Intuitively Me.

 I always said that one day I would go back to competing. When my babies were grown and I was back to living for myself, I would do it. What I didn’t know before having a baby is that even the you you once were before your babies were born, would not be the same you after experiencing a love like that.

So I know competing is no longer for me.

With that in mind, neither is diligently counting every calorie that I come in contact with, measuring every gram of my protein powder, or missing out on any more family dinners.

So this year I’ve sworn to STOP being obsessively “healthy”.

Being in the fitness industry I’m surrounded by New Year’s resolutions of motivated people looking to get in shape or eat healthier. Mine is the same idea but instead of a healthier body, I want a healthier mind. I want to let go of years of obsessive eating and open up a world to truly allow the happiness in.

But I know it will absolutely not be easy.

Intuitive eating is letting go of restrictive eating and eating what you feel your body needs at the time. Essentially, intuitive eating is how most people eat. I have followed a restrictive diet for 6-7 years now. I have measured every single thing I have eaten every single day. It worked for me and for the season of life I was in, it was necessary for me.

The reason I want to quit eating this way isn’t so I can crush a ton of junk and forget about dieting. No, the reason I want to start eating intuitively is so I can stop the food focus mindset and start living. I want to eat dinner with my family every night and stop stressing about only going out to eat on specific days not when the moment arises.

So how am I making the switch?

1. I started by continuing my current meals just not measuring them. Since I have weighed my food for years, I’ve stuck to relatively the same meals every day. It’s convenient and easy. It also saves money. This allows me to compare portion sizes and still feel in control.
2. I started incorporating one meal at a time that I didn’t use to eat before. For starters, it was family dinners. I began making one dinner for us all and I ate that instead of my previous meals.
3. I still continue to meal prep. Food prep is KEY even more so now that I’m not sticking to a diligent plan. I make sure I always have cooked chicken, chopped veggies, and rice or potatoes. This allows me to throw a salad together quickly when the baby gives me a second or fry up a stir fry for my post workout real fast before I have to make lunch for the little one. It’s so easy to grab unhealthy food when you’re in a bind.
4. For me personally, I am choosing to still weigh myself regularly. Many people find that the scale creates an unhealthy relationship with their body. I see the scale as what it is, a measuring tool. By weighing in weekly or every other week it allows me to gauge how my transition and meal choices are affecting me instead of hiding from the scale I use it purposefully. (This will vary from person to person. If you are mentally affected by the number on the scale I would avoid this!)
5. It’s not the end all. Before I feared that if I wasn’t counting my macros I wouldn’t be able to lose weight as easily when and if I felt the need to. This is absolutely wrong. By being aware of what I put in my mouth, I am always able to make small changes if need be. I feared losing control but as long as you are aware, you never lose that!

1. Lastly, I give myself grace. So you gain a few pounds, BIG DEAL. With this change, my body will notice initially and its composition will change! That goes with the territory… and it’s fine! Every day isn’t a marathon and every season isn’t a competition. By accepting that I need to do this to truly live, then I also am accepting that my body isn’t going to be competition ready at any given moment and that’s okay!

A few side notes for those of you interested in how I eat:

• I eat oatmeal every morning for breakfast, always have and I don’t plan on stopping.
• For lunch, I usually throw together a quick yummy salad. My favorite is taco salad full of black beans, corn, all the yummy veggies, and whatever protein I have laying around. For my dressing, I use plain Greek yogurt mixed with salsa (yum!) and I use my homemade taco seasoning. Another quick lunch is avocado toast on Ezekiel break with an egg or a stir fry.
• My dinners have been meals for the whole family such as chicken fajitas, tacos, chilies, salads, roasts, etc. you can make almost any meal healthy or at least healthier!
• Before bed, I always microwave fruit and mix it with plain Greek yogurt, put a few fresh fruits, almond butter, granola, and a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips! Who needs ice cream!
• I try not to snack but if I do it’s on nuts like almonds or pistachios, rice cakes, cheeses, or fruits.
• I eat out! And I eat cakes and cookies and lots of fun stuff!! The kicker? I limit it to two days a week. (Maybe three for a special occasion but rarely!) I don’t deprive myself and I don’t feel guilty after. I strongly believe in the 80/20 rule or 70/30, healthy is a lifestyle but cookies are happiness!!

Interested in more about my eating!? Feel free to message or reach out to me anytime! And stay tuned for future posts where I’ll share my progress of Intuitive eating with you!

XO, Karlene