As the Whole Life Challenge progresses I am finding out some very eye opening things about food. The major battle that I fight is with my little friend, sugar. I had no idea until I participated in the WLC that sugar was present in so many forms, literally hidden by very intelligent humans, and renamed in most cases. Dextrose, Sucralose, Corn Syrup, Galactose, Maltodextrin, Sorbital, and Diatase are some. And, Lordy Lordy are there a ton more.
Without even knowing it, the majority of my diet has contained sugar. I even found sugar in my Morton Salt container. Now come on, thats a bit ridiculous, don’t you think? With this new found knowledge comes a lot of accountability. I simply can’t unknow this information, but now I have a hold of the steering wheel. Before I was just driving without choosing which road to head down. And sadly, I was chubbier than I wanted to be and my energy levels were less than ideal, as well.
I also have a not so loving relationship with dairy. Don’t get me wrong, I love a chocolate milkshake as much as the next guy. With dairy I have asthma and allergies, without dairy I have neither. I feel like I see clearer. I feel like I hear clearer. And, I feel like I think clearer without dairy. Dairy increases inflammation within the human body. For me this is a pretty costly equation, so keeping this out of my body is not too hard. This challenge helped me to find other options. Grains also have a role in my asthma and allergies, although smaller and less prominent, they do have a role. So without them, I feel much better.
Strong is beautiful.
Four years ago, I was an allergic, asthmatic mess. I could have never imagined that any of this was possible. I couldn’t think of what to eat, or how to even attack this problem that was in my life. Today things are much different, and I am so thankful for what changing my eating has done for me.
As you go through this challenge, you will feel and see changes. And furthermore, you deserve them. People will notice these changes in you and begin to ask you how you are doing it. This conversation is intimidating sometimes, because you may think that you are just figuring it out for yourself and it’s easy to wonder “How could I possibly help someone else with nutrition?”
I want to let you know about the power that you have in this moment and in this conversation. You are definitely there for a reason. And, you have all the resources you need to help that person or those people. What you will find is that helping someone else will bring much more accountability to you. It’s like Self Improvement 202. How awesome is that?
To those of you out there making waves:
Keep doing it. I love hearing the stories.
Danny Lesslie
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Friday’s Workout:
3-3-3-3-3
Tall Cleans
“Athletes Choice”
100 Burpees
-or-
150 KB Wall Ball Shots