Finding Food Freedom: Jacob and Steph’s stories

u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eHonestly? Two years after my first Whole30. I really thought I had it all figured out by doing a Whole30 a few times a year. I slowly realized I wasn’t u0022learningu0022 anything. I was preaching that Whole30 wasn’t a diet while actually using it as a diet. I knew I had to break that cycle. Instead of doing the Whole30 over and over again, I decided to focus on reintroduction so that I could learn how to make informed decisions in my Food Freedom.u003c/spanu003e

u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eMy Food Freedom journey started in 2015 when I started thinking about having kids, stopped the birth control pill and discovered underlying hormone issues. I thought the way I was eating was working for me and soon realized that I had been following other people’s rules (in this case, very low-carb Paleo) for too long. This didn’t work well with my body and level of physical activity. I started adding in more whole food-based carbs (sweet potatoes, winter squash, fruit, lentils, legumes) and used what I had learned in previous Whole30 resets to expand my diet. Allowing foods back into my diet that I knew worked well versus sticking to a plan long-term felt liberating. Shortly after I began my independent journey to finding Food Freedom, the book Food Freedom Forever was released, and I learned additional strategies and a framework that has been such a gift as I navigate new seasons of my life.u003c/spanu003e

Unlearning so much diet-talk like u0022falling off the bandwagonu0022 and labeling foods as u0022goodu0022 and u0022badu0022 (and even dropping terms like u0022healthyu0022) have been so freeing but also super hard because they’re ingrained in us. We often shame ourselves when it comes to the choices we make with food, so unlearning the words I used to shame myself was super hard. Taking that power away from myself has made every part of this astronomically easier. That said, I still have a ways to go and always will. My biggest trigger food is sugar and I’m still learning how to navigate that without demonizing it.

The hardest part of the process for me is being present and mindfully choosing what’s “worth it” when I’m navigating my kid’s tantrums, sleep deprivation, and stressful events. I sometimes forget to pause between feeling the discomfort and grabbing a sweet treat or snack, which doesn’t allow myself the opportunity to honor my true need in that moment. Instead of feeling guilty about emotionally eating, I remind myself that I’m a human doing my best to overcome instincts that have been with me since before I can remember. We’re wired to seek comfort in times of discomfort and through my food freedom journey, I now have other tools like journaling, yoga, and music that I’m learning to choose instead of sugar.

u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eFor the first time in years, I don’t feel like I give food much thought past ‘I’m not really in the mood for X because it’ll give me brain fog and I’m enjoying how I feel today.’ I can walk past foods that used to be the things I regularly over-consumed OR I have the capacity now to CHOOSE to eat them, guilt-free, and move on with my day. I can’t stress enough what a gift that is.u003c/spanu003e

u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eFinding a deep sense of trust and comfort in my body and my choices. For so long I put my trust in other nutrition experts, books, or programs to tell me how I should eat. Whole30 gave me the opportunity to be my own detective to see what works for me and how it changes in different seasons of my life. This approach feels light, flexible, and playful. It allows me to have ice cream with my kids on a hot summer day without feeling guilty after or awkward during. I consider Food Freedom a gift I can hopefully model and pass down to my kids as well.u003c/spanu003e

u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eI’m a late breakfast person. I enjoy working out on an empty stomach and regularly do, even though it doesn’t work that way for many people. I get up in the am, drink some water, workout, and will have a post-workout meal like sliced turkey/chicken or sometimes a pea protein drink. About 30 minutes later, I’ll have breakfast. This is usually just whatever leftovers I have in the fridge over some greens with coffee, sometimes caffeinated but usually decaf. Lunch is a mix of pre-roasted veggies, protein, and a sauce, and dinner is pretty much the same. I don’t deviate much from: greens, prepared protein, roasted veggies, and occasional rice or corn-based items like arepas. I still have a sweet tooth and you’ll find Jeni’s ice cream in my freezer a lot. The difference now is I know it’ll still be there when I want it, so I get to enjoy it rather than feel the need to consume the whole container. It’s a great feeling!u003c/spanu003e

u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eI find that I feel more mental clarity, energy, and have better digestion with a 12-14 hour fast between dinner and breakfast, so I usually plan my day like this:u003c/spanu003ernrnu0026nbsp;rnrnu003cbu003e6:00 amu003c/bu003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003e – A large glass of lemon water + black coffee while I hang out with my littles and get them ready for school u003c/spanu003ernrnu003cbu003e6:45 amu003c/bu003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003e – Peloton ride, yoga, or weight trainingu003c/spanu003ernrnu003cbu003e8:00 am u003c/bu003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003e- No-oat oatmeal (ground flaxseed, hemp hearts, chia seeds, cinnamon with nut butter on top)u003c/spanu003ernrnu003cbu003e12:30 pm u003c/bu003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003e- A huge plate of sauteed leafy greens, zucchini, mushrooms, shallots, tomatoes, and Oomph seasoning with protein (such as salmon, shredded chicken, ground venison, chicken sausage, eggs)  u003c/spanu003ernrnu003cbu003e3:00 pm u003c/bu003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003e- A handful of nuts and unsweetened ginger, turmeric, or chai teau003c/spanu003ernrnu003cbu003e5:30 pm u003c/bu003eu003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003e – A vegetable-heavy soup or stir-fry with lentils/legumes and avocadou003c/spanu003e

u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eThere’s a local gluten-free bakery here in Atlanta called Hell Yeah Gluten Free and they make the BEST biscuits ever–gluten-free or not. I love the nostalgia of a good biscuit because my mom regularly made biscuits growing up but I eat gluten-free almost always so this was a fun find!u003c/spanu003e

u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eI really enjoy salmon poke with a glass of red wine. Salmon poke was actually my first meal after having both of my sons. There’s something special about enjoying a slow meal and sipping a local wine with people you love.u003c/spanu003ernrnu0026nbsp;

u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eFood Freedom means I’ve set myself up to ENJOY food rather than overthink food. It means I’ve allowed myself the flexibility to bend the rules and have a plan for what comes after a u0022worth itu0022 food that I can implement immediately. More than anything, it means I feel empowered by my food choices now because I realize the control I have over the food I eat every single day.u003c/spanu003e

u003cspan style=u0022font-weight: 400;u0022u003eFood Freedom means you have the power to make informed choices about how I eat. I know what feels good and what doesn’t work as well. More often than not, I mindfully choose what feels good and extend myself grace when my choices aren’t in alignment with my Food Freedom. I feel calm, empowered, and excited about my meals instead of shameful, confused, and disempowered. And finally, I revisit my Food Freedom plan as I learn more about myself and enter new seasons.u003c/spanu003ernrnu0026nbsp;