We love giving ourselves labels. It makes us feel like we are part of a group, have support and aren’t venturing out there on our own. This is particularly true in the dieting/health world. When I begin a conversation about health with someone, it is usually prefaced in one way or another with “I’m Paleo, I’m vegan, I’m sugar-free.” These are all fantastic ways to eat and should be celebrated as healthy lifestyle choices, but personally, I’m not a big fan of labels. Labels force people to define themselves within really strict boundaries and then people beat themselves up when they stray. Although my diet is incredibly important to me, being flexible is what helps keep me sane.
Rather than think in labels, I’d love to open up a conversation on a new term I’ve become familiar with through my studies at the Institute for Integrative Nutriton, bio-individuality.
Bio-individuality is a concept that says there is no one-size-fits-all diet; we are all individuals with highly individualized needs. You must adjust the way that you eat to meet YOU and your personal needs. Now, this doesn’t mean you should go eat 5 brownies and drink a whole bottle of wine because you feel like it, maybe only sometimes! My interpretation of bio-individuality is what really fills me up inside. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. I know that personally, when I am eating whole foods from nature, eating slowly, exercising my body and spending time with people that I love, I am at my very best. That is what works for me.
I encourage you to go on a journey to find what helps you become the very best version of yourself. Trust me, it will never be perfect, but the journey is what makes it fun!