When I am hungry you do not want to be around me.  I am the type of person who gets 'hangry' pretty quickly.  Dustin can vouch for my irritability and inability to make a decision in that moment. 

As soon as I get a little bit of food in my tummy, my mood changes and I am back to my old self.  I have learned that what works for me is smaller meals and snacks throughout the day.  It helps to keep my energy level high and irritability at bay.  

Nourishing our bodies is a form of self-care.  What we choose to put in has a direct effect on how we feel.  I know that when I do not feed myself well and am only surviving on sugar my body revolts and I feel awful.

I never thought I would be the person bringing quinoa and broccoli to work for lunch but have learned over the years when I eat the pizza instead I want to fall asleep at my desk by 2 o'clock.  It is at that time I will reach for caffeine and then ultimately crash, again.  

Nourishing my body does not take a lot of work, but it does take a bit of planning.  I never thought I would be one to do weekly meal prep but it has become a lifeline for me.  Having something that I can just grab takes out the thinking and makes it quick and easy in the moment.  

I have become the girl who leaves the house with her lunch box and has healthy snacks in her purse.  Because like I said, you don't want to see me hangry.  And having something that fuels me makes it that much easier for me to say no to the vending machine.  

Nourishing my body has not been a skill that was developed over night.  In fact it is something that I work on daily and consider a practice.  I still struggle with dinner but find eating the same breakfast for a week works for me.  

There are tons of food and fitness bloggers that make it seem pretty and fancy.  For me it never looks that way.  After meal prep on Sunday it looks like a hurricane went through my kitchen. But that's nothing a little soap can't help scrub away.  

What I have learned on this journey is to not get caught up in the comparison game. When we do that we throw self-care onto the floor and stomp on it for some extra pain.  You need to do what works right for you.  Only you know the type of schedule and time you have.  Only you know what your taste buds truly desire.  Only you know what food really fuels you.  You can be inspired by others, but don't let them bring you down.  

I invite you to simply notice this week what you put into your body and how it makes you feel.  Is your food fueling you or slowing you down.  Does what you eat give you energy or make you feel like it's time to nap.  Keep a list of everything your consuming and how it makes you feel.  Doing this will help you be more conscious of what you are putting in.  

Fueling your body doesn't have to be a scary and overhwelming feeling.  In fact it is pretty simple, but it all starts with you.  

Join me on a 30 day exploration into self-care where together we will committed to practicing self-care for the entire month of June. Because when you take care of yourself you are better equipped to show up in this world and have something to give to others.