I have always tried to eat health- I have gone through many phases in my life where I have tried many different things. I used to be 100 pounds soaking wet when I was a teenager. Then…I hit my mid 20s and that started to change. Since then, I have had a hard time maintaining a healthy weight- I mean, it seems to always go up! I have had success in the past with different things that I have done, some sustainable (okay, well maybe not so much because I gave up), and some not so sustainable. I have tried a low caloric diet, counting macros, increased macros, paleo…you name it, I probably tried it. Through my food journey, I have learned a whole lot, and continue to learn. One thing I thought I would NEVER EVER try in a million years, was a VEGAN diet. I LOVEEE meat…more specifically, cheeseburgers with mayonnaise and ketchup. When I was diagnosed with cancer, before I ever started treatment, I was looking food up like crazy. I wanted to know what the effects were of every single food I ate. Did it increase inflammation? Did it have affects on estrogen and progesterone? Did it digest as al alkaline or acid? What was the glycemic index of the food? What effects did it have on the immune system? SOO…I decided to give a Vegan diet a try- along with intermittent fasting and juicing..
The more I progressed with this diet, the more mixed feelings I had about it. I loved how I felt. I had TONS of energy. But, I also found myself completely shifting and if it was Vegan, I would eat it. I found myself eating more processed foods and also getting more frustrated with my research. At one point I felt that I couldn’t eat hardly anything at all because each food may or may not play a role in inflammation, acidity, or even increasing glucose. Oh, and I found myself eating more carbs (yes, healthy ones) and struggling to get enough protein. Not to mention the fact that I was eating more processed foods and the saturated fat content was through the roof. That was it. I had had enough. I signed up to meet with dietitians/nutritionists from the cancer center. I learned alot more meeting with them. I eliminated all processed foods and found I could eat a bit more of foods I had initially written off. Just saying, Google is not always that smart. (and I refused to google anything about my diagnosis).
I have still focused on eating a clean and healthy diet, but still experienced frustrations. I have shied away from strict vegan, and I have allowed myself to have some meat..oh plus cheese and some butter. I am not concentrating on intermittent fasting (as much as I can), drinking plenty of water, and eating a balanced diet with organic vegetables, some fruits, and some meat. I find that I am a little bit less stressed with my diet doing it this way and find that I am eating much better. BUTT, I am still frustrated with the weight gain. I am not supposed to gain much weight or loose. But, let me tell you, that is easier said than done. It hard not to gain weight when I get steroids every week with my chemo. I had thought that I would try and count my macros- but man… I just cant keep up some days. I mean, I still will let myself have an occasional treat.
I notice that when I eat clean- focusing on whole foods, all organic and grass fed, I feel good. And right now, that is okay with me. Perhaps one of these days I will get my act together and loose some weight, but right now, I am just trying to take things one step at a time. It is easy to become overwhelmed and make DRASTIC changes when big life events happen, but there needs to be some grace that comes with it.
Forged In The Flames 