I tend to stay away from my tumblr when I have fallen off the wagon. Mainly that is because I feel judgment and like I have disappointed people when I go against my best judgment and against the things that I “preach” all day long - clean eating. I digress.
The past 3 weeks I have been a junk food binge eating machine. I attribute this to being on a ketogenic diet for four months with added life stress making me crazy. Working night shift doesn’t help either. But the point to this discussion is that while food should neither be “good” or “bad” and all things in moderation are “okay” it is important to note that the standard american diet (SAD) does not, in the slightest, represent moderation.
Over the past few weeks I threw healthy eating in the trash. Literally. But I noticed something kind of interesting. While I was binge eating on this junk, I noticed I did not really enjoy any of it. However, while I didn’t get the enjoyment from the food that I thought I would, I kept eating. It’s like the lack of enjoyment drove my cravings to continue to eat. I also got to the point where I couldn’t really make a decision of what I wanted to eat because (a) I felt like complete crap from my previous meal and (b) the junk had lost it’s “novelty”.
I have been so engulfed in “healthy eating” or always on a specific “diet” for so long, that I kind of forgot what it was like to eat a SAD. Waffles with syrup, eggs, and hash browns in the morning, snacking on candy, fruit, or starbucks in between. Fast food (burger and fries) for lunch. Maybe some more candy while working or a bag of chips. And then Dinner was usually out - PIzza, burgers, fried food, buffets, whatever floated our boats. Ice cream for dessert. And late night snacks for motivation to complete school work or while enjoying a movie. Eating for sport rather than eating when we are hungry.
THIS is what we “dieters” and “health nuts” are “missing out on.”
Well, let me tell you…
I FEEL LIKE SHIT.
Not only did I pack on 10 lbs in 2 weeks and am MISERABLY bloated, unable to fit comfortably in most of my clothing, but I notice a number of other ailments that are not as problematic when I’m eating clean, whole foods.
- I wake up HUNG OVER. From food. Ridiculous.
- MIGRAINES my God the migraines
- Mentally foggy/unfocused
- I am SO CONGESTED
- JOINT PAIN! My knees, my hips, my back
- Intestinal distress
- ZERO Energy
- ZERO Endurance
- ZERO Motivation
- SHIT Mood
- No Confidence
How is this enjoyable? How is this something to “miss”.
We are not missing out on ANYTHING.
And to those who say that your diet doesn’t matter. That “clean foods” don’t make a difference. That we aren’t “living”. Well, that is because they don’t know. They don’t know how different and vibrant and alive they can feel.
I, personally, feel like I got kicked in the face with a steel toed boot. Consider me back on the wagon. Not back on the “keto” wagon. Back on clean living. Clean eating. With a 20% margin to allot for the unexpected. Because life happens, and every once in a while an ice cream cone DOES sound nice. BUT let me emphasize the “every once in a while”.
I don’t know why I don’t take my own advice as I’ve said to countless others that if the changes you make aren’t sustainable then you will fail in the long-run.
And isn’t that what this is about? The LONG RUN? Right Now. Today. This week. Is a drop in the bucket compared to a life time of healthy habits. If you struggle today, tomorrow, this week, hell even this month just know that it does not mean you have failed. Pick up and move on towards a long and healthy LIFE. And give yourself a reminder every once in a while why you do what you do.
