Transformation

October 2019: Miscarriage

November 2019: Let myself go - emotional wreck - internally hard on myself

December 2019: Same as November

January 2020: Decide to take a class my friend Tracy is teaching, on becoming a healthier person and more aware of the hidden "crap" in our food

February 2020: Still taking the class and Tracy and I spontaneously talk about starting a podcast.

March 2020: We make that spontaneous decision real with our launch of Dirt Road Health and Hustle (A podcast on how to navigate life mindfully, not perfectly while having a shit ton of fun along the way!  We talk all things whole body health and well being along with sharing our story of how,  when all you have is a dirt road, you put your boots on and walk it confidently every day.) This is really where it all began. Tracy started her health journey three years ago and I have been living in a naive state thinking everything I eat is okay for me (knowing the general stuff like junk food and sugar are doing me no good). After doing research and learning tons with Tracy as a mentor, I have completely changed my views on food.

The rest of 2020: I focused hard on food and that aspect of the lifestyle I wanted to start living. I needed to start living healthier and the only way to start is with your food. The food you put into your body drives every single mechanism and process in your body. I never fully understood that until this last year. I never cared to do the research. I like food and want to eat what I want when I want. But that is not how we should be living. Despite losing 10 pounds, I was starting to feel miserable in December of 2020, my GI issues were coming back and I was just not feeling right. In January 2021, I started getting a rash/inflammation on my chin and I was not needing to wear a mask at work so that was not the cause. I was getting frustrated and tired.

February 2021: I went to see a holistic doctor. She is amazing. She explained stuff about my anxiety medication and how the anxiety works in my body and how the medicine works, in no way that anyone has every explained before. She explained lots of things about how food sensitivities happen and how the inflammation is impacted by the food we eat and leaky gut and on and on. We did a blood test that told me my sensitivity level with 200 foods. Results came back in early March.

March 2021: I have dairy, gliadin (form of wheat), and egg sensitivities. I also have high Candida. Candida is a yeast overgrowth in the gut. It fuels leaky gut and cause all sorts of issues. I am on the end of week three of a special diet to help kill off the Candida and get it back to a normal. This diet consists of only protein and vegetables, three meals a day and supplements to help keep everything level and kill off the Candida. No sugar, no dairy, no fruit, no grains....only veggies and meat and almonds! I even survived Easter with no dessert or candy. It has not been easy. I still have cravings but they are definitely going down and I was able to easily pass up ice cream cake and donuts....however the homemade popcorn was challenging!

Just by me eliminating the "bad" stuff, I have lost 23 lbs since April 2020 and lost about 5" total since January 2021. I am proud of where I am but definitely have a long way to go with my relationship with food, yes you heard that right, relationship. We need to be mindful of what we are putting in our bodies. I need to start incorporating more exercise, yoga and meditation into my routine to help me stay fit and toned. I will start incorporating more variety back into my diet shortly and can guarantee my weight won't stay off unless I start adding in exercise.

I never thought in a million years, I would be able to turn down Reese's PB Eggs, homemade apple pie and chocolate torte all in one day, but I did! It is about bettering myself now for the future and showing others how important food really is.

More to come....so much I could share on food. Do your research, read books. The government and big food companies are failing us.

~Until Next Time~

Trying to Live the American Dream