Warriors Fuel the Rocket-Ship...

I never want to be preachy, only encouraging, but I find myself more and more concerned with the quality of food we consume and feed our children. I'm not a purists or overly extreme. One of the reasons I tell you of my love affair with gummy frogs and tequila is so you know I believe in moderation. I'm not perfect with my diet and I enjoy my two vices shamelessly. I am being silly when I exaggerate my consumption but I do not deny myself the pleasure of either because life is short and it is meant to be a balance of discipline and enjoyment. If you have an addictive personality moderation is a struggle and my perspective might not be applicable to you. I understand battling an unhealthy relationship with food. This dysfunctional tie was made worse when I associated it with myself being "good" or "bad". Most vices we struggle with are a symptom of something consciously or unconsciously unhealed. Life exists in complicated strokes of color. Black and white is a "fun" absolute but I've found it to be impossibly rigid. When I started eating whole, real, quality, food again I saw my body respond. There was a nine month period I maintained a vegan diet but found it unsuitable for me. I admire those who choose it and for whom it works but my body went into a real crisis meltdown. Looking for answers I began to research humane, sustainable foods that fed my body and met an ethical standard. I tinkered with what I termed my "whole eating" plan over the past five years. Nothing I eat is low calorie or low fat. I removed all but the occasional soda. I eat large amounts of organic butter and avocado. I eat high quality, organic protein; mostly salmon and free range eggs. I include beef and chicken when my body asks for them. I eat seasonal, organic vegetables and tons of hatch green 🌶. I listen to my body...not my cravings; cravings are emotional, my body is rational. When I have important events, such as Wrestlemania Week and Hall of Fame, I tie up my diet with very tight strings. I eat only fish (salmon and mahi) spinach, asparagus, peppers, eggs, avocado, steak, tomatoes, squash, zucchini, and butter. I cut out all bread which I normally eat in moderation if it is organic, fresh baked, sour dough. I choose bread from Whole Foods because of its quick shelf life. I am a big believer in shelf life. That is the question I ask before I put food in the cart and then in my body...how fast will this expire? My body responds to my "the fresher the better" principle. "Healthy foods" with chemical additives to preserve the shelf life are, in my opinion, not clean to our bodies. I believe they are foreign objects and thus processed slowly adding to fat storage. Before that one person gets snide, asking me to site my sources, let me say.. I have none... This is purely anecdotal. I do however have two kids... and on good days... Abs!!!! :)))))) I bust my hump in the gym five to six days a week but I believe diet is responsible for a body's greatest changes. This is all at once the best and the worst news if food feels like a foe. Different than other addictive vices one can endeavor to quit food is essential for life. Our relationship with food needs to be a truly healthy one. It is our rocket fuel. As a young woman I was shamed by a male classmate publicly for a weight fluctuation I endured. I was already handling a turbulent chapter of my young life. My family was shaken by adultery and divorce. My added weight was a symptom of real sadness in my life. This young man made flyers mocking me and papered the entire parking lot calling me fat. So crushed was I by this humiliation I stopped eating. I developed an eating disorder and battled an unhealthy relationship with food throughout college. It was not until I became pregnant with Indiana that I made the choice to nourish myself properly. It was only through my pregnancy and protective feeling over this new life that I felt worthy of feeding myself perfectly. At that time I hadn't yet realized I was worth this essential self care but I knew, with a mother's love, she was. Having two daughters I pray nobody ever endeavors to smash their body images the way this bully so carelessly destroyed mine. If you battle your weight or an unhealthy relationship with food please hear me tell you to feed yourself lovingly. You are worthy of all the care you bestow on others. Nutritious, balanced, eating is a way to reward yourself correctly. You are worth self care. You are responsible for the one body you have been given. If the excuse for not engaging healthful eating is cost I ask you to do actual research and price comparisons. Trader Joe's has affordable, high quality products. My time in Orlando in Ms. Ruby's garden truly opened my eyes to the possibility of single family or community gardens. These sustainable gardens can provide healthful farm to table meals at a fraction of the cost. Another option is your local farmer's market. Ours, in Santa Fe, New Mexico is a vibrant addition to food shopping with seasonal bests. Warrior was, at heart, a bodybuilder. He ate every two hours so I lived the life of a short order cook. Most bodies do not necessitate his adherence to dietary guidelines that rarely deviated, even on holidays and special occasions. I'm not speaking to those specialized eating habits. Those of you bodybuilders are an elite type of athlete whom I admire for your impeccability. Invite me to your show and I'll sit front row...bag of gummies in one hand...don julio margarita, fresh lime juice, with salt, in the other. I'll stomp my feet cheering and not spill a drop but that kind of depletion and depravation is no longer in your amiga's wheelhouse... I am all about moderation. With moderation in mind I ask you to think about what it is you put into your body as fuel. It's frankly the most important decision you make each day. What you place in your mouth trickles down to how you tackle every task before you. Make good, informed choices. Make choices that remind you how worthy a recipient you are of premium octane, warrior fuel! I believe we have holes within we must fill in healthy ways. I believe we are worthy of impeccable self care. I believe in haribo gummies and don julio...in moderation. I believe in listening to the rational part of my body for guidance on how to feed it. I believe in quieting my emotions with self care and internal kindness. I believe in fueling the rocket-ship, because it is our vehicle in life...ALWAYS! xo🚀d **a note to anyone battling their weight... Please listen when I say I understand weight issues. I understand how personal and overwhelmingly (although irrationally) shame filled they are at their core. I struggled greatly with being so open in this blog because of the humiliation I felt years ago at the hand of a bully. I love I now get to combat a bully culture at our WWE Be A Star rallies alongside our a Superstars! I think it is easy for people to look at me today and imagine I've never struggled with weight or body image. It's my responsibility to be honest if it gives comfort or hope to even one of you. Being overweight does not make you bad. It does not make you less. The reason I want to encourage every warrior to achieve a healthy weight is that it indicates loving, self-care. I want to emphasize YOU DESERVE to love yourself..I may not know you personally, but warrior to warrior, you are valued and loved...You are, in every way, worthy. xo💗d