Today I’m partnering with Stonyfield and sustainable clothing company PrAna to celebrate #TheWholeYou—a moment to enjoy the ease of embracing your authentic self and the freedom from worry about what’s in your snack OR your outfit.
Good morning! Hope you’re having a great week so far! I’m so happy that it’s finally May. This is the time of year where things finally start to warm up in the northeast and the sun makes an appearance again. It seems like the ease we associate with summer is actually on its way.
Something I’ve been talking on here a little more about recently is the importance of being true to yourself as a key part of self-care. Another way to look at that is to dial down the complication and the overthinking where you can so you can use your energy for what really matters to you.
Last month, I found myself in a Feelings whirlpool while working on a writing assignment—a particularly personal essay about my experience in my early twenties with changing my diet to reflect my partner’s because I thought it would improve our relationship. Spoiler alert: I learned that lesson the hard way. We’re all individuals with unique dietary needs, and tuning out what your body is trying to tell you can be harmful to your mental and physical health .
That said, some positive things came out of that experience. For example, I found a love for Pilates while recovering from a stress fracture-like injury in both my arms. My physical therapist had said building up core strength would help me prevent future injuries, and I’m so glad I took her advice!
I also stopped eating a lot of “diet” crap like fat-free, artificially sweetened yogurt. While my initial reason for switching to plain was that it was cheaper to purchase the 32-ounce tubs of the unflavored stuff instead of the individual cups, I gradually came to love it and completely lost my taste for flavored yogurt. Who knew?
Learning about the importance of fat in the diet to help absorb fat-soluble nutrients like vitamin A and D was an eye-opener at that age as well, and even though the idea of more fat and calories was initially daunting (I came of age in the fat-phobic 90’s), I also knew I needed those calories. Keeping weight on was actually really difficult for me then—part of it was age and being constantly on the go, but it also had a lot to do with not getting enough of the nutrients I needed to thrive on a diet that wasn’t the right fit for my body.
These days, whole milk Greek yogurt is my go-to. I love the flavor, the satisfying texture, and the nutrient boost. I’m an active New Yorker who needs to make sure I’m getting enough calories and protein to keep my energy up—and avoid injury. I love that with Stonyfield, I also don’t have to worry about the quality of what I’m eating. I know that what I’m getting is organic, non-GMO, and packed with nutrients.
And delicious, of course! One of my favorite healthy snacks is a half-cup of whole milk yogurt with some chia seeds or ground flax—or a mix. Another weird-but-good thing I love is stirring cocoa powder into my yogurt. I eat it almost every day. It’s especially awesome with raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries this time of year.
I really love PrAna’s clothing—as an on-the-go gal, I love stuff that’s comfortable and functional but still indulges my need to feel like I look at least a little bit put together.
As part of this month’s event, PrAna sent me their gorgeous Cali dress in what I jokingly call my signature color, black. It’s already become one of my favorites, something I can throw on when I want to change into something more comfortable after running around for work or on a day when I want to look good and stay cool.
I love the back too! And that I don’t have to wear a bra with it if I don’t want to.
Pardon my awful photos. I’m so not good at selfies and things like making clothes tell a story. I’m working on it. Today’s story is that of a busy entrepreneur who hates to feel restricted and is still learning about stuff like photography ; )
Want to check out PrAna? Readers of my blog can use this discount code to save 15% when placing your order:
WHOLES17KRF
How has your diet changed over the years?
Today’s post is sponsored by Stonyfield and PrAna. I am participating as a member of Stonyfield Clean Plate Club.
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This has been another installment of the Running with Spoons Thinking Out Loud link party, where randomness is the name of the game. Thanks to Amanda for hosting.
