“The truth is if I had taken more time to focus on nourishing myself, I would have felt less tired, had better focus, and would have been able to work just as hard, if not harder!”
We’ve heard the saying time and again: “you are what you eat.” It’s one of those phrases that gets said so often that it loses its meaning. I wanted to look at this expression and explain the truth behind it.
Everything we eat is broken down in our bodies and used to fuel us and repair us. Food provides all the minerals, vitamins and nutrients that form the building blocks of our entire physiology. In this way, we quite literally are made up of all the things we eat.
In our lives, however, most of us don’t spend much time considering that fact. Eating is often an afterthought. It’s something that we do because we know we have to. We don’t prioritize it because we’re busy people, and everything else seems more important, or more urgent. We put ourselves in cycles of inconsistent and incomplete eating habits, and end up not nourishing ourselves the way we deserve.
But we need to remember that what we eat is so important. And it’s one of the few things we really have control over when it comes to our health and wellbeing. We know that what we eat is going to directly affect how our body feels.
Every moment of our lives is spent in these bodies. It doesn’t matter where we are or what we’re doing. How we feel inside and out will always be present. We have the opportunity then to do what we can for our bodies to feel good, to feel healthy and up to the task no matter what we’re doing with our busy lives. Food is the first step towards good quality of life!
As someone who used to be 120 pounds overweight (and definitely not eating well) I can assure you that my quality of life when I was eating poorly was down the drain. I always felt tired and sluggish, and I relied on stimulants like sugar and coffee to get myself through the work day. Meals were often missed, and when I would get hungry and have nothing ready, I’d order takeout. I didn’t prioritize nutrition because I was “too busy” getting Milesfit running. We’re always told not to prioritize ourselves and instead to focus on being successful. But the truth is if I had taken more time to focus on nourishing myself, I would have felt less tired, had better focus, and would have been able to work just as hard, if not harder!
One last point I’d like to make is that while it’s true we are what we eat, and eating nourishing foods should be a priority, food should also be enjoyed. If food is meant to make us feel good, then we should also feel good while eating it! Finding recipes you feel comfortable cooking, taking ownership of your food and sharing that experience with others is rewarding and a further positive investment in yourself.
It’s also important to be easy on ourselves and not get hung up on always trying to eat “healthy”, for example: chocolate cake is delicious. I enjoy eating it and it makes me happy. Do I do it every day? No, but when I do, I make sure to allow myself that pleasure and not guilt myself, as society often tells us to do. Being happy while eating, and breaking free from negative relationships with food will also go a long way toward improving our wellbeing!
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