You may know that I started a “year of health” journey six months ago after a year of pandemic life and one too many fabulous comfort dishes. In January, I sensed it was time to live my very best life. On the move from dawn to dusk, often I was last on my own priority list. My intention was to shift that. I called it my “year” of health because I didn’t want to feel rushed. I wanted to slow down and treat this chapter like a wonderful adventure.

My friend Michael from @symmetrybreakfast, who has lost 40 pounds this year, mentioned that he just tries to shave down wherever he can. If normally he’d have half a cup of milk in his tea, he cuts it down to two tablespoons. I’m incorporating his idea into every food choice I make.

On the fitness front, I ditched the health club and bought a Fitbit and a Peloton. I realize that option is not in everyone’s budget, but the money I saved from the health club is equal to the cost of my Peloton. It has been unbelievably liberating to work out at my house, which I do much more regularly because I don’t need to travel to the gym.

I’ve been asked how I get in my 10,000 steps each day: I have simply made it a lifestyle. A walk in the morning, even if it’s a 15-minute trip around the block. Then, whenever possible, I walk instead of drive, and I schedule walking dates with friends, all of which adds up to plenty of steps.

Sleep has also been a major part of my health journey. As a woman on this side of the bell curve, sleep is not an easy endeavor, mostly because I’m so busy, but also because I’m just not the world’s best sleeper. Beginning to understand my sleep habits and learning how shift them is creating a new rhythm. I’ve learned that alcohol, food, and caffeine should be digested long before I get into bed, and that as lovely as a midnight snack can be, it’s not spectacular for slumber.

The biggest change for me has been rejecting the diet culture mentality, which had previously shaped much of my adult life. I was either on a diet or off a diet (which usually meant celebration eating). But this year I’ve learned how to be on vacation and eat in moderation: I still thoroughly enjoy the foods I love without restriction, but I focus on eating them in amounts that keep me feeling my best.

I’m delighted to say that I’ve been to Mexico and Miami, to a festive graduation, and on a Mother’s Day trip with my kids, all while eating according to my new beliefs about food. It’s been essential to know which foods work for my body, and which I should avoid because my body can’t tolerate them. I have come to realize that diet culture, and placing value only on weight loss, leads to a feeling of restriction versus celebration, and doesn't create sustainable lifelong health.

 Halfway through this adventure, it continues to be an incredibly uplifting and empowering one. I’m excited to see what I’ll learn in the second half, and I am truly grateful to be sharing the journey with you. Thank you for all the ways you show up for me. Let’s go!

Our Patty and Fred Bowls are the ones I use every day. The Patty is perfect for a soup, a side salad, vegetables, or cereal. It keeps me from going crazy on my portions, and remember: you don’t have to fill it to the top!

This week we’re giving away a gorgeous MadeIn sauté pan to two nocrumbsleft blog subscribers. To find out more about how to take care of nonstick pans, or to enter the contest, click here.

A year of health does not mean diet mentality. It means delicious, fresh, amazing food like these Whole30 Shrimp Jicama Tacos with California Avocado Crema. Avocados are a true superfood, so nutritious and delicious. I can’t wait for you to try this!