An important issue

Before I get into anything food related, I decided I need to address an issue that has arisen firsthand. 

It has come to my attention that there are readers that find some of my commentary on the blog as "triggering" to those with disordered eating, or body image issues. 

I am here to state that in no way do I want to be considered a "trigger" or a promoter of unhealthy body image. 
That's not what this blog is. 

I started this blog as a way to reach out to others about my struggles with healthy eating. I hoped to inspire others through my experiences losing weight and gaining weight, and maintaining a healthy balance. 
As someone who has had a past of disordered eating, I knew that in my own experience, I was the only "trigger" I had. It wasn't what other people said that made me want to hyper-control my eating habits. What triggered me was being the best that I thought I should be. Which sometimes, meant eating too little, or exercising too much. If I wasn't living up to these expectations I was a failure to myself. 
This is a sad way to think, I know. 
And I know that other people have similar struggles, and other people have different struggles.
Whilst I am in no way encouraging people to discontinue reading my blog, please, if my personal thoughts are hindering your success in becoming healthy, please, stop reading. 

I want this blog to be a healthy community-like atmosphere. I want to be able to share my thoughts with you, and you with me, in a constructive manner. 
I don't want there to be "fat talk" or judgement. 
If you have a problem with something I said, please, email me, come to me, and I will address it. 

But one of the things I pride myself in, within and outside the blog, is my honesty. Some of the most touching comments I have gotten on my blog have been about my "realness". What I say is what is on my mind. 

Sometimes, my thoughts may not be the healthiest. But I recognize this and try to express the way I am feeling outright as just that; the way I am feeling at the time. 

Do I think a small cup of ice cream is "bad"? No. I love my treats! But when I say something like that, most likely it is referring to the amount of ice cream, or sweets in general, I have had recently- and as I have demonstrated in my starting my Green & Healthy challenge, I am trying to stay away from too much of those kinds of things. A little of anything is fine, a lot of anything is too much. The struggle between just enough and too much has been a big one for me, having battled binge eating in the past. So with this struggle I am trying to relay to others that it can be hard to distinguish between just enough and too much. It's finding your own balance, what works for YOU that matters. Everyone is different, but the goal is the same: health. 

I am not perfect, no one is. And it will be a very long time, if ever, I am completely over all of my food issues. I am going to struggle with those last pesky 5 pounds for a while. But the support I have gained on this blog has been incredibly encouraging to me. 

I hope to be able to continue to share my thoughts and journey to being the healthiest I can be with all of you. I hope to encourage others by showing you that it is a journey to health. There are going to be bumps in the road. I'm not going to eat healthy 100% of the time. And sometimes, I'm not going to be happy about it. But I AM still healthy. And I'm happy. I have a wonderful life, filled with a wonderful family, wonderful friends, and a wonderful boyfriend, no matter how far away any of them may be. I love them all and they support me, just like you all support me. 

This is what gives me strength. There was a reason I got it permanently tattooed on my body. Everything in my life involves strength. The strength to stay healthy without being restrictive. To learn to fill my body with nutrient rich, healthful foods. To exercise and keep my body strong. To look back every day and say, I felt healthy today, or maybe I didn't, and I'll try to be more healthy tomorrow. This is what I am trying to demonstrate for you. It's all about balance. 

I am trying to be the best I can be, and I strive to encourage all of you to be healthy, active and happy as well. 

So from here on out, I'm going to make the promise to you that I will be totally, 100% honest with you. If that means maybe one day I'm not feeling so hot, and maybe I might say a few words that may be a "trigger", I'll let you know beforehand. And you can stop reading. Because it is up to you to learn when to look away, when it is healthiest to be a little selfish at times and think only of yourself. There will only be one me, and only be one you. It is up to each of us alone to gain the strength to be confident in ourselves. Confident enough to know that each and every one of us has the ability to be healthy, and happy and balanced. Confident that we are all beautiful in our own ways. That our bodies are wonderful, powerful machines that can, and will carry us far- if we fuel them properly. 

Two of my favorite Italian phrases translate into a life well lived:

La vita e bella. Mangia poco, ma bene. 

Life is beautiful. Eat moderately, but well. 

So those are my Sunday Morning musings. Take them as you will. I'll be back after a nice run, and a wonderful lunch Italiano with my best friend in the world, the lovely miss Danielle.