Image by DrJimiGlide
**This post has been entered in Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist!**
(That’s not me…wouldn’t it be cool if I could do that though?!)
Over the last couple months, I’ve been trying to get back to “normal,” post-pregnancy. I’ve done so much research into what’s normal and what’s not, and what I might be deficient in, and so on. I normally lose all my baby weight by 3 months postpartum but I’m still at least 10 lbs. up and Jacob’s 4 months old.
Something I forgot through all of this was to forget all the research and conflicting views out there, and listen to my body. What makes me feel good? What works best for me?
Basic Diet Principles
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not about to throw all the basic, sound diet principles out the window. I still believe:
- Healthy fats like butter, coconut oil, lard, tallow, and olive oil should have a prominent place in my diet
- Meats should be pastured, and I should eat plenty of them (especially during pregnancy/breastfeeding)
- Milk and other dairy products should be raw and grass-fed whenever possible
- Grains should be properly prepared, when consumed
- Fruits and vegetables should be organic and consumed on a regular basis
- Sugar and other low-nutrition foods should be limited
These hold true for everyone. But these are very general guidelines! Which fats you choose on a regular basis or which you eat the most often can vary, or the percentage of fat in your diet can vary. What types of meat and how much you eat (from rarely to quite a lot) can vary, too. The same goes for all the other food groups, as well.
What Works FOR YOU?
I had forgotten that *I* personally feel the best when I:
- Have smoothies with breakfast in the morning (along with eggs/sausage/bacon)
- Have a salad daily (with homemade dressing)
- Have soups frequently
- Exercise regularly
None of this is with the express intention of weight loss. But these things make me feel especially energetic and good, so I imagine they will lead to weight loss in time.
I believe I need a higher proportion of fruits and vegetables in my diet than I had been getting. And perhaps a bit less meat. I’m also going to limit grains much more now, aiming to eat grains only once a day (with some days entirely grain-free) and make sure they’re soaked or soured. I think I might try my hand at a sourdough starter again! I’m also planning to severely limit sugar — I’ll have my daily ice cream, which we make with only a very small amount of raw honey (we each might get a tablespoon or so).
That is what works for me.
What works best for you? When do you feel the best? It’s important to eat real foods and avoid processed foods, but exactly what your diet looks like in terms of percentage of produce, fats, meat, carbs, etc. is very individual.
It is so important not to get caught up in all the new research that comes out and think, “I should really be eating more of…” or “less of…” or “I must be deficient in….” That may not be the case for you! You need to pay close attention to your body and what makes you feel the best. Then do that, regardless of what others are telling you.
Strive for Balance
Now — don’t misunderstand. I’m not talking about overindulging in sugar because sugar makes you feel “good.” I mean, what makes you feel most balanced? Most energetic? What makes you feel healthiest?
Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Am I sleeping well? Falling asleep easily, staying asleep through the night, waking refreshed in the morning?
- Do I have a lot of consistent energy? No spikes/crashes?
- Do I feel good, in stomach/digestive? No stomachaches, diarrhea, constipation, etc.?
- How is my mood? Balanced and generally happy? Or irritable, stressed, angry?
- Overall — do I feel good? Or just “okay,” or “bad?”
Notice how different foods or combinations affect you. Notice how exercise (or the lack of) affects you. Notice how the time you go to bed affects you. Notice how the stress in your life affects you — and are there things that you need to just let go of?
Follow what works best for you and you will feel great and balance your body naturally! All the research and experts in the world cannot give you the perfect answer for you. But you can find it, by following your own instincts!
Giveaway Winner
The sourdough ecourse giveaway is now over! The winner is:
Heidi (redlioness@…)
Congratulations! You should hear from Wardeh soon to claim your prize. For those who didn’t win, you can still sign up for the class yourself. Consider it a Christmas present to yourself and your family to eat healthier food. 
Also, I have a neat sale going on right now! If you buy Real Food Basics, you’ll get a coupon code to get Real Fast Food for 50% off! (And vice versa.) How cool is that? It’s another great way to get started with real food this Christmas!
How do you feel today? Are you still working towards what is “right?” If you are there, how did you find it?
I'm still working on what works best for me. I seem to need more meat at this point in my life than I used to. I used to do smoothies in the morning, but I have found that they actually don't work that well for me – I don't feel satisfied even when I put egg yolk and coconut cream in it – I tend to not like sweet things in the morning. I like savory breakfasts, but rarely get that because I am in a hurry to get to work. I love a salad at lunch – like taco salad with plenty of avocado. That makes me feel satisfied and energized. I'm trying to work my way up to eating more fats – my body craves them and I think I need them because of hormone deficiencies, but I don't seem to digest them all that well, and I don't want to take bitters because we're trying to get pregnant. I need to add moderate exercise back in, because I do feel better, especially with weight training exercises. Thanks for reminding me to listen to my body and find what makes me feel most balanced! It can be easy to forget to do that.
I actually just started a real food cleanse this morning. I'm going to eat just fruit & veggies for 3 days (with some healthy fats). My main aim is to increase our fruit & veg intake which is lacking to say the least. I've also been feeling very tired & stressed of late so I hope this will help.
I really loved this post. I find that a lot of people who get really into one particular way of eating or another tend to often lean in the direction of touting their way as THE way. But I agree with what you say here absolutely–all of our bodies are different and the best diet for each individual is the one that makes him or her feel his or her best. I'm still working on figuring out what that is for me, though exercise and a very large portoin of my diet being vegetables are two that seem to be pretty important to my flesh and bones. Good luck to everyone on their own journey's!