Eating Habits
It is all right letting yourself go, as long as you can get yourself back.
(Mick Jagger)
Food and diet are two things I don't blog about much. This is in part due to the confusion and unease I have around my personal eating habits. There's also a bit of worry that bringing up the topic will create a sort of accountability that doesn't currently exist in my day to day.
Some of you may know that growing up I was a nationally competitive athlete, and even received a scholarship to a Division I school. Working out for 2.5 - 4 hours, six days a week meant that I could eat anything I desired and rarely felt the consequences. Since I invested so much time into my body, I normally chose foods that were nutrient-rich. Portion control was something I never learned, and in fact I often worried about getting enough calories to sustain my toughest practices.
Fast forward to 2010. I've been out of the game for 6 years—and have struggled to create healthy habits in my life after sports. I've maintained an on-again-off-again relationship with yoga and have tried various strategies for more suitable portions. I still have a natural inclination to worry about if I'm getting enough food, even though I'm not burning anywhere near the number of calories that I once did on a daily basis.
Earlier this year, I embraced pescatarianism and haven't looked back since. The decision came naturally, and it felt like the right thing to do. The transition wasn't what I expected. I never felt like I was giving up something up. I've been quite pleased with the change.
Since eliminating meat from my diet, I've craved more time in the kitchen. I'm curious about everything I eat now, and realize there is a lot of responsibility in healthy eating (if you decide to accept it). With a busy summer now behind me, I have more time to test out new recipes for delicious veggie meals. I tweeted a plea for suggestions after spending a few minutes on Amazon in search of helpful cookbooks. I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am to have such loving & helpful people in my midst.
Here's a list of the books I've ordered to help kickstart a healthier finish to 2010. I might have went a little overboard, but I love having extra inspiration around! (Plus, I have a slight addiction to buying books. That's fodder for another blogpost I'm sure.)
The Kind Diet
Veganomicon
The Vegan Table
Vegan Yum Yum
Viva Vegan!
The Urban Vegan
New Moon*
Now that I've spilled the beans on my struggles with healthy eating habits, I'd love to know if you've ever felt the same way. If there are resources that have helped you along the way, please share! My goal is to embrace changes that improve my daily life—that make living this extraordinary adventure fuller, brighter and more satisfying.
Image: Audinou
*Did I mention that I read Twilight last month and fell in love? I never caught the craze when everyone else did, but I found it to be an entertainingly fast read! Looking forward to cracking open New Moon soon...
