Распечатать
E-mail
 |
Инструкции
(I'm on the far right!)As the "food coach" for the group, I often find myself talking about my choice to be vegetarian.
After explaining where I get my protein (because I am ALWAYS asked about that), I am careful to point out that I am on a path that works FOR ME and that I do not have designs on converting anyone else. I believe strongly that everyone should find what works for THEM and that nobody should blindly follow another's path. I am a mentor to those for whom I am the "food coach" but only in that I am there to help them think through their challenges and to come up with food ideas. I am not a registered dietician (RD), personal trainer, or a doctor. I have a wealth of knowledge on nutrition and fitness because of my own…
View Full Recipe at Get Natured
As%20the%20%22food%20coach%22%20for%20the%20group,%20I%20often%20find%20myself%20talking%20about%20my%20choice%20to%20be%20vegetarian.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAfter%20explaining%20where%20I%20get%20my%20protein%20(because%20I%20am%20ALWAYS%20asked%20about%20that),%20I%20am%20careful%20to%20point%20out%20that%20I%20am%20on%20a%20path%20that%20works%20FOR%20ME%20and%20that%20I%20do%20not%20have%20designs%20on%20converting%20anyone%20else.%20I%20believe%20strongly%20that%20everyone%20should%20find%20what%20works%20for%20THEM%20and%20that%20nobody%20should%20blindly%20follow%20another's%20path.%20I%20am%20a%20mentor%20to%20those%20for%20whom%20I%20am%20the%20%22food%20coach%22%20but%20only%20in%20that%20I%20am%20there%20to%20help%20them%20think%20through%20their%20challenges%20and%20to%20come%20up%20with%20food%20ideas.%20I%20am%20not%20a%20registered%20dietician%20(RD),%20personal%20trainer,%20or%20a%20doctor.%20I%20have%20a%20wealth%20of%20knowledge%20on%20nutrition%20and%20fitness%20because%20of%20my%20own%20interest%20in%20the%20subjects-%20my%20Bachelor's%20degree%20and%20post-graduate%20work%20are%20unrelated.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBlogger%20responsibility%20and%20disordered%20eating%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAnother%20blogger%20recently%20wrote%20about%20blogger%20responsibility%20(with%20regard%20to%20%22healthy%20living%22%20or%20food%20and%20fitness%20related%20blogs)%20and%20re-shared%20her%20response%20to%20an%20article%20accusing%20her%20and%20five%20other%20bloggers%20of%20potentially%20having%20a%20disordered%20relationship%20with%20food%20and/or%20exercise.%20Eek.%20I%20am%20writing%20this%20post%20to%20share%20my%20food%20and%20exercise%20philosophy%20and%20to%20make%20this%20very%20clear:%20Again,%20I%20believe%20strongly%20that%20everyone%20should%20find%20what%20works%20for%20THEM%20and%20that%20nobody%20should%20blindly%20follow%20another's%20(or%20my)%20path.%20Experiment,%20explore,%20talk%20to%20an%20RD%20or%20your%20doctor,%20work%20with%20a%20trainer-%20do%20what%20it%20takes%20to%20find%20what%20makes%20YOU%20feel%20good.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAs%20for%20accusations%20that%20imply%20that%20%22healthy%20living%22%20bloggers%20(or%20non-blogging%20health%20foodies)%20are%20people%20who%20are%20obsessed%20with%20food%20and%20exercise%20(in%20a%20dysfunctional%20way),%20I%20have%20mixed%20feelings.%20In%20my%20experience,%20the%20blogs%20that%20I%20read%20are%20written%20by%20people%20who%20simply%20want%20to%20share%20their%20ideas%20and%20recipes%20and%20keep%20themselves%20accountable%20by%20publicly%20declaring%20their%20goals.%20I%20find%20others'%20blogs%20to%20be%20an%20excellent%20source%20of%20inspiration.%20I%20read%20a%20lot%20of%20food-related%20blogs%20because%20I%20love%20variety%20in%20my%20meals%20and%20I%20get%20great%20ideas%20from%20other%20health-minded%20people.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThat%20being%20said,%20eating%20disorders%20(and%20over-exercising)%20are%20clearly%20very%20concerning.%20These%20things%20affect%20omnivores,%20vegans,%20and%20vegetarians%20indiscriminately.%20Those%20affected%20by%20this%20can%20be%20fixated%20on%20eating%20only%20%22approved%22%20foods%20or%20%22perfectly%22%20following%20a%20certain%20diet.%20Obviously%20self-discipline%20and%20consequences%20are%20not%20part%20of%20a%20healthy%20menu.%20Neither%20is%20a%20sense%20of%20superiority%20over%20those%20who%20eat%20differently%20with%20regard%20to%20one's%20success%20at%20attempting%20to%20live%20inline%20with%20a%20dietary%20ideal.%20Being%20vegetarian%20or%20vegan%20is%20certainly%20not%20a%20disordered%20ideal.%20Whether%20written%20in%20a%20blog%20or%20suffered%20in%20private,%20though,%20obsessing%20about%20food%20or%20exercise%20at%20the%20cost%20of%20relationships,%20happiness,%20or%20other%20life-nurturing%20things%20is%20not%20healthy.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMy%20way%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EHealthy,%20as%20I%20define%20it,%20does%20not%20mean%20deprivation%20or%20perfection.%20I%20am%20not%20militant%20in%20terms%20of%20monitoring%20my%20food%20intake-%20I%20eat%20intuitively.%20I%20eat%20when%20I'm%20hungry.%20I%20stop%20eating%20when%20I'm%20full.%20I%20choose%20healthy%20foods%20(lots%20of%20fruits,%20veggies,%20whole%20grains,%20legumes,%20etc.)%20most%20of%20the%20time%20and%20indulge%20in%20less%20healthy%20choices%20occasionally%20without%20guilt.%20I%20exercise%20to%20feel%20good%20physically%20and%20mentally,%20not%20to%20burn%20a%20certain%20number%20of%20calories.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20cook%20and%20create%20my%20own%20recipes%20because%20I%20love%20to%20eat%20and%20because%20I%20get%20bored%20very%20easily.%20I%20have%20high%20standards%20for%20what%20I%20choose%20as%20fuel%20for%20my%20body%20but%20not%20because%20I%20am%20following%20any%20rules.%20I%20eat%20what%20makes%20me%20feel%20good.%20I%20don't%20count%20calories.%20I%20don't%20strive%20to%20be%20skinny.%20I%20want%20to%20feel%20good-%20to%20have%20energy%20and%20to%20be%20strong.%20But%20living%20healthy%20is%20more%20than%20that;%20I%20also%20want%20to%20feel%20fed.%20Physically%20and%20emotionally.%20Sometimes%20that%20takes%20a%20run%20through%20the%20Eastern%20Sierra%20Nevada%20region%20of%20California%20while%20looking%20up%20at%20Mt.%20Whitney.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ESometimes%20it%20takes%20chocolate.%20It%20is%20what%20it%20is-%20I%20just%20go%20with%20it.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20know%20these%20things%20to%20be%20true%20FOR%20ME:%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWhen%20I%20am%20happy%20and%20relaxed%20my%20body%20works%20better.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWhen%20I%20exercise%20regularly%20I%20am%20happier,%20I%20have%20more%20energy,%20and%20I%20feel%20strong.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMeat,%20dairy%20products,%20and%20eggs%20are%20not%20necessary%20in%20my%20diet%20and%20by%20avoiding%20them%20I%20am%20significantly%20reducing%20my%20risk%20for%20heart%20disease%20and%20cancer.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20feel%20great%20about%20my%20choice%20to%20opt%20out%20of%20consuming%20products%20that%20arrive%20in%20the%20supermarket%20by%20way%20of%20a%20process%20that%20is%20fraught%20with%20cruelty,%20pollution,%20and%20suffering.%20I%20feel%20good%20about%20this%20even%20if%20I'm%20not%20100%25%20perfect%20at%20opting%20out.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMy%20cholesterol%20is%2060%20points%20lower%20than%20it%20was%2013%20years%20ago%20when%20I%20was%20told%20that%20it%20was%20over%20200mg/dL.%20The%20only%20thing%20that%20I%20have%20changed%20is%20my%20diet%20(even%20my%20weight%20is%20the%20same).%20I%20am%20on%20the%20right%20path.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWhy%20do%20I%20write%20this%20blog?%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20enjoy%20sharing%20my%20ideas%20and%20recipes.%20I%20hope%20to%20inspire%20others%20to%20try%20new%20things%20and%20to%20help%20them%20along%20with%20their%20evolution%20of%20thriving%20as%20so%20many%20others%20have%20done%20for%20me.%20I%20want%20to%20show%20people%20who%20are%20just%20starting%20to%20make%20healthy%20changes%20in%20their%20diet%20and%20exercise%20habits%20to%20see%20that%20healthy%20foods%20can%20taste%20great%20and%20that%20living%20a%20physically%20healthy%20life%20can%20also%20greatly%20enhance%20mental%20health.%20We%20all%20have%20an%20emotional%20attachment%20to%20how%20we%20live%20and%20how%20we%20eat%20and%20how%20we%20do%20just%20about%20everything.%20I%20am%20not%20writing%20to%20convert%20or%20convince.%20I%20simply%20want%20to%20share%20what%20I%20know%20from%20my%20own%20experience%20so%20that%20others%20might,%20on%20occasion,%20find%20a%20tidbit%20that%20makes%20a%20positive%20difference%20in%20their%20lives.%3C/p%3E){kind=link}