You're More than What You Eat

We’ve all heard the phrase “You are what you eat.” There’s a lot of truth in that—when we eat well, we feel well. But, what happens when we have an unhealthy relationship with food?

The term “food addiction” is somewhat controversial and it is not yet considered a diagnosable disorder. But, before Healthy Jumpstart, that’s exactly how Anne saw her relationship with food—it was her addiction.

She explains, “Before this challenge, food controlled me. I was addicted to sugary drinks and fast food and I ate it every single day. I was always thinking about the next meal and what I could eat. I ate for pretty much every emotion I was going through.”

Anne’s nutrition coach, Julie Cleaves, stated: “Her relationship with food was complicated. It was unhealthy. She was addicted to the one thing that made her feel bad about herself.” Together, Anne and Julie were determined to change that. But, it wasn’t going to be easy. One of the biggest adjustments Anne had to make wasn’t physical, it was mental.

Right from the beginning of the challenge, Anne was enthusiastic and determined to lose weight. She knew that adjusting her diet would be the key to success. But, she didn’t immediately understand that switching foods would be more important than simply limiting foods.

Julie says, “Limiting calories isn’t the answer for building healthy lifestyle habits. We needed to switch her focus. All calories are not created equal. Your body will feel and perform better if given 100 calories from fruit instead of 100 calories from French fries.”

Anne and Julie meet every week to review Anne’s food journals and discuss nutrition. 

Anne admits making the change was incredibly tough. “Giving up regular soda cold turkey was the most challenging adjustment so far. I used to drink three to five Cokes every day. But, now, the taste of it is so sweet, that I can’t imagine how I ever drank so much.”

Another important part of changing her mindset was coming up with a strategy to deal with cravings. “Temptations are lurking around every corner. I try to avoid them a few different ways. First, I try to eat every few hours so I don’t allow myself to get too hungry. And, before I go grocery shopping, I try to eat a healthy snack and drink a glass of water so I’m not hungry when I shop. Finally, if there are sweet temptations at work, like donuts or cupcakes, I’ll opt for a healthy snack or piece of fruit I brought from home. This helps me satisfy sweet cravings.”

Anne is currently in the fifth month of the year-long weight loss challenge and she is doing great. She’s lost over 65 pounds, has more energy and lowered her blood pressure. But, one of the most powerful changes is her new mindset.