Hello on this beautiful Wednesday!
Most of you, I’m sure, have seen this documentary. But, for those of you who haven’t it is definitely a MUST SEE! If you’re a health nerd like me, or if you’re struggling with weight loss, self-esteem, or if you are looking to learn more about the food you eat, I believe you will love it! The problem with the world of dieting today is the trap food industries are luring everyone into. I’m guilty of it. I used to be the biggest advocate for “fat free,” “sugar free,” and pre-packaged health foods/fads. Over the past few years, I have grown in my knowledge of what it is like to be healthy. And though I am continually learning more and more, I can finally say that I have reached a point of a maturity and consistency in my healthy lifestyle. I am finally at the point of “Eating to live, not living to eat.” I no longer have the mindset that by eating healthy, I am depriving myself of unhealthy foods. I now have no desire to put terrible things in my body, and if I do occasionally, I feel like I am dying (which reinforces my desire to avoid them). For once, I do not feel a sense of secrecy about my yearning desire to eat a piece of cake (or of bingeing when no one is around). When people think I have a problem, I now can feel confident in knowing that I don’t, and that I just prefer to consume food that makes me feel good; rather than trying to hide the fact that they are right. So many of my friends ask me “How do you do it?” and want me to help them lose weight. The first thing I tell them every time, is that this is not something that happened over night. This has been a long journey of ups-and-downs, and has taken a lot of time, research, and self-transformation.I tell them three things:
1) It is a mindset–once you finally decide that you are in no matter what, you will finally be successful. You CAN NOT have one foot in and one foot out. Unless you put your whole heart into it, you will never really get started.
2) It takes time and dedication–you must put in the effort to learn about the food you are consuming, and what it is doing to your body before you can truly change. I truly believe that once you understand what food does to your body, you are unable to continue in the same maladaptive eating habits. You must also put in the time and effort to plan out and cook your meals. This is where most people fall off the wagon because they feel that they do not have time, thus they resort to grabbing a burger. This goes back to #1–if you really want it, you will take the time!!
3) It is a lifestyle, not a short-term goal–Most people begin because of vanity–you want to look good, who doesn’t?! But, you have to decide that this is not something you want because you want to reach a goal and then quit. This is a continual lifestyle, and though you may struggle at times and derail off track, you must continue to find your way back and fight through the hard times. The more you persevere, the stronger you feel and the sooner you will get the point of freedom and ease.
It is a beautiful and wonderful feeling being at this point, and there is not one ounce of fear in me that I will EVER go back to that destructive path that I once lived.You WILL NOT miss the foods that you now feel like you cannot give up and you will begin to absolutely HATE them. And most of all, when you feel good, look good, and have a sense of pride in how far you have come, you will become happier in all areas of your life!
The film is available on Netflix. If you do not have Netflix, you can view it on Amazon for 2.99, or here is a free link I found online >> http://viooz.co/movies/4394-hungry-for-change-2012.html
Enjoy and Have a BEAUTIFUL day!
–Bethany
Fat Free Fanatic 