The beginning...

As a psychologist I am always emphasizing the importance of self-care. Easier said then done, right? I should know this since I wasn't completely taking care of myself like I should have or could. My road to a healthier lifestyle began in March of 2012. It's nearly been a year... but the reason I'm only just now creating a blog is because this lifestyle change has actually stuck. So what was the trigger? Well... I can thank my friend Kristy in Australia for that. I saw an amazing post on her facebook wall of her exciting adventure on an endurance race called the Tough Mudder (http://toughmudder.com). This was before the sudden boom of mud runs... or so before I realized mud was the new thing in racing. I later decided to look up this tough mudder in Australia and was pleasantly surprised to find out it also took place in the States. Keep in mind I've never run a race, let alone a straight mile. So... what did I do? I signed up for the Minnesota Twin Cities Tough Mudder by myself hoping that I'd round up others to join. I did get one brave soul to join me on my adventure. It was awesome. I definitely felt tough! So I signed up for more runs and have for the most part been consistent with exercise. Meanwhile, I decided to try something new at home... wait for it... Going GRAIN Free. Crazy right? Seemed like it at first for this pasta and bread fanatic! Not only did I decide to cut out grains (wheat, corn, rice, oats, etc.), I decided to limit processed foods and try not to replace grain-foods like flour, bread, cereal, pasta, etc. I soon learned that not only can you get all the nutrients you need from non-grain foods, but the nutrients are absorbed a whole lot easier. So my non-diet includes eating meats, healthy fats like guacamole, lots of vegetables of every kind, fruits, sweet potatoes (I also cut out white potatoes), beans of every kind, nuts, eggs, yogurt and cheese, with the occasional wine (since beer and vodka have wheat) and chocolate. So fast forward about 9 months with this new ... Nearly migraine free, less bloated, reduced episodes of bursitis, buff, and twenty pounds lighter lifestyle. I feel fresh, healthy and strong. The real me has come out and it's out to stay. So this blog will follow my continued journey towards maintaining and striving for more self-care. Hope you can get some ideas.

Side note: If you aren't technically allergic to wheat or grains, once you get used to eating grain free, it's easy to have a cheat day for something special and not go crazy. And by that I mean that grains are addictive and it will be hard at first to stop eating them. But soon you'll stop the craving and realize you don't really need these bloater foods (probably pushed by the food market as healthy).

Second side note: This is not a carb-free diet... beans, fruits, vegetables, sweet potatoes all have carbs.

Enjoy!

- The Shrink that Shrank


* disclaimer - this blog does not promote any particular diet or exercise, these posts are just based on what has worked for me after trying many different strategies.