If only I could lose 5 more pounds.

How many times have you thought that?

I know I’ve thought it many, many times. More than I’d like to admit. Honestly, I’ve been trying to lose weight since I learned what weight means. And I know I’m not alone.

But why do we feel this way?

Stay with me here.

What if we want to lose weight because of reasons outside our control? Think about how many weight-loss ads you see. Think about all the famous and thin models on your news feed. We’re exposed to so many (falsified) that we’ve learned to want it. We’ve learned that losing weight will make us prettier and healthier.

But what if it’s not true? There are many ‘fit’ people out there still struggling with self-image and food.

So what I’m thinking is that healthy eating doesn’t have much to do with weight. I think it’s more about unlearning toxic behaviors and putting ourselves first. Healthy eating is about having a healthy relationship with food.

And in order to have a healthy relationship with food, you have to start somewhere. Which is exactly what I did.

The result?

I wrote a book. The Mediterranean Refresh is a collection of Mediterranean-inspired recipes that helped me achieve my goals.

I spent more than a year researching various diets, foods, and consulted dietitians and doctors. I wanted to find a balance between the nutritious and delicious. I wanted to feel energized and full. I wanted to feel comfortable in my body and comfortable around food.

Why Do So Many Diets Fail?

When I began my research, I discovered that the typical American diet only works when paired with excessive exercise. I resented that companies tricked me into thinking their tasty food was healthy. With so many hidden calories and few fats, it was clear they wouldn’t work. Many studies have found that low-fat foods have more sugar than their regular-fat counterparts.

Life gets busy, and not everyone has the chance to exercise regularly. With such a high intake of calories, the only way to lose (or even maintain) weight is exercise.

Consulting professionals led me to the Mediterranean Diet. It consists mainly of healthy fats and vegetables, all sprinkled with enticing spices to keep things interesting.

Goodbye to all those bland salads!

Slowly, I added Mediterranean recipes into my usual diet. I knew I had to make the change a thoughtful one. I tracked how I felt, how my stomach reacted, and how hungry I got.

After a month, my entire diet was Mediterranean-based. And I was glowing. I even stopped tracking everything because I knew the diet worked. I felt energized. I felt full. But most importantly, I felt free. I wasn’t focusing on weight loss, I was focusing on me. And being me felt better than ever.

My experience inspired me to create The Mediterranean Refresh. I knew I wasn’t alone. And I know firsthand how much people can struggle with food.

So I’m here to tell you that if I can do it, you can. My book isn’t for chefs, it’s for everyone. I made my book accessible because everyone deserves to heal. And everyone deserves control over their health.

Fun Fact: Diet refers to the food eaten by an individual. It doesn’t always mean restricting!