Retrained Disciplined Brain

One of my favorite retrained breakfast creations
Photo by Brit Martin

My girlfriend called me yesterday -- get this because she needs help getting back on track with her healthy diet and exercise regimen.  Calling, me? Seriously, I love it. Anyhow, she's been so busy with work, hasn't had time to take care of herself, and she feels miserable.

There's nothing better than eating healthy wholesome food combined with exercise. You just feel good. So if you fall off even a little you begin to feel icky. As an obese miserable woman I ate so much crappy food with no movement. I felt like I was drugged all the time. I remember at one point I use to fall to sleep at the wheel while driving. Yes, scary I know. Oops, I'm way off of the subject I was addressing -- kinda. My point, I know first hand the way eating real food and exercise can improve your mood and the way you feel.

My advice to her: Schedule the time to plan, shop, and prepare her meals. Don't budge. It's a commitment. That way she has good real food that she can zap anytime and ready made snacks. Of course, I gave her some recipe ideas. Mostly all the meals I'm currently eating (very plant based diet). The further we got into the conversation the more silence there was. Finally, she said "This sounds so disciplined." I laughed.

Here's the thing. I've had to Retrain my Brain. All the foods that eat I enjoy. Believe me I do not compromise taste. I love food too much. I have found foods that I enjoy that happen to be good for me.

• Like my new friend wheat berries -- love those little nutty kernels. They are versatile. I can eat them with savory items or with fresh fruit and a drizzle of honey. 
• Kale -- King of the greens. I sauté the greens, use them in soups, or make crunchy kale chips for a snack. 

I see it like this, if I'm using coconut milk then I don't compare it to the taste of cow's milk. I'm no longer drinking cow's milk for various reasons. They don't taste the same nor should they.

Disciplined? Okay, sure that's fair. I've made a commitment to myself. I'm in pursuit of health, wellness, and weight loss -- it's a holistic approach. I want to honor my body with good whole food, but still be able to enjoy the taste. I also realize that working out is only about 20 percent of the equation when it comes to weight loss. I know that what matters more is what I eat. It makes no sense to workout as hard as I've been if I'm not going to eat well. It's counterproductive.  So, I've retrained my brain and I'm disciplined.