Today’s post might seem to go against what this whole blog is about, but stick with me on this one, I think that this might just be an important message for you to hear.  

I spend a lot of my time thinking about food and healthy eating.  Not very shocking information, I know.  I write a blog about healthy eating, so it makes perfect sense that a lot of my time and energy is focused on learning more, seeing what information is out there, and ultimately trying to help others reach their health goals.  I enjoy doing all of these things, otherwise I wouldn’t do this.  I am also passionate about food.  I love everything about food, from the shopping all the way to the eating, I thoroughly enjoy immersing myself in all things food.  It helps me to be able to work with and know every aspect of food in order to help you get the best possible information and advice I can give.  I relish (haha, food pun!) being in the kitchen, creating a new and healthy dish to then share with you guys.  I believe that everyone should feel comfortable in the kitchen and be more than capable of producing a healthy meal with minimal effort.  

Here is where things are going to get a little contradictory; sometimes, I spend too much time thinking about food and healthy eating.  I sometimes realize I am constantly thinking about food, or the next meal, or what the healthiest way to eat is, or what new research is coming out about eating properly, or new foods/recipes I should make.  It can sometimes reach a point where all I’m thinking about are these things and not actually enjoying the benefits of leading a healthy life. 

You might be thinking, wait, wait, wait… How can thinking about being healthy lead to you being unhealthy? This makes no sense!!  I told you this post might get a little dicey!  I can only speak for myself, but constantly thinking and planning and dwelling on healthy living can make me feel frazzled.  I feel like I am failing in some aspects or not doing enough or letting myself and others down.  It stresses me out, and being stressed does not help my health.  Being stressed also cannot help me lead others to a healthy and positive lifestyle.  Stress takes a toll on the body and can rob it of good health, and all the good things I try to do to promote my good health end up going to waste.  

I know that many of you might also constantly think about food/dieting/living healthy.  You might be worrying that you aren’t following the right eating style or that what you are doing isn’t working.  You might be wondering if the next event you go to will have food you can eat or you might be nervous that people won’t approve of the way you eat.  Maybe you are always dwelling on what your next meal will be or all the things you need to do to continue your healthy lifestyle.  If someone like myself, who is passionate about food and health and wants to devote my time to helping others with their health, feels stressed thinking about these things, I can only imagine that the general population feel even more stressed/worried about their health.

While I can’t get inside your minds and tell you to stop dwelling constantly on food (heck, I have a hard time getting my OWN mind to stop), I can give you some simple advice: just stop.  You don’t have to always be worried about your health.  Yes, you should be vigilant and make sure that you properly take care of yourself, but it shouldn’t be all consuming.  Make sure you are actually enjoying living your healthy life,  and you are not just thinking about what you need to do or not do next.  Don’t be so caught up in what you should be eating that you never actually enjoy the food you eat.  Don’t be tirelessly planning your workout routines that you never fully put yourself into your current exercise.  Don’t be constantly planning out nutritious  meals that you forget to stop and contemplate all that went into producing that delicious and satisfying meals.  Finally don’t be so immersed in your own health that you stop interacting with those around you.  Don’t feel bad if you realize you’ve been doing these things, I’ve just described my own bad habits.  I have been so wrapped up in the health world that it started to hinder my own health and that isn’t good at all.

What did I do about it? I stopped.  Yesterday I spent the morning/afternoon with my husband.  We enjoyed a wonderful long breakfast and talked about what was going on with each other.  We went to VeggieFest out in Naperville and just walked around looking at booths, listening to music and sipping cold coconut water.

My sister and her boyfriend came to visit us for dinner too.  I set out a bunch of taco fixings and we made our own dinners, sipped wine, and enjoyed each other’s company.  We talked and laughed and caught up on each other’s lives.

I had my sister dye my hair and we watched a favorite movie from our childhood.  It was a fabulous day and it made me feel happy and amazing.  Relaxing and NOT focusing on food/good health actually made me feel healthier than I have in awhile.  I understand that I sound conflicting right now.  I promote good health and yet I just told you to stop focusing on good health.  In order to have the best health possible though, sometimes you need to just take a step back, breathe, and enjoy.  I promise it will do wonders for your health!