"My Stomach Hurts" ... here's why!

Food is a big part of my life, clearly... and I’m sure it’s a big part of your life too. It is the source of our energy, our good health, and our well-being. Here's the deal, there are tons of so-called foods out there that are really the enemy. They cause health problems instead of providing nutrients your busy body (pun intended) actually needs. I'm a sucker for sweets and things that are easy to grab, especially when I don't prep (aka pack my lunch and snacks).

As some of you may know at 19 I got my gallbladder taken out after nearly 10 months of severe stomach pain, vomiting, weight loss, I mean I looked sickly from all the weight I lost. I went from an athletic 150lbs to nearly 130lbs in a few months. After getting my gallbladder removed I thought, SWEET, I can go back to eating whatever I wanted. FALSE. In fact things got worse for me after surgery.

I had to dramatically cut down on things I used to enjoy everyday like:

1 - Coffee - I damn near immediately have to hit the ladies room, plus I like cream in my coffee.

2 - Hot sauce - nope, I don't have swag nor carry it in my bag. There's only one brand I can eat that doesn't irritate my stomach - Red Hot!

3 - Fried/Greasy food - either I get sick from it because I over indulge or I just limit the amount I eat. Pizza is still the only 'unhealthy' food that doesn't make me sick, which is why I love it so much!

4 - Overly seasoned food that's spicy - think jerk chicken. Gosh, I love jerk chicken, but my stomach thinks otherwise.

Here's a quick rundown of tummy friends and fakes:

4 Years later AFewHungryGirls is still here!

                                        

                                     

I don’t know how many times I thought about quitting AFewHungryGirls. 

There were so many times I was just thought to myself, I’m done with it, it’s over. 

I was high key worn out. 

The turning point came when I realized why I was so burnt out. I was too busy trying to keep up with other bloggers (specifically foodblfoggers) and compared their success to my perceived lack of success. I took a long break and Lord knows I needed it and got back to basics. I realized 1. their journey was not the same as mine, nor was their motivation. 2. That I never started blogging in the first place to obtain success. In fact when I started I didn’t even know I could turn it into a business, I just wanted an excuse to post my food pics somewhere lol. 3. That this was my baby and my baby alone to blog aka TALK about what ever I wanted to and hopefully some people would read it and think ‘Hey, I’m just like her’! 

When I decide to transition from a food blogger to a lifestyle blogger it was after a 4 month hiatus… possibly even more but I mean who’s counting.

3 Ways to Eat Healthy and NOT be Hungry!

Summer is around the corner, and if you’ve suddenly cut your calorie intake and increased the intensity of your workout regime, you’re not alone. I'm giving you 3 ways to stay healthy and not get hungry!

When the sun appears, and vacations are on the horizon, many of us tend to panic about not having the perfect beach body. It’s natural to want to shape up for summer, but there are ways to be healthy without being hungry. You don’t have to starve yourself to see results. If you’re keen to strike a balance, here are some tips to help you embrace healthy eating without sacrificing everything you love to eat.

1. Control your portions

Often, what we eat isn’t the problem. It’s actually how much we eat that influences weight loss or gain. Losing weight boils down to an equation, which involves the number of calories you take in and the number you burn. If the sides don’t balance, it’s likely that you’ll end up losing or gaining weight. Every food has a different calorific value, and it’s beneficial to understand the differences so that you can control your portions effectively. A single slice of pizza, for example, may contain up to 1,000 calories, but a huge bowl of salad leaves, lean meat, tomatoes, and peppers will contain a fraction of this figure. It’s all about understanding values and using them to determine how much you need to eat. Don’t eat more that you need to, just because you’ve got food in front of you. If you tend to serve mammoth portions and you’re not very good at leaving anything on your plate, use smaller plates or simply reduce the amount you cook or order.

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2. Don’t deprive yourself

Have you ever spent day dreaming of eating those ‘bad’ foods that you’ve had to cut out of your diet in a bid to drop a dress size? The problem with dieting for many of us is that not being able to eat foods we love makes us crave them more. If you can’t stop thinking about fried chicken or cheesecake, allow yourself a treat once in a while. If you have one day a week where you can indulge yourself, this will give you something to look forward to, and it’ll help you focus during the rest of the week.

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3. Cook at home

You may think that you’re being healthy when you order a salad at a cafe, but do you really know what it contains? If it’s slathered in dressing and cheese, you may find that you’re eating more fat, salt, and sugar than you would be if you had a sandwich or a bowl of pasta. It’s a good idea to cook at home as much as possible if you’re trying to be healthy. All you need is some basic baking supplies and cooking utensils, and you can follow simple, healthy recipes from books or websites. When you’re the chef, you have complete control over what goes into your meals, and this can make all the difference. You can also choose how your food is prepared. Grilling and oven baking meat, for example, are a lot healthier than deep frying it.

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If you’re on a summer health drive, you don’t have to be hungry for the next few weeks. Take these tips on board, and you can slim down without starving yourself.