Why I choose to eat the way I do

One of the reasons I decided to start this blog was because so many people ask questions about my eating habits. Once people find out my dietary restrictions the most common questions usually go something like this, "what CAN you eat?" "you live off of that?" "you can't eat... (insert common food/drink here)?" These questions are quickly followed by the comment, "I could never do it!" Here's the thing... You never know what you can do until you're in the situation, or until you put your mind to it. In my case my decision to eliminate gluten, and eat a clean, primarily vegetarian diet is based upon how certain foods affect me. It wasn't a choice I made to limit myself, or to lose weight. It was not a temporary restriction I used as a punishment or a trend I wanted to follow. It is not for religious or social reasons. It is not a fad diet that will inevitably fail. It is a lifestyle change that I have made for my health. I was fed up with not knowing what was going on with my body and I decided to do something about it. I started doing my research and decided that maybe the benefits of a healthier diet would outweigh the things I would be "missing out on". It's amazing how the human body adjusts to what we give it! Once I eliminated certain items (such as gluten) from my diet I started noticing changes right away. But more shocking to me was how my cravings changed. While I still occasionally allow myself a treat of some sort I often don't find myself tempted by sweets or processed foods like I did before. When reintroduced into the system after a period of absence foods take on a whole new affect. It really makes me wonder what what other tolerances my body has built up over a lifetime.
So why do I eat the way I do? The answer is simple, it's for me. Because it makes me feel better about myself. Because I am learning that I don't have to live with side affects. It also gives me a whole new perspective on discipline. I can choose to feel better, I can make healthier decisions and see results, and I can feel good that I am taking care of myself.