A modified version of this article was originally published on the Miski Organic’s blog. To view the original post, please click here.
Let me start off by saying that I am in no way a health expert, nutritionist, fitness guru, or any of the likes. I am simply a health-conscious consumer and advocate constantly striving to be my best self, physically and mentally.
Just over 5 years ago I embarked on this journey of self-improvement, and to this day the journey continues. In fact, it is a life-long journey and has become part of my daily practice. No matter what curveballs or difficulties get thrown at me, I strive to remain focused. Although my quest for self-improvement started with the desire to eat better and lose a few pounds, it has become so much more than that.
It all started with the documentary “Hungry for Change” – that documentary changed my life. As soon as I finished watching the film I cleared out all my kitchen cabinets from highly processed and chemical-filled foods and replaced them with REAL FOOD. No more frozen meals or quick snacks. My freezer was nearly empty yet my veggie & fruit fridge compartment was overflowing. The idea of dieting disappeared, and I realized that being healthy was a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix.
One documentary led to the next, and I soon found myself understanding that the source of many illnesses in today’s world is due to what we ingest and how it negatively affects our bodies. There seemed to be a correlation between obesity rates and illnesses in countries where the concept of wholesome and nutrient rich meals was lost, and quick/easy food fixes were thriving.
As I continued to educate myself on the topic, my entire view on the meat industry changed, and so I quickly decided to switch to a plant-based diet. Change was NOT easy, and despite some initial resistance from family and friends, people learned to embrace my lifestyle choices.
I was the first in my family to change my relationship with food. I continued learning about food and where it came from, eating fresh ingredients and making healthy recipes, as well as purchasing organic foods free of pesticides. It took my family a couple of years to truly understand my new lifestyle, and it wasn’t long after when they started making positive changes of their own.
Beyond food, my journey also included a desire to be fit, not for the sole purpose of losing weight, but for the purpose of being stronger, more confident, and a better version of myself. I am a corporate event planner by day – I travel a lot, and work late hours under highly stressful environments… and let me tell you it is extremely challenging to exercise regularly and eat healthy while on the road when you barely have time to get a decent sleep!
It wasn’t until earlier this year that I made a decision to incorporate challenging workouts into my daily routine, and the combination of a healthy diet along with consistent exercise has led me to be the healthiest I have been in a long time.
Work-life balance was a challenge, and I wasn’t always good to my body & soul. I realized my mental health was suffering and I needed to recover. In order to de-stress and remain focused I started to meditate and attended the occasional Yoga session. The positive energy I felt when I did either of these was exactly what I needed to move forward and find my balance.
Fast forward five years and my journey to health continues. I am not perfect and can get derailed from time to time, but my motivation to be my best self remains. No matter where you are in life, it’s never too late to start your own journey towards health, in whichever way “healthy” means to you.
So tell me, how will you begin your journey?
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M for Mariella 