This past weekend I came down with some sort of bug. It hit me pretty hard, and other than toast, crackers, pancakes and hash browns, I wasn't able to eat much more. Nope. Not a lot of color there at all! Here I am recommending again and again about consuming a minimum of 4 cups of vegetables per day, and I couldn't even stomach a single carrot stick! What kind of health coach is that?! Well... a realistic one.
I've had clients in the past that have tried to force themselves to have vegetables when they've been ill. Let's face it, vegetables are hard to stomach when your stomach is queasy. There are definitely times when it's necessary to eat foods that are better suited for your health status. Chicken soup is one food that comes to mind that's popular when you're ill. Are you familiar with the BRAT diet? BRAT stands for banana, rice, applesauce and toast, and is recommended when adding in food during or after stomach upset. I wasn't following this, in particular, it's just the foods that sounded good to me.
I'm not a full week out, yet, and I've slowly been adding vegetables back into my diet. I didn't start with salads and broccoli florets. Ahhh, no. I don't think that would have ended well. Just the thought of it still makes me turn a little green. You definitely want to start with cooked over raw. So, Niki at Family Thyme posted a Pumpkin Wild Rice Soup recipe, which I made using some squash I had frozen. Given that butternut squash and rice are both mild, I felt it was a good place to start. The first bowl had no side effects, so I added some diced chicken from a whole chicken I had cooked the next day, along with some mushrooms.
It's hard telling how long it will take to introduce more veggies. I'll keep my diet pretty blonde until I feel I'm ready for more color. Until then, I'm going to give myself some grace, along with time to fully recover, and not rush things. Our bodies are smart and will start yearning for the foods it needs once we're feeling back to normal. On another note, the "sugar cleanse" that I started last week, has been spot on..... not sure it's the way I would suggest eliminating sugar!!! At any rate, it's been a good start, and we'll see how it goes once my appetite comes back. Keeping my fingers crossed. And, finally, this is no time to step on the scale, if that's something you're considering. It's just not indicative of progress toward your health goals.
If you are looking for a health coach that is realistic and non-judgmental, then check out Coach Dani at InCourage Health LLC and complete the application for a free consult. Also, be sure to download the FREE 7-day Guide to Tame Temptations to get started on your health journey right away. It's available here.
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