Reinventing the Foodie with 4 Easy Steps.

This time last year, I had a completely different perception of food. During my pregnancy, feeding my cravings was my happy place. I specifically remember going through the drive-threw of our local Mexican Food hole in the wall. I had ordered enough food to feed a small family. After paying the cashier, he asked me if I needed more than 1 set of eating utensils. Proudly I declined. I was eating two; myself and my id.

Eat to fuel your body. Not feed your emotions.

– My best version

Fast forward to August 2020. I was now sitting around low 170’s lbs. During my pregnancy with Chandler, I gained 54 lbs, but by 6 months postpartum, I lost 50 lbs. My secret? Some good old self-love and the reprogramming of the way I saw food. 

There were 4 simple steps that I took to start changing the way I saw food:

1. I started eating intuitively. All foods have a serving size, and not all calories have the exact macros—for example, a serving of 100 calories of quinoa vs. 100 calories of cheese puffs. It’s like comparing Tiffany Diamonds to Clare’s…they just are not made the same.
2. Drink more water. Stomach growling? Was a hungry or just thirsty? I began to drink a liter of water a day. Not only did I notice that my lips were not as chapped, but I stayed fuller for longer. My digestion also improved, and the motion in my intestinal ocean regulated.
3. Leading by example. I am currently breastfeeding, so what I ate, the baby ate. I would notice when I ate certain foods, the baby would be affected by it. Once I started to see food as the fuel to help my baby grow and be healthy, my food relationship began to change. I added more veggies to my diet, I stopped buying overly processed food, and I GrubHubbed takeout less frequently.
4. Holding off on Netflix and Chill until after mealtime. I stopped eating in front of the TV. When I would eat while watching TV, distracted by binge-worthy HGTV shows, I ended up eating more. Instead, I used the opportunity to bond with my baby. I attached his high chair to the kitchen island, and we share food time together. Momma doesn’t eat the extra calories, and the baby seems happier too. Win-win!

Small steps like these are what will eventually have a significant impact. I hope these steps are the stepping stones to reprogramming how you see foods and ultimately lead to a healthier you.