eating to live
Recently, I started back up on this “diet.” The reason I put quotations around the word “diet” is because that word implies that there’s an end date, or that I’m trying to lose weight for a particular up-coming event or bikini season. That is not what I’m doing. Eat to live is a switch in your eating habits, in your lifestyle. It’s not for everyone, it’s not easy at first, but it’s amazing. I was first introduced to Eat To Live about 4 years ago when my mother took on the challenge of trying to lower her cholesterol. Her doctor put her on medication for high cholesterol and she wanted to try something more natural. So, with the idea and belief (well, fact really) that food is your medicine, she began eating to live. Eat to live was designed to reverse diseases such as diabetes, crohn’s, high blood pressure, heart disease, etc. At her follow up doctor appointment, after the blood work results came back, her doctor was floored. In fact, I think I remember my mother’s words exactly. “His jaw fell to the floor.” He could not believe that after being on this “diet” for only a little over a month, it had lowered her cholesterol almost completely. Naturally, he took her off the medication.
I have re-introduced this into my lifestyle and it’s great. I won’t lie, sometimes I have cravings for chocolate and junk food. But I tell myself it’s exactly that, junk. Empty calories. There’s nothing wrong with cheating on a diet occasionally, in fact (someone told me, and they read it from a reputable source) that if you allow yourself little treats here and there while you’re on your path of self-betterment (is that a word?) it will actually act on your behalf. Sources say (again the sources a friend of mine told me she got this information from) that if you cheat on your diet occasionally, you’ll be more likely to stick to it, and therefore lose more weight in the end.
I’m not trying to convince any of you to shift your diet or change what you are eating. I encourage you to do what makes you happy and what makes you feel good. Of course, as long as it’s not self destructive. I’m just saying that I’ve never felt better. (it’s possible the yoga classes are helping too)
To me, it’s important to be self aware. And for myself (again) no judgement here if this isn’t how you are, but I’m always looking for ways to improve myself, to evolve, change, adapt, embrace. I feel like if you aren’t changing or improving, then you’re staying the same. And I’m not okay with that (for myself.) This is one of those things. I realized that I was eating really bad, lots of sugar all the time. Lots of junk food. I was under the false impression that I was eating healthy. But what I was doing instead of eating healthy all the time, I was eating junk in between the healthy meals. That doesn’t count. The high amounts of sugar I was putting in my body on a daily basis were affecting my mood (in a bad bad way.) Since I’ve cut out this processed and added sugar, I’ve noticed my mood and emotions more stable than ever before. It’s very liberating.
In conclusion, it’s 4 years later (since my mother has been eating to live) and she’s the happiest, most in shape, radiatingly beautiful fifty-something I’ve ever seen. She’s probably lost over 30 pounds on eat to live. But she’s healthier than she’s ever been. I hope I am lucky enough to be half the amazing woman she is. I think I’ll keep eating to live. It makes me feel good.
