I remember the day so clearly. I was boarding another plane for yet another business trip to a new city with the same objective. However, this trip was different, it felt as if a veil over my eyes had been lifted and I recall the exact moment this happened.
As I raised my hand to discreetly ask a question that I felt terrified of those sitting around me to hear I made a vow that this would be the last time I needed this assistance. As I locked eyes with the stewardess I leaned in and whispered: “May I have an extender belt please?”. The stewardess kindly smiled and headed off to find what I needed.
This was not always my life, but it had become my day to day reality. It would be years later that I learned of a medical condition that contributed to my weight ballooning to nearly 400lbs within my early thirties. Whatever the cause I became determined to change my life. As you read this article, I’m proud to share with you that I’ve gone from a size 24 to a size 14, it wasn’t overnight it has taken me a few years to do this but I’m hope that it can be done.
When it comes to a person’s healthy living journey, I’ll be the first to say it is personal and something that between yourself and a trusted doctor you create a plan for. It would take me several trips to many doctors to find the one that agreed with me that by setting a goal of what I wanted to lose over a few years I could accomplish it with diet and exercise.
March is National Nutrition Month and I can now proudly say that good nutrition has become my best friend. You see it was on that plane ride many years ago that I decided I was also going to open my own business along with setting a personal goal of traveling more often on vacations to finally see all of the places that I plastered pictures of over my cubicle gazing at each day when I still worked in Corporate America.
Our bodies require good nutrition, and this lesson took trial and error for me to learn. As I began my journey of switching up ingredients in my favorite dishes to include foods that were not inflammatory to my body but gave me the fuel, I needed to get through the day it became a fun adventure.
Being able to enjoy a plate of pasta without the drop of energy afterward by switching out wheat pasta with vegetable noodles was the first step. My heart was overjoyed when I discovered vegan desserts and the extra nutrients that organic meats provided. I know that switching up a food routine, I don’t refer to it as a diet because this is really about creating a new routine for your life, is a difficult one but it is well worth it.
As business owners keeping our energy levels high at all times is a requirement while also being able to remain in a place of rest during our downtimes. What we eat has a direct impact to this area of our lives. This month I challenge you to take one step towards creating wiser food routines that can fuel you throughout the day. We all know the one guilty pleasure snack or meal that has become more frequent than occasionally a treat. Do you have big goals for your business? Do you want to have a fulfilled life? What are you willing to adjust to make that happen?
Wishing you good health and much fun as you explore new recipes!
