My Journey to Healthier Eating

Benefits of Nourishing My Body

Let me start this off by declaring my hand up front – I. Am. A. Foodie! 😍🤤

However, I also enjoy cooking, and over these last few weeks, I’ve been in the kitchen a lot. I’ve been making a more concerted effort to eat foods that aren’t just yummy, but that are also good for me and my body. I’ve been trying to eat at least one fruit a day, consistently drinking my water, being mindful of my sugar intake, and getting servings of vegetables and greens almost everyday, whether I eat them or include them in a protein shake. For my own personal health, I’ve also been cutting back on my gluten intake, along with ensuring I work towards maintaining a healthy weight. Those are a few other reasons why I’ve also been whipping it up in the kitchen more, too. 🧑🏾‍🍳

Tending to my overall health was something I decided to prioritize more, so naturally, what I ate was included.

Benefits of Making Healthier Food Choices

As a result of these intentional changes to my diet, I’ve noticed that both my physical and mental health have improved. I’m more attuned to my body so I typically know what feels good for me and what doesn’t, and that helps inform my food choices.

It’s been great for my digestion, my body has gotten stronger, I notice more form and toning of my muscles, and I can still feel satisfied after I eat. While my food is healthier, it’s not bland and it looks so good!

Additionally, I feel proud knowing that I’m making more conscious and consistent decisions to feed my body well. Along with being more mindful of my gluten intake, I try to use recipes that aren’t high in dairy and that are mostly soy-free. I incorporate much more greens into my diet, and I try to limit my sweet treats and processed foods. Now let’s be real – I still use the latter sometimes 😂, but I’m much more disciplined now than I was a few weeks ago.

Here are a few examples of some healthy meals that I whipped up:

2 eggs, callalou, fresh tomatoes, and fried ripe plantain (made with coconut oil and vegan, gluten-free, non-dairy butter)

Gluten-free pasta, broccoli, kale, red and white cabbage, fresh tomatoes, and fried plantain (cooked with coconut oil)

Baked homemade fish fingers (made with white fish), and baked seasoned potato wedges

Boiled sweet potatoes, white cabbage stir-fry, broccoli, and tuna (made with coconut oil)

Whew! I can still smell these ones. Gluten-free muffins – flavour? Blueberry, dark-chocolate, and a few with some lemon zest

Gluten free cookies with dark chocolate (made with grass-fed butter, eggs, and regular brown sugar)

From these photos, you can see for yourself that eating nutritiously doesn’t mean your food has to be boring or restrictive. I also use protein shakes regularly along with my vitamins and supplements to support my physical wellness.

Mentally, I feel more disciplined, and I’m really proud of myself for that. I choose to eat foods that are good for my body sometimes even when I don’t want to because I can’t rely solely on my motivation to keep me steady. I remind myself of my goals and what I want to work towards, and it helps to keep me accountable, even while I treat myself from time to time.

Giving myself room to have both has helped me to be kinder to myself and to my body, it’s less mental stress on me, and in times when I’m tempted to be harsh with myself, I’m learning to choose tenderness instead, even when I choose discipline. 

Still, with the changes I’ve made, I have my moments and my days. I don’t always want to work out, and sometimes, I rather not cook or make a more nutritious food choice. I still feel uncomfortable in my body sometimes for one reason or another, but I try to consistently remind myself of a gem one of my sisters told me a few years ago, “you have to give your body permission to change.” Unlearning being unkind to my body and letting my body breathe instead is an on-going process. Finding the balance between embracing discipline but not being excessive is a journey. My relationship with food overall has grown in a positive way, and it continues to.

This is all a work in progress. It’s not always easy, but I try to take it one step at a time without expecting perfection from myself. For me, how I feed my body and being mindful about how I do, matters. My goal here isn’t to be skinny or to become restrictive and obsessed with what I consume or how much I exercise – I want to be healthy inside and out and make choices that are kind to my body.

I want a positive relationship with food. I want to eat foods I love and enjoy, and I want to be and feel strong and disciplined with my overall health. I’m pleased to say, I’m on the right path 😊.

Kathilia Edghill, M.A.

Individual & Couples’ Therapist

Writer, Speaker, Business Consultant

Please check out my friend’s content on IG and Threads @wingsofgracecounselling. You can also contact her at becourageoustoday1@gmail.com