Elevated Eating

As we navigate through this beautiful new season of 2021, many of us are on a quest to elevate our lives in one or more aspects. Eating is something we love, do and create routines, relationships and events and it has an immense impact on our health and wellness as we mature. How are you elevating your eating for 2021 and beyond?

I'm literally the creation of a mindful flexatarian and super foodie that appreciates both the nutritional and energetic benefits of plant based eating habits as well as the savoriness of pizza, sloppy Joe's and fried chicken. As I'm journeying towards living at the highest expression of myself, I've taken the past 60 days to explore creative options for elevating my ratings habits, and by elevating I mean incorporating more of the food I desire for my body while still enjoying the foods that bring me happiness. Below I share three ways to elevate your eating and maintain balance, self love and lots of joy!

1. Add in more of the good stuff

The first thing most people dread when dieting or transforming eating habits is losing what they love! It's like ripping off a bandaid or going cold turkey on a really bad habit. Progressive methods often offer longer term changes and permanent results.

I also incorporated what I needed most in the very beginning of my day. So with an intention of eating more raw fruits and vegetables, I curated a super salad that includes super food greens, my favorite fruit and a few veggies. Eggs are one of my favorite items for breakfast in addition to unicorn pancakes that my girls and I love! So I still had them but just had one egg and pancake instead of two and increased the amount of salad I incorporate. (yes, I am eating Salad for breakfast, I promise you'll thank me later!) Below is an example of a dish I've had. As the weeks progressed I actually desired to minimize my egg intake and substituted it with black beans, which made an amazing substitute I might add!

2. Make special moments out of your sugar rush

I must admit, I'm a recovering lover of sugar. Ice cream, cookies, cake (my favorite) brownies, the works, I LOVE IT ALL. But it's no secret the dangers of sugar on ones mental and physical health, so minimizing sugar intake. So something that has helped is making modifications to sweets, minimizing least favorite sugary items and spreading sugar intake out for more special occasions. So on the full moon we've made a special tradition to make cookies or a cake. Outside of that, we don't buy sugary snacks or baked goods or even juice for that matter. On occasion my husband Jo will bring the girls a sweet snack but it's kept at a minimum. Decreasing sugar intake has been a huge win for our family as well as our bank account since we save by decreasing spending on juice and increases our enjoyment and desire to for water. My favorite part of finding the small but impactful changes to elevate my life is that it also permeates to those close to me!

Movement Supports Healthy Modifications

Yep, it's TRUE, exercise or intentional physical activity supports increased mindfulness in eating. You're a lot less likely to eat a greasy burger, ice cream or a big cup of Coca-Cola before or right after intentional physical activity. In addition, the physiological and mental benefits including endorphins, confidence and focus are catalyst and motivators to have eating habits that support your exercise habits. I've been on my exercise journey for a few years now and to see that changes and transformation is so exciting and motivationa but so is the beauty in your long term relationship with yourself. It encourages increased mindfulness with eating and invites creative ways to incorporate more healthy meals! All bodies are beautiful in there own way, and cultivating habits that support health for long term vitality and optimal wellness are the most important part of your journey. Having an instafamous physique is great for followers, however having a body that provides a long and healthy life is better. Peace of mind is better than perfection.

As you navigate through your journey of elevating your eating, exercise and life experience I invite you to join my community that supports this process for beautiful people all over desiring to elevate their life.

You can also join me on instagram @luvjoystudios

Share what's working for you in your journey with food and fitness!