Monday, September 30, 2013

Listen to yourself, even if no one else does

I've been focusing a lot on trying to figure out what is right for me. It's actually kind of fun to be sort of personalizing a way of eating that is perfect for Teddey. After I eat something, I really try and focus on how my body--and my mind--are reacting to it. I am also paying a lot more attention to how my kids act after they eat. When I served that tilapia/green bean/rice dinner the other night, I noticed how happy everyone was after dinner and how much energy they had.

For a long time I've known that coffee isn't good for me. I get a low-grade headache right after having it, and it always makes my stomach hurt. I also feel like it messes with my blood sugar--and learned from a local health coach that it actually does! Even though there are no calories in it, the caffeine has the same effect on your endocrine system as sugar and causes insulin to be released into your bloodstream--which can cause you to store fat unnecessarily even thought you're not eating any right at that moment!

So, coffee gives me headaches, makes my stomach hurt, and could be making me fat. Why did I drink it for so long? I figured out the answer: because everyone else does! True, I do enjoy a hot beverage in the morning, and everyone around me drinks a lot of coffee. It's so easy to be influenced by the presence of something in your life. I quit drinking it temporarily a couple of years ago, and I can still hear my sisters' voices: "Are you crazy?!"

It really is liberating to do something that you know is right for you, regardless of the rest of the world. It's a relatively small thing, but it's a big step in respecting my body and hearing the clues it is giving me. I guess the lesson is: your body will always tell you what it needs, and it feels great when you listen.

Enjoy your beautiful Monday!

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