Getting Healthy Again: Food and Exercise

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Last summer I went on an elimination diet. I ate well, I solved some health problems, and I felt good about my body for the first time in a long time. By the end of the summer, I was still eating very clean, but I was struggling to eat as well as I should. Then school happened…

I quickly went down a bad road with food. There are only so many options at the school, especially with my nightshade restrictions, and I didn’t make the best ones. I also stopped working out regularly, with the exception of a weight training class I was taking. I gained a fair bit of weight. Not noticeable to most people, but I noticed it. In general I just didn’t feel good or feel good about myself.

I came back from being abroad and I am finally getting healthy again. I’m eating better and working out. It’s hard at times, and I’m struggling to stick to my plan, but I’m getting there.

Cutting out gluten and sweets

This has been the hardest for me. I’ve cheated a bit since I made this decision, but I’m getting better and better about it. I have carb issues. I am never satisfied by pasta or sweets, and I just keep eating more. And I just don’t feel good when I do that! By telling myself I can’t eat gluten or sweets, I am not only healthier, but I am significantly less likely to lose control of my eating.

Tracking my food

A lot of real foodies suggest not counting calories and just eat good food. However, I really struggle to know how much to eat and I can never tell when I’m full. Add in the fact that I can’t eat more than 3 meals a day, and the struggle is even greater. So I use SparkPeople to track what I’m eating so that I make sure I’m getting what I need, but not too much. It keeps me accountable, keeping me on track to getting healthy.

Working out

I signed up for a running and jogging class through my school. I was going to drop it because I heard it was really hard. But then I realized that I will never make it to the gym on my own. So I took the class. And it IS really hard! But I feel better each time I run and I’m even getting to the gym on my own one additional day a week. My short term goal is to be able to run a 5k again, and my long term goal is to run a 10k. Mostly, though, I just want to get healthier. I want to increase my endurance, and I also plan to work on functional strength and do yoga for flexibility.

Staying healthy

My biggest obstacle. Staying motivated and continuing with healthy habits. Whenever my environment changes, I either get on track or get thrown off. Sometimes both! But I am working on it. I have a plan, and I’m working on getting healthy now. That’s what is important.

What is the most important thing to you for getting healthy?

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