Currently Coveting: My Winter Wellness

Table of Contents:

- My Relationship with Food

- Eating Principles

- Intermittent Fasting

- What I’m Currently Eating

- Snacking

- Hydration

- In Conclusion....

My Relationship with Food

I come from a family that put a strong emphasis on food integrity - opting for organic as much as possible, having a balanced diet, and practicing intentional eating. I also happen to come from a long lineage of strong female individuals who suffer from serious eating disorders, myself being no exception. As I am writing this, I’m in Florida surrounded by my grandma, mom, and aunt who are all talking about how “fat” they are, what kinds of diets they need to go on, and all of the 00’s that are collecting dust in their closets because...God forbid they are now size 2.

Unlike many people who are raised with the pantry that I was, when I tasted my first spoonful of independence when I went away to college, I got a huge thrill from trying all of the junk food that was never allowed in my house growing up. Sure, when we went to the movies with my dad, we would get Twizzlers and Sour Patch Kids, but it wasn’t frequently enough that I got to reach for the Cheetos in the grocery store that I could really appreciate them. Paired with my lifestyle, and the environment that I was in, there was no doubt that I indulged in every junk food possible in that four year span.

Following college, I went through serious changes with my body - gaining over 20lbs from a new birth control I was on and solidifying my gluten intolerance after being naturally very thin my whole life. I began working out much more, changing my eating habits, and overall tuning into a much more conscious lifestyle. After getting the birth control device (Nexplanon) removed, I returned to a more normal weight for myself, but continued to explore nutrition and wellness more thoroughly.

Whole Foods & Eating Principles

About a year and a half ago I was dealing with pretty severe stomach issues - it seemed like nearly every “healthy” recipe I would incorporate into my meals would cause extreme bloating, discomfort, or gaseous pains. I had heard about various diets, tried them, and nothing seemed to work. Eventually I was introduced to Whole 30 - an elimination “diet” - and decided to do it the month leading up to our trip to Bali. I really loved  Whole 30 because it didn’t feel restrictive. Sure, there are a handful of things that aren’t allowed to ensure you’re only eating whole foods that the body can digest, but there are no restrictions in volume of food that you can consume, which I find to be a deterring factor with other diets. The first time that I did Whole 30, I saw a major improvement with my stomach problems and overall inflammation, and I felt a huge change in my energy levels.

Realistically, diets including Whole 30 aren’t sustainable unless you endure a full lifestyle overhaul. Going out to dinner with friends, travelling, and occasionally fulfilling your french fry craving make up the moments that actually matter - after all, when we grow old and have families of our own, we’re not going to be at the dinner table talking about the fabulous eating habits we were able to adopt in our mid-20s. After completing Whole 30 and re-introducing foods back into my diet, I figured out high-level what my body can and cannot tolerate, and try to follow Whole 30 guidelines as I grocery shop and cook at home - primarily meats and vegetables - and eat what I want when I am eating out and traveling.

Intermittent Fasting

Like most recurring things in my life, I switch up my eating habits seasonally. In the winter, I find myself often craving heavier and heartier foods, which usually means that I have to readjust other things in my diet to avoid feeling weighed down and sluggish. One way that I do this is by intermittent fasting on a 16:8 schedule. This means that I only eat between the hours of 12pm and 8pm during the week, and "fast" - or stop eating - between 8pm and 12pm the following day. I have found that this has helped a lot with digesting foods and not overeating.

What I'm Currently Eating

I usually have events or other obligations a 2-3 nights a week, so I try to plan the dinners that Christian and I will be cooking at the beginning of the week so that we don't end up with no groceries and an urge to order Chinese food on any given night, and my current favorite at-home meals are:

1. Chicken Thighs, Brussels Sprouts, and Potatoes

2. Lettuce Wrap Tacos with ground beef or chicken

3. Rib Eye Steak over Arugula and Fingerling Potatoes

4. Shrimp Stir Fry with Bell Peppers, Mushrooms, and Soyaki (I have grown more and more intolerant to soy, so I am currently trying some other sauces that my stomach cooperates better with, like coconut aminos and sriracha)

5. Occasionally I'll get cravings for things like Indian food, soup (generally not a big soup person), or pizza, and will find alternatives to cook at home that satisfy the craving without the added unknown factors that come with ordering delivery/take-out.

One thing about me is that I absolutely hate spending money on lunches during the week. When I do my Sunday/Monday grocery shop, I plan for leftovers of our dinners to bring to work as lunch the next day, and usually buy extra greens, fruits, and veggies to bring to make salads at work, keeping dressing and toppings like shelled sunflower seeds at my desk. The most frequently I will ever buy lunch out during any given week is once.

Snacking

Snacks can make or break me on any given day. There are days when I do really well staying within the boundaries of what I can eat (gluten/dairy-free, fewer legumes, no soy), and then snack on something that is high in sugar and my stomach will be wrecked for hours. There are always going to be times when I just crave chips and indulge myself in them, but for the most part, I try to stock my pantry and my work drawer with snacks that I know I won't regret later:

- Dried fruits such as strawberries & mango

- Rice cakes to be topped with almond butter, banana, and sunflower seeds (I'll add honey if I want added sweetness)

- Cooked fingerling potatoes to dip in mustard

- Organic carrots, broccoli, and celery to dip in lemon hummus

- Fresh fruit: apples, bananas, berries

Hydration

I am an avid coffee drinker - hot and black every morning. I love coffee because it gets my digestion going and it helps when I go to bed with a full stomach, which is something I try not to do often, but ends up happening a few times each month.

I am guilty of drinking seltzer water nonstop and forgetting to actually hydrate. When I'm feeling snacky, chugging a lot of water helps to fill me up until my next meal. When I'm feeling bloated or unsettled, I'll add lemon juice to my water to alleviate my stomach, and when I want to detox, I will add cayenne pepper in addition to the lemon water (taken from the Master Cleanse).

Onwards and Upwards

As I move through seasons and change up my fitness routine, certain lifestyle habits, and weekly routines, I find myself changing what I'm eating and what my stomach works and doesn't work with. I don't think there is any one diet that is one-size-fits-all, but I do think that starting to incorporate more whole foods into your diet and being more conscious of things that you are putting into your body 80% of the time makes a huge difference as it is one of the easiest ways to be more conscious. I've always had a hard time intuitively eating - only eating when I'm hungry, and stopping when I'm full - but I'm excited to challenge myself to more of that in the new year. 2019 was a big year for me in figuring out what works for me for this time in my life, and what doesn't, but the biggest takeaway was learning to be able to go with the flow as things change, and embracing how my body reacts to certain foods. All of this to say, when I am hungover and craving McDonald's french fries dipped in an M&M + Oreo McFlurry, nothing is stopping me. When I'm in the West Village and there's no wait at Bar Sardine, I WILL treat myself to a Fedora Burger. And all of this to say, that my favorite meal will ALWAYS be a cheeseburger with an extra dirty martini, and sometimes I don't need an excuse to indulge.