Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/884046
34 wholelifetimes.com backwords FINDING HOME FINDING HOME F or years, even prior to becoming a Certifi ed Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, I've been a self-proclaimed "health nut." I've been obsessed about making sure I was eating only organic, local, grass-fed, and pasture-raised meat, dairy, fruits, greens, and vegetables. I even cycled through all the popular diets from vegetarian and vegan, to gluten-free, paleo, and grain-free. All of this was with the goal to make sure I felt well emo- tionally, spiritually, and physically. I'd been through a major health crisis and seen many in my family suffer from prevent- able diseases that lifestyle habits and diets may have pre- vented. So, I made it my mission to not only eat well, but to do so regardless of the cost or inconvenience. After fi ve years of transforming all areas of my life for the better, I fi nally settled on a diet, a way of eating that worked well for my body and mind. Finally — by eating the way my body needed (for me that meant avoiding dairy, grains, add- ed sugars, and gluten) — I was free of the recurring sinus in- fections, yeast infections, skin rashes, digestive issues, panic, and anxiety. And then I got pregnant. Within days of fi nding out I was unexpectedly (though hap- pily) pregnant, I realized that I was going to have to start from scratch with my diet. Not only was I not able to eat much at all during my fi rst trimester, when I was able to eat, my body craved much of what I'd decided was no longer "healthy" for me. Specifi cally, I wanted grains — breads, pastas, crackers, cereals. At fi rst, I turned up my nose at those foods and decid- ed I could power through this phase and stick to my previously "perfect" diet. I lost the battle and the pregnancy hormones won. Hormones are an odd thing and I've learned they can change every- thing about what is "right" for you and what feels good to your body. Plus, pregnancy is a wild animal that can't be tamed. I've learned to let go of perfectionism. I ask and feed my body each day what it wants, regard- less of the rules I created for myself in the past. Pregnant bodies crave odd things. For me, it's tuna salad and mandarin oranges. I can eat 10 or more oranges in a day and still want more. And tuna salad is something I had to have — and right now! During pregnancy, each day I wake up and start over with eating. I've had to learn to ask myself daily what is right for my body to eat (and do), and each day is different. One day it's chicken soup, then it's pizza, and now today I want oatmeal as if my life depended on it. Forcing myself to only eat what I was eating before feels like a form of self-sabotage and not self-care. Now don't get me wrong — I didn't throw in the towel completely. Yet, forcing myself to be grain-free and dairy- free just wasn't going to work anymore. So I found a middle ground — I'd allow myself all the grains my body craved, but make sure they were still free of gluten, as I'd been diag- nosed with Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS). Also, I al- lowed myself some butter and cheese, but in moderation. Today, almost halfway through my pregnancy journey, I've come to terms with a few things. First, eating healthy doesn't have to mean forcing myself to adhere to strict nutrition guide- lines. Second, when making decisions about what's "right" for my body, I connect to my intuition. Finally, sometimes starting from scratch when it comes to nutrition, diet, supplements, and exercise can be the best thing for me (and my baby). This last one was a tough one for me, but I've found it to be true. I realized that a reset may be just what the doctor ordered. If I'm not fl exible, then I may be forcing a lifestyle and way of eating that is no longer serving me. I've decid- ed to embrace this journey of starting over as a lesson and a blessing. Angela Watson Robertson, MBA, CIHC, INHC, is a Certifi ed Health Coach and Life Reinvention Expert. For free wellness tips, visit www.angelawatsonrobertson.com. Why I Let Go of My "Perfect Diet" In Pregnancy STARTING OVER By Angela Watson Robertson 34 wholelifetimes.com Photos: Angela Watson Robertson