Are You Going to Eat ALL of THAT?!?!

First things first: let’s talk about the scale. I have several speculations about the number from last week, but I cannot scientifically prove them. The only thing that matters today is that the numbers on the scale moved in the desired direction! The inches are slowly, but surely falling off as well:

Now, we can move on…

I am so grateful for the Mamavation Mom campaign, and for all of the people who make it such a wonderful, support, loving, and educational environment. One of my mottos during this campaign has been: if you want something you’ve never had, you must do something that you’ve never done. From the moment I applied, I have taken the proverbial bull by the horns, and thrown caution to the wind. I decided to dive in, and give it my all. Why? Well, because the “solutions” of the past were not lifestyle changes. I wanted to change my life badly enough that I was willing to surrender everything that I had and understood, just to get the answers I desperately needed. Cue Alysa, Registered Dietician extraordinaire, who tailored specific plans for the Campaign 15 Mamavation Moms.

Alysa’s nutrition plan is an absolute godsend. Of course, I did not see it this way at first. My immediate thought was “who on earth tells someone to eat more when they want to lose weight!?!?!?” I was stunned to see the long lists of items that I was expected to consume on a daily basis. Surely my list was a typo, right? Surely she didn’t expect me to find a way to fit all of this food into my daily routine. There was no typo, and yes, I was 100% expected to eat more.  What kind of crazy person balks at being TOLD to eat more? Apparently, I was temporarily nuts.

Now that I have seen the light, and I understand that my body needs fuel, I am 100% enamored with my nutrition plan.  My body had to learn what to do with food. My brain had to accept that I did not know what I was talking about, and my heart had to allow me to trust Leah and Alysa with my dietary needs. I must pause and emphasize that what Alysa prescribed for me was not a diet, but rather a nutritional map for a lifestyle change. I did not see immediate results, and I didn’t always understand, but I decided to trust the process.  Eventually, I retrained my body. I eat approximately every 2-3 hours, and with the intense Mamavation Mom workouts, I burn right through those meals. Instead of lamenting “I cannot possibly eat all of this,” I now hear my body saying, “Hey, feed me!”

This isn’t some flimsy concept that leaves me hungry in the middle of the night, so there isn’t a need or incentive to cheat (not to mention that I have to post my scale pictures each week!). I eat amazingly delicious and filling meals, and I am learning more about food pairings everyday. Even my 5 yr old Superkid gives the menu choices a high 5!  I love the food selections, and I LOVE the results! My grocery cart looks like an advertisement for gardens and orchards! I don’t have to search very many labels to decode ingredients because most of my selections are LIVE, REAL foods, not manufactured, boxed things. I can see and feel the difference in my body already. I have energy, my hair and skin are glowing, and I actually crave the good stuff over the bad now. Who knew what trusting a process could do? (Thanks for the gentle reminder, Leah!)

I will not share the exact details of my personalized plan because each person responds differently to various options.  My food choices were designed with my specific allergies and needs in mind.  I strongly encourage anyone who wants to experience the healthiest approach to shedding pounds to 1) maintain a connection with Mamavation; 2) obtain access to the expertise of a Registered Dietician such as Alysa. You can surrender to the program, and learn from the experts (& keep eating great food, yo!), or you can do things your own way. I tried things my own way, and as smart and connected as I may be, I still found that I needed help. The assistance, advice, support, love, and laughs that I receive from Mamavation are priceless. If you step away from your own expertise, and allow yourself to trust a new, better process, you’ll be amazed by what comes to you, and how much you’ll succeed at acquiring a healthier lifestyle.

Until next week,

XOXOXOXO