I struggle with fat gain, and always have… Most of my life, I looked 6 months pregnant. (Why not say weight gain? Because muscle weighs more than fat and we’re talking about fat gaining which is the issue, not weight gain. 🤗)

I only gain fat when I eat foods not serving to my body. I swell everywhere, breakout, feel lethargic, brain fog, bloat, have pain in my stomach, so much gas, and most of the fat/bloat goes to my stomach; squaring me off. Most recently, I gained more than ever before and I saw a double chin for the first time, and everything on my body began to hold fat. I don’t enjoy what I see, but MOST IMPORTANTLY, I don’t enjoy how I FEEL. It’s terrible. I got tired of this experience, so I began eliminating foods to see what would happen. Aside from food elimination, there are other factors that could play a role. And i’ll touch on those further down.

I began to pay attention to my body’s reaction when eating and shortly after eating. By doing so, you will quickly learn a lot about your body. I myself have been on a mission to learn my body; to heal my body. I have found food elimination and LISTENING to be the most effective tools on my journey. It shows me what my body reacts to and what the exact reaction is.

The reactions that society has told us are NORMAL. But they are NOT. They are normal because the symptoms are seen in most people, but that doesn’t mean it’s something we should accept. Bloating is not normal. Acid reflux, heart burn, etc, is not normal. We should not be having these symptoms.

THE KEY IS NOT TO DIET, BUT EMBRACING A LIFESTYLE CHANGE. You can’t cut out the bad, lose the fat, and then eat the bad again, expecting to keep the fat off. Hence, a lifestyle change.

I often hear people say, “everything in moderation.” But I have to disagree. Why would anyone want to hurt their body or poison themselves on purpose, in moderation? Why are we accepting this poison as normal??

When I began to change the way I saw most “food,” that’s when my life changed. If it doesn’t come from the earth, I don’t want it. If its processed, I eat minimal amounts but make sure it’s all clean ingredients. I focus on eating to live, not living to eat.

I cut out dairy 6 years ago now and since, my cystic acne went away, and I’ll have maybe 2-3 pimples a year around my period. My diarrhea went away. (This is called lactose intolerant, which really means, we are not a baby cow. Why are we tricked into drinking baby cow milk, filled with cow hormones to grow a giant cow. And we are not babies!) Also, cow milk is in everything! Chips, crackers, etc.

I then cut out meat and that’s been about 5 years now. I felt lighter after meals and less sluggish than I already was.

I then challenged myself 30 days no wheat/gluten and sugar, 5 years ago as a goal. I went a few months and it changed everything. WOW I FELT AMAZING! Removing wheat/gluten was the cherry on top and did more than remove fat and bloating.

When you cut out the bad and reintroduce it, your body screams no. You’ll feel the symptoms more than ever. Cutting it out, and bringing it back, really showed me how much my body didn’t want/need it. I had instant reactions. Worse than before. Same with dairy and meat. My body does NOT scream no with fruits, veggies, legumes, nuts, etc. (of course people have allergies to anything but that’s not the focus here.)

After meals, I wasn’t in pain, I didn’t bloat, I felt lighter, clearer, I had no gas, and I wasn’t gaining fat.

When I did eat wheat/gluten, I would always be sooo physically uncomfortable from the effects. Days on in. It got to the point where none of my clothes fit, I was so insecure in my body, I wasn’t going out with friends, and sometimes I would just cryyyyy from physical pain and emotional discomfort. For the last 5 years I have gained the fat, and bloat, and lost it. Over and over and over.

I caved in and added size 7, 9, and 12 to my pant collection, so I could feel more comfortable going out. Starting at size 5. I would eat and eat, gain and gain, and then cut the wheat/gluten again when I really started packing on. To me, it’s poison. And it is. It’s filler, binding, and no nutritional value. I love things with wheat/gluten because it’s comfort food. And it tastes soooo good.

BUT, does it taste better than feeling and looking my best?? Definitely not. It’s impossible for me to have wheat/gluten once a week. I end up eating it everyday. It’s addicting and I crave it. Making it so hard to have here and there.

Sick and tired, I recently made a decision to cut it for good! The Medical Medium on IG also helped push me in this decision. He helps people heal from all types of illnesses and I want to heal on a cellular level. Wheat/gluten is also inflammatory and that’s a no no for anyone trying to heal. Dairy is also inflammatory, along with sugar, bad oils, corn and soy. But I wont open that can of worms right now.

I struggled sticking to it. Just as I did Veganism at first. The addiction and cravings are real af. BUT I’ve been on a mission to conquer my cravings and change the way I see certain “food.” Remembering my WHY and honoring my true desire is key in consistency. Removing the non serving foods, from even being an option. When I honor what I know I need to do, I love myself more and feel so good. When I don’t, I don’t like myself. And that’s with anything.

I now have been back on no wheat/gluten for 3 months. I feel amazing, I look amazing, and I no longer crave it. Wheat/gluten is in everything! Chips, crackers, soup, soy sauce, bbq sauce, beer, most bread, some french fries, etc. But there are sooo many GF options. 🤗

Give elimination eating a try! Rid of certain things for 30 days and see how it affects your body, mind, and energy. 🙏🏼 THEN LISTEN and MAKE MOVES. Just a suggestion 🤗

Other factors that can play a role in fat gain, or not loosing fat, is underlying heath issues. I suggest getting a full blood panel, and a physical to make sure everything is good. This can also guide you in your new lifestyle choices.

Stress! Stress kills. Having HIV, I monitor my levels every 3-6 months. When I am in stressful relationships, or have stress in my work life, my immune system drops in numbers. Literally. Prolonged stress, will deplete your immune system, leaving you compromised to illness and infection. If the stress kills off your fighter cells, you die. Creating a peaceful environment for yourself, is key. Like, HIGH KEY. Remove anything that does not serve you. We hold emotions in our hips, and different parts of our body. This pent up emotion, will also turn to disease, and also prevent fat loss.

Core beliefs. Your core beliefs are also connected to fat loss. If you believe you are unworthy, ugly, incapable at the core, your body and mind will not allow the mind, body, connection you need to release. Self love and positive self talk is EVERYTHING. You must support yourself on this journey if you want to make it.

Your health is everything! Dont wait until it’s too late to make changes! You deserve to feel and be at your best! And your family i’m sure wants you around until the end. Most of the food symptoms, will turn into lifelong issues and disease if not addressed sooner than later. Again, symptoms after eating, are not normal.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
-Does this serve my body? Do I really need this sugary Starbucks drink or can I get some fresh pressed juice to give me an energy boost!?
-Do I want this, or does IT want this? (IT is the addictive voice in our pleasure center (brain), telling us we NEED it. So when I am craving I say, IT wants it, I don’t. Cravings only last up to 15 mins. Redirect your attention, and the craving will be gone.)
-Remove wheat/gluten.
-Cut dairy.
-Check all ingredients.
-Avoid processed foods. Look for clean ingredients. This takes time and is a learning curve.
-Avoid fried foods.
-Water water water.
-Fresh pressed juice.
-Cut drinking alcohol.
-Cut sugar as best as you can! Craving sweets, eat fruit! Fruit sugar is GREAT although most are scared of it. Processed sugar is bad, real sugar is not. Fruit has all the building blocks for protein. Eat your fruit!
-Portion size/eat slower. Food can be so good that we want to eat the whole plate. When eating out, eat half. When at home, make smaller portions. I used to order 6 tacos and smash them all. Now I get 2, maybe 3. And I am full. SLOW DOWN.
-Room temp lemon water upon waking. Helps start your system and the lemon helps with bloating and fat loss.
-Give yourself GRACE. It’s a process, and love yourself every step of the way. You deserve it!

I BELIEVE IN YOU!!!!!

Now its YOUR turn to BELIEVE IN YOU!!!!

This can all be so overwhelming and seem like a lot of info. If you do anything, start with going GF. Wheat/GF. 30 days! See what happens. And over time, eliminate more. A little goes a long way. 🦋

November 25th 2022

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