Like many of you, I too am thankful for my family and friends, a roof over my head and food to enjoy this weekend.

I am so Thankful.

But, I am even Thankful for the one relationship in my life that tests me the most right now.  At every meal, social gathering or turn in the grocery store.  It’s my relationship with Food. As one of my wise teacher’s Amanda Weber has taught me, “These things in life aren’t happening TO YOU but rather FOR YOU.” And I am learning so much, as I work towards healing my relationship with food. That too, I am Thankful for.

On this Thanksgiving weekend, I was excited to get the book Food Freedom Forever. I am so Thankful to the author Melissa Hartwig for hearing, and responding to her follower’s calls for help.

She helps us in the ever challenging time AFTER your Whole 30 that my husband and I call the “Whole 30 Hangover”.

As you return anxiously to the foods you missed and are left bloated, moody and lethargic.  Melissa has responded with her heartfelt book to help navigate life beyond the 30 day challenge of eating Whole Foods and turn it into Food Freedom Forever!

My Whole 30 journey began 3 years ago and it changed my life! (Just as it claims it will). Over this period, I have stayed true to encouraging The Whole 30 to anyone and everyone who will listen.  I know it can help them see the power food has on their body.

Even after being a Nationally ranked athlete in my twenties, I didn’t appreciate the power food has on my mind, body and spirit.  After completing my first Whole 30, I began to realize ‘It really DOES start with food’.  Being aware of what you put in your body and the effect it has on your body’s function was a message I received loud and clear. I wished I HAD learned these lessons for my competitive running days.  After completing the Whole 30 I realized:

non-scale-victories

  • my workouts were better
  • my recovery was faster
  • my sleep was deeper
  • my mood was happier
  • my energy was bountiful
  • motivation seemed effortless
  • positivity was instinctual

 

These factors are necessities in my life.  I am an entrepreneur, a healer, a wife and mother of 2 beautiful children. Understanding that food was the key to accessing these results was extremely powerful!

That is until food became a roller coaster ride for me. A seemingly relentless struggle between my urges and cravings for non-compliant food and appreciation for how compliant food made me thrive.    Worrying about my food choices was no longer about gaining weight (as it was years before) but about:

  • how my lousy sleep makes me a morning grouch.
  • how wheat means an afternoon nap instead of working on my business or playing with my kids.
  • how sugar will make me snappy and less patient with my family.
  • how my face would break out
  • how my digestion would slow to a halt

My slippery slopes got slipperier and it made the ‘giving in‘ to treats even harder on me than before.  I now knew the deeper effect it had on my body (sleep, mood, energy, skin, digestion) and overall health.  I fell into a daily struggle with my food choices.

For me, the struggle is no longer a 30 day challenge.  The struggle is life after (or outside) The Whole 30. I realize that I need to work on my relationship with food. I realize this will be an inside job and I am ready to do the work.

Now I see this book to be a springboard for learning and healing my relationship with food. I sat around the kitchen table yesterday reading it out loud with my mom and sister. We all nodded our heads with every paragraph. In this moment I realized this book is for everyone, and wanted to share with you!

Thank you Melissa Hartwig! I am so excited for the day when I can truly say, I have found Food Freedom Forever.

Ok, now back to reading my book!

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