I never thought I would desire to be in the health and wellness field. I liked to eat, and I assumed that people that were into “health” did not. I believed that to be healthy, calorie counting, deprivation, and bland food were key… and I was so wrong!
I began my journey in 2015 when a friend of mine was raging about the Whole30 on Facebook. She lost a lot of weight, and considering this was something I wanted, I decided it was worth it to take the plunge.
Guys, I learned a lot of hard lessons during those 30 days. I learned I don’t like chicken all that much. I learned spices are an absolute MUST. I learned the importance of salt and pepper. I learned how a balanced plate should look. I learned how to cook from amazing food bloggers like Mel Joulwan (my food idol!).
The most important thing that I learned, is that I thrive on a whole foods diet. I was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) when I was 17, and never have I EVER been told by a doctor that changing my diet would make a difference. I literally had no idea that processed food wasn’t real food (true story).
Pre-whole foods diet, I would get my period once, maybe twice a year (if I was lucky). I had acne and was a good forty pounds overweight. I was terrified of the possibility of new PCOS symptoms surfacing (hair loss, growing hair in unfeminine places, etc). The vast majority of women who have PCOS end up with diabetes by the age of 40, and it felt like I was just waiting around for that day to come. Almost anything I did to improve my health backfired; I would lose a little weight and then GAIN IT ALL BACK, plus some!
Changing my diet to whole foods made an enormous impact on my life, my health, my career and my future. Today, I don’t calorie count and I eat exactly what I want. I no longer have crazy “I need to eat xyz now!” cravings, the food I eat is nourishing and makes me happy, I have energy, and am overall my best self. If I were to go to a new doctor today, they would never diagnose me with PCOS; all my blood work comes back normal, and I’m almost symptom free!
I started the this whole foods journey for vanity reasons, and I continue this lifestyle because it works. I’ve kicked my scale to the curb and have learned to love myself for who I am.
I’m passionate about cooking and learning about all things health and nutrition – so much so that I’m working towards becoming a certified holistic nutritionist.
This blog exists because I want to help others fall in love with food again and be their absolute healthiest self.
xo Jess