Our choice to change a particular habit or set of habits comes with an awareness of the fundamental need to change. But, how do we know if and when we need to change? 

      Patterns

Whatever habits we incorporate into our lives, over the course of time, become routine and comfortable patterns. We don’t have to think too much about what we do because what we do becomes a natural unconscious part of our lives. It is almost as though we can move through our days on automatic pilot. 

The route we take to work, the foods we eat, the physical exercise we choose, as well as the thoughts we think about ourselves, others, and the world around us becomes our norm. So why shake up what seems to work? 

I am a curious individual who is always on the lookout for ways to improve my physical health. And though I’ve always considered my eating habits to be okay, I recently discovered the book, “The Gut Makeover” by Jeannette Hyde. This book showed me the why and the how to improve my choices when it comes to eating.  

Jeannette gives a wonderful explanation of our large intestines and how the foods we ingest affect our gut positively or negatively. Before I finished the book, I was already committed to the 28 day gut makeover and just recently completed the challenge. 

The gut makeover, at first, seemed a little extreme. For four weeks I eliminated sugar, wheat, alcohol and caffeine. I have to say, the first four or five days without my two cups of morning coffee was a little brutal. Every muscle in my body ached, but I did not experience any headaches. And though I’d gotten into the habit of one or two glasses of wine at night, I had no withdrawal symptoms from not drinking any wine. 

Having no wheat included not eating tortilla chips, tortillas, or pancakes. And no sugar meant eliminating that cookie I used to enjoy every now and then again. 

The best take away from this challenge is that I think I’ve finally discovered what works best for my body. 

My journey to finding the best weight and best way for me to eat has been a bumpy one. There was a time when I was bulimic as well as anorexic. After that, I carefully counted my calories and exercised excessively. Then I mellowed out and didn’t worry too much which resulted in adding some poundage. When I stumbled upon Jeannette’s book, I was eating well, but feeling more chunkier than I like to feel. I wanted to change something, but I wasn’t sure what. After the 28 day challenge, I found my rhythm. 

I was surprised that after completing the challenge I no longer desire caffeine, so I don’t drink it. Still, I like my wine, but not every night, rather every other. I’ve replaced that satisfaction that wheat once gave my belly with lots of seeds and nuts. And I don’t count my calories. I just fill up on lots of vegetables; raw or sauteed, my own concocted fruit smoothies that take care of my craving for cookies, and lots of protein found in beef, pork, fish or chicken. 

Why bother changing our eating patterns? What we eat affects every cell in our body, for the good or the bad. Changing what we eat allows us to be as well as we can for as long as we can.