But WHY a cookbook?
I've been posting this all over my social media but I feel like writing about it too, I have many thoughts you see.
Firstly, from a cultural perspective: Food is essential. Food is joy, and sorrow, it's a welcome home or a fabulous send off. Food is medicine, and fuel, and can make or break a night out, or a night in. There's nothing worse than a disappointing meal when your expectations were for something much more.
And the fact of the matter is that Toxic Diet and Fitness Culture have done their best to insist that you don't need any of that. You don't need to be comforted by your meal, or attach memories to it... right? But you're human, so you do those things, and you can't help it. There's a reason why Grandma's cookies are the only ones that can cheer you up, or why Mom's pasta dish is the only thing you need when you're sick. It's the emotional and cultural connection.
And how dare anyone think that it's okay to remove those important family and cultural associations just for the sake of Toxic Diet Culture.
One of the biggest reasons for Diet Failure in the fitness community is because people "Fall off the Wagon," when they go back home for a holiday or because they're just craving something hearty, warming, and delightful.. Nobody wants to eat cardboard for their meal prep every day, and I couldn't blame you for jumping off that ship as fast as possible.
When I started training Valkyrie Squad I knew that I didn't want to stop eating my favorite foods, that I didn't want to feel restricted at all in my meals or snacks, and that the best way for me to keep it pushing was to be well fed, and unrestricted.
Years of eating disorders and new food allergies taught me a lot about nutrition and macros, diets and what was complete bullshit vs what was important. Before the accident that broke my feet, I was training for a marathon, and had the diet and appetite of an athlete. Those years of training gave me a lot of information on how to fuel the body while in motion. While I was on The Sword & The Ribbon Podcast, I learned a lot from Dietician and Valkyrie Morgan about Intuitive Eating and nutrition tips. As a runner herself, she has a ton of great information about fueling the body before and after workouts, and I learned a ton from her.
While I don't currently have my certification in Nutrition, it is something I've been passionate about for a long time, and I will be getting that certification later this year.
So I had all this motivation for creating recipes and a huge cookbook that would help enable myself and others to eat whatever the hell they wanted, learn how to cook wholesome and nutritious meals at home, and feel empowered by their food choices instead of shamed by them.
I also really really wanted everyone to step away from the boiled chicken and rice.
If we stay on the topic of Culture and Food, there's no way we can forget to mention the absolute white washing of diet tips. Here we go again with MORE Toxic Diet Culture issues: if you have an ethnic cultural background based on traditionally "not white" foods, you may have noticed that every diet cookbook is as devoid of spices and variety as a slice of white bread.
When in reality- spices added to your food costs you NOTHING in macros. A teaspoon of each of the following will only add 13 calories to your meal: Oregano, Thyme, Onion Powder, & Paprika. And they don't even register as fats, carbs, or fiber, or protein. They're just there for the flavor baby, and they won't hurt you the way that eating bland or unseasoned food can hurt your drive.
And what is 13 calories going to do? Nada. Zip. Zilch. Nothing. It will do nothing.
There's nothing to fear over 13 calories for seasoning.
But the mental impact of severe restriction of food and food choices is enough to derail you from any of your goals- fitness or otherwise. If all you can think about is how you can't have that thing you want, you're going to spend less time focusing on the thing you want to achieve.
So I wrote a cookbook. Because I want you to have your cake and eat it too. I want you to be well fed, and satisfied at the end of your meals, snacks and desserts. I don't want you to feel guilt or shame or like you just need a little more something.
I want you to feel strong and empowered by your meals.
I want you to feel like you OWNED that workout because you fueled your body well.
I want you to feel success at the end of every day..
Confident in your meals, in your movement, in your body.
So that's why I wrote a cookbook. And I hope you fucking love it.
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