Part of this holistic journey I’ve been on started by giving up dieting. Seriously, I refuse to do any more crash/fad diets, starve myself, refuse myself treats.  I’m done with it!

That doesn’t mean I don’t still love researching and understanding the theories behind a lot of these ‘diets’.  I can get behind the theory of the blood type diet. Eating in a way that’s best suited for the blood that runs through our system.

I appreciate the lessons in moderation I learned when looking into the 21 day fix. The portions that I eat for myself, even healthy, are sometimes a little too much.

I love the cleansing that comes with Whole 30.  Being able to restart your body to understand how each food group affects you personally.  I really love this one actually.

You all know how much I love Pressed Juicery cleanses.  If you don’t know that by this point– I LOVE THEM! (Pressed Juicery – please let me open a store in Virginia!!)

I’ve learned a lot by what didn’t work: starvation, tiny portions, strict rules on what I can or can’t eat, meal replacements. But I’ve learned a lot about what works for me.  I know that calorie counting helps me get back on track so I understand what I’m putting in my body.  I love having meal plans as a guide so that I can keep trying new healthy meals. I like structure.

I want to make sure I’m giving my body everything it needs.  But sometimes — my soul needs chipotle!

Back to the matter at hand, I did give up dieting.  It’s still hard to live a healthy lifestyle, though.  I can walk around the corner to my favorite bar and get the happy hour burger for $5 — and it is a DELICIOUS burger! I could do that 3 times a week, and I used to.  Getting a salad for 12 bucks is hard to justify sometimes, so I’ve stopped going out as much. It’s a balance. I will still go there and eat the heck out of one of those burgers, I just don’t do it all the time.

The struggle has been real. I still weigh myself a few times a week, and punish myself for eating bad foods, but I’m not doing it as much anymore. This whole process is a journey that is difficult, and we have to take it one day at a time!

-bb