FOOD FREEDOM

People will say the narliest things to you and call it healthy living. Every screen I look at tells me about new diets, cleanses and ways to get competition fit. It can be so overwhelming. Why are there so many rules for eating? I wrote down all the dieting tips I’ve heard over the years along with well-meaning advice and “tips” I got from professionals and well-meaning dieters. I got super depressed because I realized I was following so many diets that I didn’t remember what my favorite foods were. Sad!

Dieting takes up ALOT of brain space. Counting calories, carbs, steps, meals and following various diets was holding my brain hostage. I once briefly worked for a couple of attorneys who were the greatest of assholes and they yelled at me for sitting in my office and spinning my wheels. I think that’s what I’m constantly doing with dieting. You sit and think and obsess about food. I would sit on the couch, watching TV and trying to “distract myself” as a tip to combat hunger instead of actually EATING. I got weak and dizzy in the middle of workouts because I was limiting carbs and counting calories. I was constantly and consistently exhausted. I thought there was something wrong with my hormones or thyroid. I was resigned to being a tired mom. 

Turns out I was making myself sick by dieting. But Noooo I didn’t realize dieting was making me sick for a couple decades. And they thought I was the smart one in the family… BIG mistake, Huge. I would get excited about a new diet, restrict, lose weight, get hungry, overeat, crash, re-start. This was such a negative cycle for me. I also had long lists of “bad foods.” Everything related to food was so negative and heavy. 

And then…. a sweet precious baby Selena came along to save me from dieting. I started thinking about what I want for my daughter, and I don’t want her to spend all her time worrying about food. I want her to eat if she’s hungry and enjoy every bite. So that’s what I do now, I eat when I’m hungry and I show Selena there are no bad foods. Since I’m not obsessing about food, I’ve been a lot happier. The End.

BRIDGE TO NOWHERE

This park used to torture me. I walked here nearly everyday for 3 years. I looped endless circles around a man-made slimy pond, missing California beaches & my old life. I walked w/ people who would like me better if I wasn’t “me.” I was a hopeless insomniac w/ a negative internal dialogue. I was skinny w/ a high booty. I looked SO pretty on the outside but my mental health was being neglected.

I got the F*@!k outta the park y’all! I stopped the sweaty, miserable walking & step-counting, started therapy, dropped people from my social circle, started meditation & changed religions. It took 1 year of attending hundreds of socials, but…I found people that liked me just as I was.

Today I drove my car to the park (no walking) & took pictures for 5 min.  I Hated how I looked in said pictures, hair, makeup & more. BUT I’m happy, well-rested and loved. So the exterior doesn’t always tell the whole story.

My long-winded way of saying…mental health is just as important as physical health. Stop going to places that make you feel miserable both physically & mentally. 

Can you Single Task?

I read you should only complete 4 tasks daily. I WISH! I complete at least 4 tasks every hour. However, this multitasking has left me sick & exhausted. There’s also a mental exhaustion that accompanies the physicality of constantly multitasking.

In order to focus on single-tasking and resting I went on a “staycation.” I had 10 free days because I was too sick to travel for our bi-annual family reunion. For my staycation, I scheduled less appointments and took a break from cooking. I also focused on completing all my personal tasks before I started on the family chores. For example, I put away my laundry and cleaned up my bedroom before cleaning anyone else’s space. This small change made me feel so good because I had a clean, safe space that was only mine.

When my family came home I felt calm and grounded. I learned from my staycation that in order to single-task I needed to loosen up some of my internal rules and ask for help. I made a new house rule that I get 1 hour of uninterrupted rest. I scheduled a 1 hour midday break for myself which I set on the family calendar. During this time, nobody is allowed to bother me. I also lock the door, use a door stopper and turn up the fan so the rule is respected. I will also continue to prioritize personal tasks before I complete chores for the family. Lastly, I found a babysitter for those weekends where there is no childcare help and I needed a brief respite.

What are some non-essential tasks you can take off your list today?

SIMPLE THINGS

I was just giving unwanted parenting advice to one of my cousins and here’s what I foisted upon him: just BE there kid’s don’t want stuff. My daughter is happiest when I’m playing with her. The best toy we gave her was an old diaper box that we colored together and made into a spaceship.