Learning To Eat Enough

For so long, I thought the answer was eating less. 

Less food, fewer calories, fewer meals. But what I didn’t realize was that I wasn't eating ENOUGH....of the right things. 

I wasn’t nourishing my body...I was just grazing. Picking here and there, never really feeling satisfied, and definitely not fueling myself in a way that supported energy or strength.

Most of the things I did eat? Well, they weren’t the best choices. Not because I didn’t care ....but because I didn’t really think it was all that bad. 

Honestly, I thought I was doing “okay.” 

But "okay" isn’t enough when your body is calling out for restoration, especially after seasons of grief and the curveballs menopause throws.  Even though my body image issues would tell me differently, I never really HAD a problem with weight until 2017 or so.... when hormones decided to say "HEY!  Let's see what we can REALLY do here!".    

For years, I assumed I was doing okay. I drank plenty of water....a gallon a day, every day for the last 11 years. Hydration was never my issue. 

But nutrition? That was a whole different story.

    The truth is, I didn’t even feel hungry most of the time!

I wasn’t ignoring my body or anything, I just didn’t hear the signals. 

I ate out of boredom or just to change the taste in my mouth, not because my body needed fuel. 

My body adapted. It went into survival mode, clinging to every bite I gave it. It wasn’t being nourished.....it was being rationed.

Looking back, I realize my body hadn’t known true nutrition since 2014, when I first seriously cut out sugar and processed foods. That was a pivotal shift, but somewhere along the way, I fell into grazing patterns again—eating just to eat, not eating to fuel.  

Lately, I’ve shifted my mindset. I’ve started hitting my macros....especially protein, which used to be my biggest struggle. And now? I’m consistently hitting 165g of protein every day! That’s a huge accomplishment for me, and it’s made all the difference. 

I’ve learned that feeding my body properly isn’t about being extreme or restrictive...it’s about being intentional. 

Real food, real nourishment, and enough of it to support real goals.

And I can already feel the difference. I feel stronger. More stable. More me.  Hubs says I'm losing inches, even though I don't see it.  

I’m learning to listen to my body....what real hunger feels like, how satisfaction feels, and how to recognize true nourishment. 

No more guessing. 

No more just getting by. 

No more grazing.

I’m not chasing an old version of myself. I’m showing up for the woman I am now....stronger, wiser, and finally ready to stop just surviving and start thriving.  ESPECIALLY since I will need that energy to run with the 5 grandkids! 

To anyone else who has spent years underfeeding themselves in the name of health or weight loss - maybe what you really need… is more.  I know, it's the LAST thing we want to think of when we realize just how much we've allowed ourselves to spiral.  

More protein!

More fiber!

More color on your plate! 

More water! 

More grace! More of what truly feeds your body!

Here’s to eating enough - on purpose!