God blessed me with an extremely sensitive stomach. For the better part of the 19 years of my life, I’ve struggled with constant stomach pain in some way shape or form. I figured it was just a part of my day to day life I’d deal with forever, but once I started living on my own I decided to experiment with what I was eating. The conclusions I’ve drawn from this have been life changing, literally. I stopped eating dairy, instead of turning my head to my lactose intolerance. I also cut meat out of my diet, and now stick to fish. Anyone who knew me before college was shocked to hear this, as I had a strict diet of chicken wings and ice cream in high school (which is a whole different issue in and of itself). Now, after about 6 months since my lifestyle change, I figured why not reflect on the ugly after talking about the good in my previous article, 5 steps to becoming a better version of yourself. So, here’s 4 complaints from my stomach.

1. Constant cries for real food

Throughout childhood we’re taught; ‘you get what you get and you don’t throw a fit’, but let me tell you, while eating campus food and beginning to change my diet, my stomach was throwing a fit no matter what I gave it. It was a constant battle between finding options that didn’t contain dairy and meat, but were still appetizing enough to leave me satisfied. As the semester went on, I realized this was a tall order for the dining hall to fulfill. Ultimately I was left with few options more often than not, which was frustrating because I was paying for food I didn’t really want. I found myself eating lots of sushi and thriving off of whatever mediocre stir fry was cooked up at the dining hall; as my other options of Chik Fil A, Taco Bell, and Panda Express, among other fast food places, weren’t worth the frustration of having no options. Needless to say, if you’re reading this VCU, a couple healthier choices for students eating strictly on a dining plan, but also choosing a vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian(or somewhere in between) life style, would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. my stomach cries tear of joy for the fact that I’ll have a full kitchen next semester.

2. The trial & error of building a new lifestyle

I’ll be blunt here, figuring out what works for your stomach and what doesn’t is a pain in butt. I started this process by cutting a lot of things out of my diet and starting from scratch. This was hard, because I had to deal with the cravings my body threw at me, but resist them at all costs. From there, I slowly reintroduced foods and figured out what could stay and what had to go. Basically, what made me feel good vs. what caused a disaster in my stomach. This was ugly. However, I was able to figure out that dairy was a no go for me, no exceptions, and that I was better off when I didn’t eat meat. Then came the learning. Once I changed my lifestyle to not eating the things my diet relied on before, I had to find alternatives. Then I had to research them, and figure out if what I was putting in my body was actually beneficial for me, and if it wasn’t, go back to the drawing board. I used to be a picky eater, but now all bets are off. Veggies, fish, fruits, and dairy alternatives, I dove into the unknown and came out with a few battles scars, but a lot of new foods I discovered I was fond of.

3. Beans, beans, good for your heart, the more you eat…

I am a big fan of beans, I try not to eat them too often, but I find them to be a great way to ‘beef up’ any meal. However, although I don’t get the bloat and stomach pain I felt with meat, I still get gassy (sorry folks, just being honest). This doesn’t stop me from being a bean eating machine, but it does cause me to think before I order black bean soup for a third time in one week, don’t judge me. I’ve found beans to be a great alternative, without adding too much strain to those around me. Since I’m home for summer, I’m not eating on my own anymore, so my family and friends are learning how to accommodate my lifestyle. Last night for example, I found myself a little anxious about going to a barbecue in my neighborhood, because I was the only person who doesn’t eat mean. Luckily, my stepmom picked me up a black bean burger which she cooked up with ease in a frying pan, and I blended in just fine (thank you Jaime). Despite the toots, I’ve learned to live a normal lifestyle and not hold back from doing things just because my diet varies from those around me.

4. Frustration of frequent questioning

Sometimes I think my stomach is going to jump out of my body just to tell people how it really feels when someone asks me why I eat the way I do. There’s a difference between someone who asks me because they’re genuinely interested, which my stomach is happy to explain to, but every once in a while there’s the person who asks because they disapprove and then my stomachs ready to jump of its skin. As I mentioned above, I do research on what I eat, I make sure I know what I’m putting in my body, because that’s the whole reason I made this lifestyle change. I know what my body can and can’t handle, and I’m not by any means depriving myself. I get my nutrients, and I love what I eat while doing it. It’s not as hard as you may think to live the way I do, especially in this day and age. I can’t even tell you how many alternatives there are out there are the market for the things that I don’t eat, and even then the amount of vegetables, beans, and fruits that by themselves nourish me; I don’t miss meat and dairy at all. On top of that, I feel so much better, my stomach doesn’t grumble and rumble as often, and I don’t feel cloudy anymore. The only thing further my stomach has to say about this is if you don’t actually care, don’t ask.

Overall, my stomach and I have been on a roller coaster ride throughout my lifestyle change. We’re currently sitting at the highest of highs, but we didn’t get here without reaching the lowest of lows. It’s not easy to find what’s right for your system, and you have to be devoted to do it. I held myself back from life without frequent bathroom visits and constant discomfort for far too long. Who knew listening to your body could be so beneficial. Looking back at it, my stomachs made some complaints, but it couldn’t be happier with the results of this process. Listen closely to your body, it might just be trying to tell you something.