You are more then what you Eat...

Too many people misread and misunderstand their bodies. It is more than just a machine that is performing thousands of physical tasks around the clock. It deserves more love and attention than just eating right and exercising. Of course proper nutrition and physical activity play a huge role in our overall well-being, but when we start to give the same amount of attention to our innermost needs of love, affection, emotional support and meditation, we can then begin to unlock our true potential for a happy, healthy and balanced life.

It took me years to understand these concepts and incorporate them into my life.

Food was my comfort starting at a young age. It was my comfort when I was feeling down or lonely, and it was also a comfort in times of joy and celebration. As I approached middle school age, I became extremely uncomfortable in my body and was carrying around extra pounds that weighed me down both in the physical and emotional sense. Of course being so young, I was easily influenced by the masquerade of the industries trying to profit from quick fix diets, pills and unsustainable lifestyles.

I was introduced to the bodybuilding industry when I was in highschool. I would go to the gym after school and pine over the super fit and dedicated members, especially the ones that had pictures on the wall of their transformation. I wanted that to be me! If there was a way to get my body to look like the ones I saw in the gym and fitness magazines, I was willing to do whatever it took. I began to explore nutrition in college by making it my major, but it would take a lot more than a degree to gain the perspective that I have now. In my sophomore year of college, I decided I was going to compete in my very first figure competition. At the time I was surrounded by partying, drinking and late night pizza to say the least, but I felt that it was time for a change. I had fluctuated in my weight without ever being able to maintain that “balance” that I subconsciously longed for. I then trained and dieted so hard that when I look back at photos, I don’t even recognize myself.

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Unfortunately, I was not able to maintain my physical results from the competition and even gained back more weight than I had anticipated. I had taken my body to the extreme by practicing an extremely limiting lifestyle that was unsustainable.
After college I competed in one more show before deciding that I wanted to break the unhealthy cycle of fluctuation and imbalance, it really messed with my emotions. I knew I had quite a lot to learn and experience because I would no longer be training for a short term goal, but I would begin training myself to feel good and be healthy for the rest of my life.

​Now, I can finally say that I am feeling more in control of my health and well-being than ever before! I am taking the time and effort to learn and practice nourishing my body, mind and spirit effectively and on a daily basis. I am gaining confidence by gaining knowledge. I realize now just how much our bodies and minds are inextricably linked. 
       Making the decision to become a health supportive chef and attending the Natural Gourmet Institute has been an extremely valuable experience. I can now teach others how to use food to heal and energize themselves while helping them to make the connection between body and mind in order to maintain a balanced lifestyle. The process of growth is never ending and I am looking forward to continuing the journey of change and progress.

Looking back at photos from competition days is cool because I know that my will power had been exercised to its fullest potential. However I was living in an "all or nothing" mentality and found it hard to eat intuitively if I was not strictly dieting to step on stage.

“Diet” is what you choose to consume on a regular basis and should not be viewed as a limiting term, but rather as an abundance of good! “Diet” is also not just what you eat, but consists of the people you surround yourself with, the music you listen to, the books, magazines, social media and news you read, activities you choose to participate in, and the time and attention you give to self-awareness and self-love.

When you keep an open mind and heart, you allow for the good and the bad to flow through continuously. As you learn to recognize and acknowledge what things make you feel better (certain foods, workouts, people, hobbies, books, etc.) you can hold onto those things and let the bad go.

In this blog, I will be addressing all areas of wellness, especially FOOD! We will be discussing important topics like nutrition, exercise, yoga, meditation, music, digestive health, emotional healing and more!



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