How often do you hear people say things like, “I would rather eat the unhealthy food and be happy then eat food that tastes terrible and be healthy”, or “eating healthy is overrated…we’re all going to die anyways, so we might as well enjoy our food,”. I could go on and on listing some of the so called “reasons” people have for eating unhealthy. To be honest, I used to say the same things. In my mind a life without sugar and gluten was no life at all.

I’m proud to say that that is no longer the case in my life. When I finally owned up to the fact that I was a sugar addict and becoming increasingly more unhealthy, I decided to make a switch to a better life. The cold hard truth was that living wasn’t so fun in the unhealthy state that I was in and being healthy was such an attractive alternative. I had my doubts about the journey towards health because I had tried and failed so many times, I couldn’t even imagine what success would feel like. Some of my biggest concerns were, how would I give up sugar and gluten, how would I be able to avoid all GMO’s, how would I stay motivated to exercise, and how long would it take to reach my goal. It was only after I hit rock bottom that I put my foot down and said enough. I believe that everyone has their own “rock bottom”, mine was the realization that if I kept going down the track I was on I would destroy any chance I had at living a full life.

At age 20 I already had a host of issues that I needed fixing; such as my joint inflammation, acne, hypoglycemia like symptoms, my sugar addiction, sinus issues, my pot belly, and low immune system. Looking at that list I felt a sense of urgency in changing my life and taking charge of my health.

Here’s what my before and after look like.

 

 

 

 

 

I honestly thought that this journey was going to be the hardest thing I’d ever done and I was going to have to sacrifice so much to win at health. That’s when I discovered the truth…that you can eat healthy and enjoy every bite! Although at first the temptations were daunting and it didn’t seem worth it at times, However, it was never as bad as I thought it would be.

Not only did I make a change in my appearance I also cured myself of the nasty list of ailments I mentioned earlier. I am in the best health of my life and am so proud of where I am today!

My transformation is the result of getting rid of sugar and gluten, staying away from processed conventional dairy, eating grass beef and wild caught meat, going completely GMO free, and getting organic produce. I became a chronic label reader and took to the kitchen to find alternatives to my original comfort foods like cookies, brownies, ice cream, pizza, and pasta’s.  It’s truly amazing how many resources I found on healthy cooking!  Truly there is no shortage of information out there. My family and I are still amazed how much more delicious our food is now than it was! Each and every bite we take not only satisfies our cravings, it is acually good for us!

I’d like to share a great recipe with you that I think you will all enjoy, this is one I came up with while playing around in the kitchen.

Kickin’ Meatballs 
For the meatballs, mix together:

½ cup Minced onion
2 Minced sweet Italian peppers
2 Minced Cheyenne peppers
1 tsp Thyme
1 Tbsp Salt
1 tsp Granulated Garlic
1 tsp Black pepper
2 lbs Grass Fed Ground beef
(For best flavor, let sit in refrigerator for 1-2 hours)

For the sauce, mix together:
¼ cup Minced onion
3 cups Unsweetened Ketchup
3 Tbsp Chipotle seasoning
½ tsp Garlic
2 Tbsp Franks red hot sauce
½ cup Honey
1 TBSP Molasses
(For best flavor, let sit in refrigerator for 1-2 hours)
Ball up meat mixture into 2-3 ounce balls. Place on sheet pan (with sides) and bake until almost done. Transfer into lightly greased 9×13 pan and pour sauce over meatballs. Return to oven and bake for another 10 minutes or until sauce is caramelized.
My journey is far from over, I continue to grow stronger all the time. No matter how many ups and downs I’ve had (and believe me I’ve had plenty) I keep going and in turn am changing my future for the better!

Thanks for taking the time to read my transformation story!

God Bless