I have struggled with food and weight my entire life. I lost about 70 pounds in college, primarily using Weight Watchers‘ point system, but the bulk of my motivation during that period was self-loathing. Hating my body was the only thing that kept me focused on eating in this way that felt weird and unnatural, but was helping me drop the dreaded fat. Once I’d reached my goal weight, I hadn’t really learned how to eat well, only how to force myself to eat small.
Is anyone surprised that I gained 20 of those pounds back?

I’m not a nutritionist. I’m a Chiropractic student. So what am I doing writing about nutrition and eating well?

In addition to being a student, I’m an artist. I’m almost obsessed with aesthetics, and the relationship between aesthetics and the choices we make. I keep finding that the decisions that always lead me to the greatest health and satisfaction are the most aesthetically pleasing choices I can devise for any given situation. That being the case, when I view the food I eat as being informed by my aesthetics, I have to ask myself: “what would I eat, if…?”

If I were living my dream life, I’d be eating fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, whole grains, nuts, seeds. I’d be eating food that’s handmade with love and passion and consummate care. I’d eat food that is full of my energy, that I made myself. So that’s what I’m doing.

My new rule is simple: if I feel like making it from scratch, it’s good for me. As often as I’d actually want to bake a chocolate cake from raw ingredients is about as often as eating chocolate cake would be a good thing to be putting in my mouth (so far, it hasn’t come up! ). I’m focusing on fresh fruits and vegetables as the bulk of my food intake, because that’s what I would do, aesthetically, in my dream life. I love being surrounded by vibrant living color, so I fill myself with living, vibrant color.

Will this help me lost those 20 pounds? I can’t say for certain yet. I’ll be sure to keep you posted on that front. I love the food I’m eating, love the way I feel, and have a relationship with my food now based on gratitude, love, and, of course, my aesthetics.

I’ve gotten some good insights from:

• Fit for Life, by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond [I'm not following this strictly, but all-fruit before noon and avoiding mixing nutrient-dense foods in one meal has really made a difference for me!]