How the Kitchen Can Nourish Your Soul

14 years ago (😳) I walked into Jenny Craig and my life changed.

I lost the weight.

I was complimented on how I looked good.

I was finally looked at with a smile and not a sad face because I was finally not fat anymore.

The flip side of it was my worth, value and enoughness was tied up in other people’s opinions and microwaveable meals.

I had no idea how to eat or how to listen to my body.

My hunger and fullness cues were based on the meal plan I followed.

I was terrified to eat out and ordered based on what my friends were ordering to fit in and feel normal.

I was terrified of food and it was enemy number 1.

Today, I know I’m enough, I’m valuable and capable of anything and everything.

I might not be a size 2 but I’m a size I love myself and that’s enough for me.

Yesterday I spent the day in the kitchen exploring @whatsgabycookin new cookbook Eat What You Want by Gaby Dalkin and made delicious California inspired tacos, watermelon salad and roasted veggies.

It was a day spent celebrating and enjoying the experience of food.

This wasn’t always my reality.

I had to teach myself how to eat again (remember, microwavable meals were a way of life for me - easy and no thought needed).

I had to teach myself how to nourish my body in ways that felt right for me.

I had to teach myself to understand what I was hungry for and honor those cravings.

I had to re-learn how to experience food, the smells, taste and memories that get to be experienced when we are present and eating to nourish our body and soul.

But most importantly, I had to teach myself I was capable of cooking.

I was worth delicious foods being in my life.

I was more than enough and doing what’s best for me and not because I perfectly followed a diet plan.

Food is a celebration now.

I speak love through food and making things for myself, friends and family.

It wasn’t always that way, but thank goodness it is now.

I will always love a summer/fall/winter/spring in the kitchen, cooking my heart out, wearing my pajamas, being barefoot with fresh/clean hair.

This my friends is what setting diet rules aside, being comfortable in your body and knowing you are enough looks like.

This is me living life on my terms, happy and healthy!

This is possible for you too.