This week on the Happy Hour podcast, Dee and I had an opportunity to chat with Cera Renee, a talented plant-based chef who built her brand by cooking for yoga and wellness retreats and by hosting personal cooking classes. I met Cera in Florida during a wellness retreat where she served as chef, and I fell in love with her – and her food. I can personally attest that she makes some of the the most flavorful dishes I’ve ever tasted, but I was equally impressed with her philosophy surrounding food.
While she (like myself!) has a plant-based diet, her philosophy is all about doing what’s right for your body. Her goal is to teach others to listen to their body’s needs and to offer tools that will help them respond to those needs without sacrificing flavor. Here are some of my major takeaways from our time with Cera:
If you don’t know where to start, learn from others
Cera said that she had always loved to cook, but she often struggled to make the most of the ingredients she had available in her home. She eventually found online tools that helped, as well as assistance from individuals in her network. For example, Cera found a website that suggests meal ideas based on what’s available in your pantry. She started working at a Vegan cafe and learned additional tools from the community she was building there. As her confidence as a chef started to grow, she began to share photos of the food she made to her Instagram account. A friend who followed her on Instagram asked her to cook for a Yoga retreat. My point is, there are so many resources available to help us on our wellness journeys, both online and within our personal networks. We can take advantage of that for the betterment of our health.
We need to be nice to our bodies
During our time with Cera, Dee and I were constantly reflecting on our personal journeys and I realized just how important it is to be intentional about our food choices. Our bodies are resilient, but if we constantly put junk into our body we do not give it the time it needs to fully heal. We have all personally seen the benefits of clean eating, such as healthier skin and better working bodies. While it can be hard to make that mental shift and let old habits die, your body will thank you in the long run.
Dieting is not one-size-fits-all
When shopping for clothes online, most women avoid buying items that say “one size fits all” and seek out clothes that are better tailored to our bodies. However, for some unknown reason, we pretend that every woman should follow the same dietary rules. Dieting is not one-size-fits-all. Depending on an individual’s allergies, health goals or simply that person’s personal tastes, that persons plate might look a lot different than my plate, and that’s OK. Personally, I tend to gravitate towards a plant based diet, it is what makes my body feel good, but what works for me might not work for you. There are guidelines that we all can follow, such as drinking more water and consuming less sugar, but at the end of the day, if you are sleeping well, shitting well and feeling well, then you are probably eating what you are supposed to be eating.
Fine Cera on social media @chefcera and follow her blog at www.cookingwithac.co. Be sure to listen here to the full podcast here:
