this was becoming more of a lifestyle change and not just some new fad diet. This was for keeps and was the beginning of my journey toward a better relationship with food. These changes didn’t come easy. There were times I fell short, but that was OK because good health is a journey and not a sprint. There are times when you are going to want to eat that cake, cookies, or pizza, and that’s OK. It took me about six-plus months to get to the point where it became a habit. At times, I did revert to old ways of eating, or I wouldn’t listen to that small voice inside me saying, “That’s enough.” I would just let it go and start over. I know sometimes that’s easier said than done—it was for me. Sometimes life throws you for a loop, or your emotions take over, or you’re not feeling very confident or are depressed. Those were the times I struggled with eating healthy.
At any age, eating healthy can be very difficult; however, it CAN be achieved if you are willing to put in the work to do it. Nothing in life that is worthwhile is easy, but the benefits are invaluable. After I made the changes of cleaning out my pantry, reading food labels at the grocery store, and cooking clean and healthy meals, I felt so much better. I learned to become my own advocate. It was hard work, but I am in a much better place with my relationship with food.
The hard work you put into changing is well worth it, you will feel better. When you go to the doctor for your first yearly physical after all the changes you made and your blood work comes back “within normal range”, you will feel such a sense of accomplishment knowing you’re investing in your health and setting an example for those around you. With the education I received from IIN, I believe that I can help people reach their nutritional needs by making the changes that are right for them.
My vision is to lend a hand to those who are stuck or to those who know they need and want to make a change. I will be there for them with resources and encouragement to help them achieve the goals they set for themselves.
