My Real Food Journey

Although I now understand the importance of a whole foods diet, it was not always that way.  I truly sympathize and understand how difficult and overwhelming it can be to make such a drastic change.  It is even sometimes difficult to even WANT to make that change.  I grew up in a home where processed foods were the norm. They were cheap, quick to prepare, and tasty.  Part of me did not want to give up foods that seemed so convenient and comforting. I would even make such quips as, "I'd rather be fat and happy then skinny and miserable."  I was only looking at food on a superficial level then, not even thinking about the detrimental effect it was having on my health.   I also thought, "hey, I may be chubby, but I have had two kids! It isn't like I have diabetes or need medication or anything. I'm fat, but I'm healthy."
    I was in denial. I was NOT healthy. My BMI was in the obese category. OBESE!  I had such severe fatigue that I could not make it through a single day without taking one or more naps, despite going to bed before 8pm at times.  My husband pretty much would have to work a full day, and then come home and take care of the house. Homeschooling the kids was the only task I could complete....barely.  I had severe irritability and mood swings.  My blood pressure had started to creep to a level that was concerning.  Along with infertility, my hormone imbalance caused by my poor health made me deal with excess facial hair, scalp hair loss, severe acne,  and painful and irregular menstrual cycle. I was addicted, so addicted to these poisonous foods that I did not want to give them up, even though they were inhibiting my health and my ability to be a good wife and mother.  I had enough.  I did not want to be on medications at 30 years old. I did not want to miss out on the prime of my life because I would rather have donuts or Kraft mac and cheese. I didn't want to diet. I didn't care if I was a size 14 or a size 4. I was at the point where all I cared about was getting my quality of life back, and that meant a desperate and deliberate change was in order.  I joked that "I started to make myself eat the foods that I made my kids eat", but that is really pretty much what happened. Instead of having junk around for myself and real foods for my kids meals and snacks, I just stopped buying the processed stuff. Period. It was not even brought into my house.  It was not easy. I dealt with headaches and other symptoms as my body suffered withdrawl from sugar and the other chemicals, but slowly a miraculous thing happened.....   My body eventually started craving the real food--the fresh produce and proteins that it needed so badly to repair all the damage that I had subjected it through all the years.
  Almost a year has passed since I began my whole foods journey. Throughout the whole process my mission was to obtain better health, never on getting down to a certain dress size. The food we eat is so important to the way our body functions. It is not about being skinny or chubby.  Thin people who consume nothing but processed foods are still doing great damage to their health, despite how small their jean size may be. Amazingly, I have found that when you focus on fueling your body with unprocessed food, you also shed those unwanted pounds(I've lost 80lbs, in case you are wondering). My energy level has increased exponentially.  Not only do I have the stamina to keep up with my children, but I also enjoy exercising--even running!  I feel so much younger and like myself.  I am still dealing with some hormone imbalance issues, but those continue to improve slowly but surely. Most importantly, I can be the wife and mother that God called me to be and also set a good example for my children, and that is the greatest gift of all.