Why am I doing this?

So why am I starting a blog? Great question; I wasn't really sure myself for some time. Jason has encouraged me to start a blog for years now. He's always told me I should write about the things (he thinks) I'm good at. Things like cooking. baking, budgeting. meal planning... but my response to this idea was usually along the lines of, "Why me? There are already blogs out there about these things. Who's going to read what I have to say?" And so for years, I never took the plunge.

So what changed? I posted a photo to my personal Facebook page of a book I have been reading titled It Starts with Food. The book is written by husband and wife team Dallas and Melissa Hartwig and is a whole new perspective on how our relationship with food affects our health. I know, I know, you're probably saying something along the lines of "sure, another diet book", but this isn't just another diet book. In fact, it isn't about dieting at all. It's about truly changing how you perceive food and how your mental, hormonal, and emotional connections with food can either make you or break you. That sounds intense, but let me explain. The book is written in two parts; one part scientific explanation, and one part program, designed to put you back in control of your health. Part one explains how our brains and hormones can be very negatively skewed by the foods that we eat, or more accurately put, the food-like substances that are a part of many American diets. They explain how the American food system has evolved in many ways over the past 100 years, and how science has also evolved to expose us to the truth behind certain foods or food myths.

For example, remember the Atkins diet? Where all carbs were once deemed bad for you? But now, marketing is all about telling you how good whole grains, brown rice and quinoa are for you! So which is it?! What about the idea that FATS are what make us fat? Remember when all you heard about were things like "Zero Trans Fat", "Low-Fat Wheat Thins" and "Reduced Fat Cheese"? Nowadays, we are hearing all sorts of new information about how healthy fats should be added to our diets, such as coconut oil, omega 3 and avocado oil. See how easily and quickly you can become confused and overwhelmed?

And that's the problem -- without fully understanding why certain foods are deemed bad or others are deemed good, many of us dive into a new fad diet or try to tackle some weight loss program simply because we know someone else who has had success in losing weight this way. It Starts with Food  is a resource that helps you to understand the why, and how to take control once and for all. How many of us know someone who has gone on some type of "low-cal", "low-fat" or "shake-supplement" type of diet and lost weight? The answer would be most of us. But how many of us know people who have gone on a diet of this sort who regained that weight later down the road? Again, the answer would be most of us. Dallas and Melissa wrote their book with the goal (and evidence to back it up) to teach people how to successfully and healthfully conquer their dietary demons for long-term health. See how I didn't say "conquer their weight loss goals"? And see where it says "long-term health"...? That's because this program is about far more than loosing weight. It's about educating you and empowering you to live a healthy life for the rest of your life. It's a lifestyle change, not a diet.

So what on earth does all of this have to do with writing a blog? Well, as I found this book and the Whole30 program (part two of the book) I began to realize that MANY of the things I was unhappily experiencing were things that this type of program had showed to help with. Things like poor sleep quality, aches and pains that are not due to overuse or injury, regular headaches, low energy... These are the things that I personally suffer from, and at my age, I shouldn't. As I began to talk with others about this program, I realized it was something I wanted to commit to. Something I wanted to see if I could improve through. I found a set of friends who were already embarking on the program themselves, and I found others who said that they've heard of it and want to, but it seems daunting or impossible. And that, right there, is why I am blogging. I read numerous other blog testimonies to this program, but always felt that if I actually knew these people, real-life knew these people and their careers, their daily routines, and so forth, that I would be able to better relate to their journey. So this, this blog/adventure/challenge/sounds-slightly-crazy, thing that I am doing, I am doing it for my own health, but for your motivation. We all have our own obstacles and lives that get in the way sometimes, but this is 30 days. 30 days that could change everything. I'm not saying it will be easy, but I am certain it won't be the hardest thing in life. Birthing children (or so I am told) is hard. fighting cancer is hard, saying a final farewell to a loved one is hard. THIS is not hard, and if I can do it, anyone can. So I am hoping that whomever is reading this will stick around to see it through. I promise to be honest about the struggles and the success, and I could use a virtual team of cheerleaders as well. So who's with me?