Being "fun sized" myself, I want to keep my blog posts short and sweet. I'll try. But first, I would like to share my background and why I decided to start this blog-- which I may turn into a vlog, we'll see.
I went to Cal Poly to study nutrition, and little known fact, it is not uncommon for those who come into the dietetics field to have a history (or some form) of disordered eating habits. I have a background of dance, gymnastics and cheerleading, all of which revolve around body aesthetics; although I did not fall into a full-blown eating disorder, when I was in high school, I did not have a healthy relationship with food or my body. Things improved during college and I accepted the natural weight gain that occurred--even still, I was amenorrheic until I was 21. I am 5'0", so 10 pounds is significant for my body type, but I knew I needed to have more "meat" on my body than I had during high school. I was finally at a healthy weight and following my hunger cues. I ran 3-4 times per week and participated in fitness classes before going on to get my own certifications to teach them.
After graduating, I began my dietetic internship: a one year, full-time internship, with no stipend that cost me $15,000. Needless to say, I was stressed out. A lot. I started running even more for relief and to clear my mind--8 to 10 miles a day--on top of teaching fitness classes before work. I was going on 5 years of studying nutrition but ironically, the stress of it all prevented me from practicing what I preached. My diet was not all that people thought it was. I felt pressure from everyone telling me how great I ate, when in reality I was falling back into poor eating habits. I knew what I should be doing; I knew what was "right," but I was not able to follow it. I was so busy during the day--sometimes I would go the entire day without eating and at night binge on protein brownies and energy bites that I would make on the weekends. Those late-night indulgences perpetuated a vicious cycle of my daily eating routines. And I wasn't paying attention to my body; I had probably gained weight, but my clothes still fit, and I was too intimidated by the scale to ever check.
Then, I found an aerial arts studio tucked away on a backstreet behind Trader Joe's, and I truly found my sanctuary. This was a place where I could go to climb and play in the air--where all my worries of the work day were obliterated. It was only after beginning my aerial arts that I really started to feel the impact of what I was (and what I wasn't) eating; I had stopped feeling those normal hunger cues and was not in-sync with my body. Energy and nutrition is so important when you are literally holding on for your life. I knew had to change my habits if I wanted to grow as an aerialist. And although I am far from perfect, things are improving. My body is more toned than it ever was before and I feel so much stronger.
With this I will lead you into my next post: The Whole30 and why I am doing it. Stay tuned!
Amanda Rose
I went to Cal Poly to study nutrition, and little known fact, it is not uncommon for those who come into the dietetics field to have a history (or some form) of disordered eating habits. I have a background of dance, gymnastics and cheerleading, all of which revolve around body aesthetics; although I did not fall into a full-blown eating disorder, when I was in high school, I did not have a healthy relationship with food or my body. Things improved during college and I accepted the natural weight gain that occurred--even still, I was amenorrheic until I was 21. I am 5'0", so 10 pounds is significant for my body type, but I knew I needed to have more "meat" on my body than I had during high school. I was finally at a healthy weight and following my hunger cues. I ran 3-4 times per week and participated in fitness classes before going on to get my own certifications to teach them.
After graduating, I began my dietetic internship: a one year, full-time internship, with no stipend that cost me $15,000. Needless to say, I was stressed out. A lot. I started running even more for relief and to clear my mind--8 to 10 miles a day--on top of teaching fitness classes before work. I was going on 5 years of studying nutrition but ironically, the stress of it all prevented me from practicing what I preached. My diet was not all that people thought it was. I felt pressure from everyone telling me how great I ate, when in reality I was falling back into poor eating habits. I knew what I should be doing; I knew what was "right," but I was not able to follow it. I was so busy during the day--sometimes I would go the entire day without eating and at night binge on protein brownies and energy bites that I would make on the weekends. Those late-night indulgences perpetuated a vicious cycle of my daily eating routines. And I wasn't paying attention to my body; I had probably gained weight, but my clothes still fit, and I was too intimidated by the scale to ever check.
Then, I found an aerial arts studio tucked away on a backstreet behind Trader Joe's, and I truly found my sanctuary. This was a place where I could go to climb and play in the air--where all my worries of the work day were obliterated. It was only after beginning my aerial arts that I really started to feel the impact of what I was (and what I wasn't) eating; I had stopped feeling those normal hunger cues and was not in-sync with my body. Energy and nutrition is so important when you are literally holding on for your life. I knew had to change my habits if I wanted to grow as an aerialist. And although I am far from perfect, things are improving. My body is more toned than it ever was before and I feel so much stronger.
With this I will lead you into my next post: The Whole30 and why I am doing it. Stay tuned!
Amanda Rose