Maldita Dieta! Damned Diet!!!

May 10, 2018

LONG TIME NO SEE! In lieu of this week’s International No Diet Day, I will be unraveling my blog titled “Maldita Dieta!!!” Gordita’s Way serves as a purpose to be real with you in the struggle. I preach about decolonizing your mind, rebelling against diet culture, & promoting health and wellness. Mi gente, this platform will demonstrate the lows and highs. This week, I will be diving into “Maldita Dieta” and its negative consequences on the mind, body, and soul. Maldita dieta literally translates to this “Damned Diet.” Dietas no sirven: La dieta no funcionó. My suggestion, don’t do them. Diets don’t work! They provide temporary solutions to weight loss, but not permanent change. Permanent lifestyle changes force you to self reflect and look within yourself. Always be mindful of your intentions when making decisions about food. Be willing to forgive yourself and not buy into this diet culture of lies! Live yo life, but do as I say not as I do.

Food! Comida!

When somebody mentions food, my whole face lights up. When my job announces that there’s free food in the breakroom, (My co-workers can attest to this) I’m the first one running out of the room to get a snack! When I eat, I feel genuine joy. Always remember that your relationship with food does not have to be a constant battle. Being conscious of that relationship, loving yourself, & having the ability to forgive yourself is key to having a healthy relationship with food. However, when my mamita bursts into my new apartment with some premier protein shakes and a strict diet regime for my cousins wedding, my heart sinks. Trigger!!! I feel a rush of anxiety and fear as I wake up only to find my refrigerator full of protein shakes, sugarless jello, popsicles, and other liquid substances. Ew! Although my brain was running at 100 miles an hour, my hypocritical self did the very self sabotaging thing that I swore I’ll never do, a liquid diet. I felt okay, but my mom said, “Mira Feli, these pictures for the wedding are going to last forever! Your arms are fluffy!” I had to look my best in the dress right? Ladies you feel me? Hell no! Flaunt the body you own in whatever clothing you choose. After all, you only have one body right? Mi gente, part of treating her right is accepting and loving her in all phases.

Gordita’s Way has returned!

Y’all are probably wondering where I’ve been this whole time; I just spent the past two weeks traveling to Mexico & Cuba! My beautiful cousin asked me to be her bridesmaid! The family turned up in Tulum! Subsequently, I went to my dream place, Cuba, to visit my Papastro’s familia in Havana. A week before I left, I went from detoxing and drinking liquids in Chicago, to overindulging Tequila in Mexico & eating everything in sight in Cuba! Since I’m on this platform to uplift and encourage all my Latinx and universal women to love themselves, I have to be real with my audience. I’ve been on the struggle bus! I have gone through a short periodic phase of temporary dieting and unforgiveness. The very thing I preach; forgive yourself, uplift yourself, and be your own champion has not been practiced in my everyday thought patterns most recently. “Fear not failure, but the inability to respond to failure like a champion!” I painstakingly fell into the trap of liquid diets & temporary solutions so i could look “better” on vacation and in my dress. I am rededicating my journey through small adaptable lifestyle changes. This week, I am going to provide you all with tips to incorporate healthy lifestyle goals while traveling and at home!

Tips for healthy lifestyle choices:

  1. When traveling, stay active & drink loads of water!
  2. Buy food, Avoid eating out. (Meal Prep)
  3. Stop Setting Short Term Goals for Temporary Solutions:

When traveling, stay active & drink loads of water!

I can start off by telling you to eat healthy and refrain from eating everything in sight, but let’s be real; when you’re on vacation and visiting Latino families for the first time, there is no such thing as denying food. So you have 1 of 2 options. You can roll with the punches, eat what you want and stay active, or you can deny yourself the chance to enjoy new foods. If y’all come from a Latino family, you know that option two is not possible!

Mexico was amazing! I tried different foods, and drank an insurmountable amount of alcohol. I realized that never again will I touch tequila in Mexico! I also did some yoga, walked on the sand, & danced my heart away. The most heartfelt part of the trip was watching my prima hermana say “I do” and marry her best friend. Upon arriving to Cuba, fiesta fiesta and more fiestas!! Party party party! I met my step dad’s family in Havana and they welcomed me with open arms. They also cooked a tremendous amount of Cuban food including ropa vieja, yuca, arroz, tostones, you name it, they had it! My beautiful step sister Dayana welcomed me with open arms and showed me the best time in Cuba. From riding in classic cars, to dancing in discotecas, I learned a whole lot about Afro-Latino practices such as the significance of Santos, Orisha rituals, Rumba dances, etc. Although I ate like crazy, I didn’t gain a lot of weight because it was super hot in Cuba! We walked everywhere, danced just about everyday, and I drank plenty of water!

Buy food, Avoid eating out.

I’m trying to save you money! Eating out can be expensive. Upon my return to Chicago, I knew it was time to get back to business. My childhood amiga, Adriana, inspired me by adding me to a Lady Inspired Weight Loss group on snapchat. Mi gente, part of success is having accountability. On the group chat we post healthy meal ideas, our workouts, & the daily grind. Fear not failure. There will be trials during this journey but take this as an opportunity for growth. Never forget how far you have come ladies! This week, I bought groceries, and even though I don’t particularly like to cook, I am meal prepping healthy foods and snacks for the rest of the week.

Stop Setting Short Term Goals for Temporary Solutions:

You’re better than that! Rock that dress, bikini, or thong in whatever body you got! Never cease to learn from failures. Be honest with yourself. Stop using the term diet! Diets provide temporary solutions to weight loss. Lifestyle adaptations such as snacking every couple of hours, exercising consistently, & prioritizing your happiness and mental health are permanent resolutions we can work on daily. Recognize your weaknesses and work on them. Water intake & cooking are my weaknesses, so grocery shopping, stocking up on water, & cooking are critical steps to my independent journey!

Short term solutions such as dieting result in fluctuation of weight and disappointment. Don’t fall into the trap! International No Diet Day should be a holiday everyday! Who the hell wants to be hungry all the time?! I know I was hangry (hungry & angry) throughout the entire detox/liquid diet process. What a long seven days! My ladies, self love is utterly and completely within your reach, but it’s going to take mad work.The dynamic is about to change really fast! Gordita’s Way is coming back with a bang!