A few days ago, my husband and I came back home to Sweden after a week on Crete, Greece. We didn’t take a long vacation during this summer due to covid so we decided to do something a little more special in the fall and booked a one week, breakfast & dinner buffet included, right-by-the-beach hotel stay and loved every second of it – so much that we both got a bit teary-eyed on the flight back home!! 🥲 To fully relax and not having to think of anything is quite the luxury and I am so very thankful that we were able to do this.
However, with both of us having histories of unhealthy relationships with food, we quite quickly noticed that the all-you-can-eat buffet was not a positive thing for us. We lost control quite quickly and our bodies started to react poorly to the food (and/or the amount of food) that we ate. We indulged and then we felt bad, instead of eating until we were satisfied and then going to bed with that same feeling (and not burpy and achy and full of regret!).
ALSO HOWEVER, I SO tried to NOT let this bother me during our stay! After all, we were on vacation and we all DO need some time off once in a while, otherwise, we would go crazy (or at least I know I would). It’s called life balance and to me this is one of the most important things to staying healthy in the long run.
But – the way our bodies reacted reminded me that this wasn’t something that started here on Crete. Our bodies, and especially our stomachs, have been treated poorly for a long time. Without a solid and long-term healthy ground to stand on, even one week of being “off track” sent our bodies into a “NOPE, I CANNOT TAKE IT” frenzy. A poor diet, mental stress and lack of physical activity will eventually take its toll on our bodies and especially our gut health. We worry so much about “looking good”, and even though that’s a confidence booster (which then boosts mental health), we often forget how we actually feel inside.
In the end, we were still able to enjoy our vacation and we did enjoy the food. But, I know that if I had started my journey earlier I would have felt more comfortable and generally be more happy.
Now being back home, I will be sticking to the changes I’ve made this year to make sure that I’m actually taking care of all of me.
These are some of the steps which I know will help me lose weight, while also heal me:
- EAT 500 CALORIES PER DAY! No just kidding 😏 Although, this isn’t funny. Too many women think this is the only way to go to lose weight. It is of course possible, but it is in no way a good way to go unless you are monitored by doctors and specialists because any other way would be fatal. Necessary to point this out!
So in all seriousness: - ONLY get on the scale if you can keep a healthy distance to it!! ⚖️ The number on the scale does NOT take a lot of things into consideration, like water & muscle weight, so be mindful of how the scale makes you feel.
- Are you moving your body each day? This can be dancing, taking a walk, playing with your dog, yoga, stretching, gymming, jogging/running, swimming – the possibilities are endless, really, we just need to get our butts up and off our seat! As simple as that 🙌
- Are you drinking enough water? 🌊 2 litres/day is recommended for someone who doesn’t train heavy. If you do train heavy, add another 1-2 litres. This will help your body to regulate its temperature, transport all the nutrients, oxygen and hormones around the body & also flush crap out 🚮
- Are you getting enough sleep? 💤 Sleep is CRUCIAL. You’ve probably heard it before so I won’t nag too much, but 7-9 hours/night are necessary for your body to recover properly (mentally and physically!) and your body will be happiest by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day 😌
- You CAN count calories, but you do not have to! 🧮 For someone who wants to get really serious with a workout and diet plan I would recommend this, but to just make some small changes like being mindful of what you eat and how much you eat will be enough to create better habits. It doesn’t have to be drastic, and I do not recommend it if you have a bad relationship with food, so trying to change your focus is good enough!
- Having said previous point; eat your fruits & veggies! 🥦 There is really sooo much more to this, but that deserves its own blog post (or a bunch) and in the near future I will post a list of nutrients and what they do. In the meantime, simply try to add them (especially greens!) into your meals like berries into smoothies & yoghurts, spinach in your salad and carrot sticks as a snack! Again, possibilities are endless and just start by being mindful of doing it and what you like.
- And, DONT FRET ABOUT IT – Strive to live with a healthy mind, make healthier choices, be human and make mistakes, and then just keep in mind to put YOU and your well-being first! The rest will follow 🌟
Now, with all this said, it IS important to be aware of how your body actually feels and behaves no matter what size or weight you are. Start with one thing, get it into a daily habit, feel the change, add another and keep going from there! Trust your intuition. We’ve got this ❤️🔥
Much love & strength,
Jo