March series: Weight-Loss Made Easy for Teachers Week 2
Have you gotten the Spring Edition of The Healthy Teacher School Lunch Planner yet? Start planning your seasonal, balanced, easy-to-transport lunches by getting your free planner here.
Who says that weight-loss has to be a punishing, body-bashing experience? Here’s what I have found about sustainable weight-loss…
In three years teaching I put on about 30 pounds of extra weight caused by stress, stress-eating habits, and a lack of exercise. As the weight continued to increase, I no longer felt comfortable in my own skin, and I had no idea how to lose the weight I had put on.
And that’s when I desperately started pursuing restrictive diets. I went raw vegan, then I went low-fat vegan, then paleo, then just restricted my calories…
I also let in very negative thoughts about my body. My self-worth and attitude towards my body depended on a number on a scale. I never paid attention to how the diets actually made me feel. The truth is each new weight-loss plan made me feel low energy, deprived, and even more stressed.
Once I stopped focusing on the scale, and started focusing on how I felt…that’s when the weight slowly and sustainably started coming off.
Last week on The Whole Adventure Facebook page we talked about finding reasons apart from weight-loss to support a health journey. I offered a couple of easy healthy recipes focused on supporting brain health that can also play a role in a weight-loss journey. Let’s review :)
This Brain Food Smoothie Bowl is a great go-to breakfast to support long-term brain health. Healthy fats from foods like walnuts, chia seeds and hemp seeds help support long-term brain health. That's why I love this yummy antioxidant-packed, omega-3 smoothie. It has the carbs (from fruit) fat (from the nuts and seeds) and protein (from the hemp seeds) you need to stay fuller longer. Show your brain some love by giving this nourishing smoothie a try (will also help to give you glowing skin)!:
Up next: this Stuffed Sweet Potato. Our brain's preferred source of fuel is glucose. Not protein, not fat, but...carbs! Ever feel totally groggy, foggy, and mentally exhausted on a low-carb or low cal diet? This could be why. That foggy, spacey feeling is not ideal when in charge of a busy classroom for SURE. It's just one reason I am a huge fan of complex carbs such as the glorious sweet potato. This meal is easy to make, easy to bring into school, easy to modify so it doesn't get boring. And it will help feed your brain so you stay focused all afternoon long.
Lastly, this week I shared two tips for weight-loss that have nothing to do with food. They are:
List your "why's" that aren't related to body size
Changing habits is hard, and our bodies change slowly. Eventually, the singular goal of getting smaller/bigger/stronger (whatever your body goal is) is going to get frustrating.
But if, on the other hand, you can find more (or other) motivation...sleeping better, strengthening your immune system, getting that endorphin rush after moving your body, improving your mood, nourishing your brain (see previous post 😉), improving longevity...
Well then we are really cooking with fire.
Love your body as it is right now
So often we try to punish our bodies into a certain shape or size, and we try and do it FAST. Restrictive diets, intense workouts, detox teas...these methods are draining, unsustainable and it's likely you'll come out the other side with an even stronger resentment of your body.
But what if you approached this journey of health from a place of caring love for your body? From personal experience I can tell you that when I appreciated my body as it was and listened to what it needed in that moment, the weight started coming off slowly but surely. (and sometimes this meant letting my body rest or eating the whole chocolate bar, guilt-free)
Is it easy to love your body at every stage in our weight-loss obsessed culture? I would personally say no, it was not and still is not some days. But is it a much better life than internally calling your body names, depriving yourself of adequate nutrition, and always waiting to love yourself? 100% yes.
That’s all for this week!
What are your reasons for approaching a healthier lifestyle that have nothing to do with body size? Comment below to let us know your daily inspiration :)