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I’ve made it a point for a long time not to incorporate much of my personal life on here, but the longer that I’ve gone on, I think it’s imperative not only to share my journeys and challenges, but to share with others who might be experiencing similar issues.
Thin has never been a word in my vocabulary and I’ve struggled with weight issues my entire life. Especially after having three kids which were all C-Sections. Eventually I had to accept the fact that my body was now very different than before and it was going to be a long road to getting my stomach back in shape.
It’s been almost three years since I had my last child and I’ve been a bit lazy at getting back into my workout routines and health focus. On top of having a few foods that I don’t tolerate well and that I’ve been working on these issues for the last decade. Struggling with gluten and dairy intolerances has made my life a lot more challenging, but incredibly rewarding at the same time.
My daughter has many of the same food challenges and my sons both have variations as well. So it’s been a family sized kitchen overhaul for a few years now. But I’ve got my diet back in check, I’ve been feeling better again and my plan after Thanksgiving is to get back into my regular workout routine.
It’s never an easy thing to do, but I’ve gotten better over the years of getting myself focused when it’s time to do so. For the last few weeks I’ve been preparing my body with refining my food adjustments again to a specific Keto focused diet. It’s important to remember that there’s nothing wrong with you just because you might suffer from food intolerances. The best course of action is to acknowledge the existence of the issues, determine the best course of action for you, and then take baby steps towards o=overcoming any hurdles.
I find it’s easier to make my adjustments if I do them in stages:
1. Adjust my diet
I already know my body pretty well and what does and doesn’t work for me. I can tell when my body starts to feel sluggish or burdened from taking in too many things that don’t suit me well. When I start feeling this way, I make it a point to focus on what I’ve been taking in too much of and addressing those things first by removing them or reducing them. By doing this first, it allows my body to go through the fluctuations and adjustment periods. I do this for a few weeks so that if I get headaches or feel lethargic I can deal with those issues before incorporating my workout routine.
2. Add in workout routine
After my body and mind have had a few weeks to adjust and regulate after some major food changes – like carb reduction and sugar reduction – then I am ready to start my workout routine.
Next Week I’ll share with you the workout program I love the most and have been using off and on for a long time. I am by no means a regular gym bunny, nor am I very good at working out regularly. But I do think it’s important to have a mind set and expectation of how you will work out. Not all of us are built to work out every single day for an hour.
I’ve fallen under that misleading banner too many times and I will tell you that not every body is meant or designed to be put under grueling work out routines. I am pretty well in tune with my body’s physical activity needs and I make it a point , when I need the physical exercise, to work out for 45 min three times a week for a few weeks to really help my body feel enlivened.
Summary
No two people will ever be the same and we all need l have unique challenges that we face. This is just an overview of some of the things I have struggled through and what has worked well for me. Below I’m going to share a few of my favorite snacks and meal sides for those that are dairy and gluten intolerant or sensitive.
Take the very best care of yourselves and let me know in the comments below if you have any recommendations or want to share your experiences as well.
Favorite GF & Vegan Snacks / Meals
Adventures in Literature 