How my nutrition and fitness journey began

Like so many others, I’ve lived in severe dietary restriction for the majority of my life. I thought skinny meant healthy and beautiful, so I took that to the extreme. I watched everything I put in my body. I remember eating less than 1000 calories a day, then less than 500. I was drained. I looked tired. I didn't know what it was like to be hungry or full. My metabolism basically shut down.

Finally, at the age of 28, I decided to start my true journey into fitness, which inevitably led me to nutrition. I started doing CrossFit, which I fell in love with and ended up coaching. You may or may not know that the Paleo diet is THE diet of so many CF athletes, so naturally, I jumped on-board. Since I was working out so intensely, and eating real, whole foods that the cavemen used to eat, I thought that meant I could essentially eat as much 'good' food as I wanted. Well, wrong again. I wasn’t losing weight, even with doing all of the crazy-tough workouts. In fact, I gained (and not just muscle). Fast forward to me leaving CrossFit to strictly focus on Olympic Weightlifting. I found my way to a nutrition coach who I worked with for about a year. I learned that there are no 'good' and 'bad' foods, and, more importantly to me, our bodies need carbohydrates! I learned what proper portions were, when my body needed more fuel and when it needed a little less. I learned when I was hungry and how it felt to be full. I learned what it was like to have a healthy metabolism, and finally, a much healthier relationship with food! I don't deprive myself of pizza anymore and I still can't believe I went an entire year without eating it! I understand that everyone has a different story. This is mine. I invite you to take the steps towards making the change in your own story. Your change can be small, or a full-circle transformation (hence 'ThreeSixty'). One thing I know; big things can happen when you have people who support you.

#NutritionCoach

#DietaryRestriction

#CrossFit

#OlympicWeightlifting

#FitnessJourney

#DisorderedEating

-Dana Watson, Owner of ThreeSixty Nutrition & Certified Nutrition Coach