December 11, 2023 • 59 mins
How often do we think of food as more than just sustenance or a tool for weight loss? Embrace the opportunity to reimagine your relationship with food as we converse with the brilliant Dara Hedrick. Unravel her intriguing journey from a public school teacher to running a successful meal prep business - Dish Bliss Kitchen. Explore the power of food as a means to serve others, and how it plays a pivotal role in nurturing not just our physical but also our spiritual health.
Imagine a scenario where your diet choices aren't driven by fear-based weight loss goals but are about honoring your body as a divine gift. We gear towards this holistic approach as we dive into the long-term effects of diet choices, particularly the perils of fad diets. Dara shares her wisdom on the importance of consistency and discipline, the significance of variety in meals, and the difference between choosing merely "healthy" foods over truly nutritious ones. We also address the delicate connection between food and emotions and the indispensability of addressing underlying emotional and psychological issues.
As we proceed, we highlight the importance of body and spiritual alignment. We delve into how being physically out of shape or struggling with health issues may mirror a spiritual imbalance. We weigh in on the root causes of disordered eating and the need for self-control through emotions. The conversation wraps up with encouragement for those struggling to start their healthy eating journey and a fresh perspective on viewing food as a crucial aspect of overall well-being. So gear up for an enlightening discussion that promises to redefine your approach to food and well-being. Don't forget to tune in!
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Episode Transcript
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Dara Hedrick (00:05):
I feel like your physical can kind of show what
your spiritual is, so theyshould be in line with each
other.
There's just so much fad dietthat just oh like it makes me
sick.
You know what I always tell myclients consistency is the best
diet, discipline is the bestdiet.
It's such a beautiful place tohave freedom with food.
Aaron O'Connell (00:31):
Welcome back to the WHY to Fitness Podcast.
I'm your host, aaron O'Connell,and today I am joined with Dara
Hedrick.
How are you doing today, dara?
Dara Hedrick (00:41):
Great.
Aaron O'Connell (00:42):
Excellent, excellent.
And you are the owner andcreator of Dish Bliss Kitchen,
which is a food prep business,correct?
Yes, and this whole entirepodcast is about the importance
of meal prepping and cultivatingthe healthy mindset towards
food, with an emphasis onunderstanding the purpose of
(01:04):
food beyond weight loss, which,when we were talking, when I
first met you, you just wowed mewith your, with just your
insight on food, your wholetheory behind everything, and
that is why I have you on yourpat on this podcast.
So thank you so much forjoining with us, absolutely, I'm
excited.
So let's just first just diveinto just a little bit about you
(01:25):
and Dish Bliss Kitchen.
I understand you said you'regoing to be rebranding it in the
future, so I don't know howlong you'll stay Dish Bliss
Kitchen.
But how did this all start?
What was the inspiration behindall of it?
Dara Hedrick (01:41):
Well, it wasn't planned literally.
It was literally God.
I wanted to be a principal.
I got my master's degree.
I was on this path of wantingto be a principal.
I wanted to lead something, ownsomething I always knew.
I wanted to be some type ofleader that made an impact.
(02:05):
I've always loved children.
I've always loved justestablishing God's love
somewhere, and I really feltlike at the time it was in the
school system.
However, I graduated with amaster's degree and then COVID
hit and I was a full-timeteacher and we were remote
(02:26):
teaching.
And then, all of a sudden, myfamily was like, hey, well, at
the time, I was meal preppingfor my friends because they
couldn't go out to eat and theywanted healthy food.
And then I did it for my familyas well, and they were like,
hey, you should do a businessout of this.
I was like, no, it'll neverwork.
I just started doing itactually with my friends and
(02:49):
they started posting me andtelling people about me, and I
just never stopped meal preppingever since June of 2020.
It just never stopped and I gotto a point where I quit my
full-time teaching position oneyear later and I became a
full-time business owner.
Aaron O'Connell (03:04):
Wow.
Dara Hedrick (03:05):
And that's funny because my dad, when I was about
seven years old, was like youshould go culinary school and I
was like no dad, you don't knowwhat you're talking about, I
know what I want to do.
So I thought that was reallyfunny.
They always know best.
So here I am, a chef, not aprincipal, but I don't regret
(03:28):
going to Graspgut.
Oh, I love learning, so, ifanything, it made me a better
leader.
So I don't take it as a regretor anything, but this is the
best thing I've ever fell intomy hands and have the
responsibility to do, and itjust brings out joy to serve
people with health, becausehealth is so important.
(03:50):
It's kind of funny because Iactually had my own struggles
with health a long time ago.
Well, whatever High school,you're an athlete, you're a girl
, you're going through pubertyand you just try to figure out
your body and you have peerpressure around you.
You want to be like other girlsand they're telling you don't
eat, eat.
And then you get stuck in thiscycle, and so it's kind of funny
(04:14):
how God uses your greatest fearto become this whole business.
Aaron O'Connell (04:20):
I love it.
I love it, so that all startedin North Carolina.
Dara Hedrick (04:25):
Yes.
Aaron O'Connell (04:26):
Okay, and then it started to expand and I
understand you were serving thecommunity and you had people
underneath you, all that stuff.
Dara Hedrick (04:35):
And so I started out as a public meal prep
business and I was serving allof Charlotte, north Carolina.
It was fun.
I mean, I'm on pause right nowin North Carolina just because I
transitioned to a private mealprep business, and their reason
is because I didn't want to losethe focus on quality and I
really love the one-on-one work.
(04:56):
I think it becomes reallyspecial that way in transforming
other people's lives.
I can see them, I can talk tothem, I can have a relationship
with them, compared to as I'mjust stuck in the kitchen and
then everyone else does the workfor me and I don't really see
or meet anybody, or I just kindof.
I mean, I talked to my chefsbut I don't know, it just wasn't
(05:16):
like I wanted more.
So I kind of shiftedperspective, not that I closed
or ended anything, it just was are-evaluate my business and I
wanted to go a little deeper inmy business and make it really
(05:37):
intentional, and so helpingpeople one-on-one with their
health became truly a passionfor me.
It's not just about meal prep.
I felt like the public was morelike here's meal prep, stay
healthy and wealthy, but here, Idon't know, it's just I love it
.
Aaron O'Connell (05:57):
Yeah, it's that next level where we can
actually start taking a biblicalfoundation of nourishing our
body.
Because in 1 Corinthians 619,we are that temple and when you
are, like you said, stuck in thekitchen not seeing the people,
you can't necessarily get thatmessage out.
And, yes, you're producinggreat food, but you're not
(06:21):
really educating behind that.
It seems like you're here's,your great meals, but for all
you know, they eat one of them,or two of them, or they end up
in the back of the refrigeratorand then they get thrown out
because they kept on, you know,forgetting that they were there,
or eating the XYZ.
That was not as well.
So you weren't really helpingthem.
Because that's one thing that Irealized within personal
(06:43):
training I was changing peoplebut I wasn't really helping them
, and it almost sounds likethat's what you were almost
going through of.
You were serving people but youdidn't necessarily know if you
were truly helping them to thatlevel that made a difference.
Dara Hedrick (06:59):
It was like became surface level help.
Aaron O'Connell (07:01):
Yes.
Dara Hedrick (07:02):
I was just surfacing and, yeah, I have
social media and stuff, butthere's something about being in
someone else's kitchen and theycan smell the health, you know.
They become excited and thenthey want to watch you cook and
then they learn how to cook andit's just like I don't know it's
just there's a lot of coolthings that can happen.
Aaron O'Connell (07:19):
So you go to people's kitchens and you do it.
Dara Hedrick (07:21):
I do a few A few.
A lot of them.
I just they just want somethingquick, like they they're super
busy.
They need someone to do alltheir food, deliver all that.
So I have the best of bothworlds, you know?
Aaron O'Connell (07:34):
but yeah, no, that's fantastic Every client's
different.
Dara Hedrick (07:39):
So you know, of course, we all, we all need
different needs.
We need everything.
Aaron O'Connell (07:44):
But I also love first Corinthians 10, 31.
That says whatever you eat ordrink, whatever you do, do it
all for the glory of God.
And so many people lose that.
Dara Hedrick (07:55):
So many people.
Aaron O'Connell (07:56):
It's more of like I eat and drink to be
social.
I eat and drink to for comfort.
You know, not many people arelooking as from the glory of God
and you going into somebody'shome seems like that's what it
does.
Dara Hedrick (08:11):
Yeah, I think people miss out or they don't
believe or they don't know aboutthe Holy Spirit.
It dwells within us and it'smore than just putting foods in
our body, like the Lord, justyou know, tells us that we
should take care of our temple,and that's part of it.
Is not just about meal prepping.
My meal preps are more thanjust a food service.
(08:33):
It's a health service, mentally, physically, spiritually.
You know, I want, I want peopleto not have to stress about like
there's just so much fad diets.
I just, oh, like it makes mesick and it's like everything
has to be so like confusing,like it's annoying.
I just want people to go backto the basics of this is food
(08:56):
and it's meant to fuel you andit's meant to help you with your
day.
Like God provides all thatstuff for us and we're meant to
have responsibility over it andwe take everything to granted,
like for granted nowadays, likeeven the food and the drinks
that we have, we just there'sgluttony.
It's just like we abuseeverything, like our bodies, the
(09:19):
food, the drinks.
You know, everything is justabused and I just want to bring
peace to people honestly.
Aaron O'Connell (09:25):
And peace.
You know, because, with Y2Fitness, my main ability and
desire is to help Christiansfind inner peace over their
health and their physicalappearance.
That's what Y2 Fitness is allabout, because the opposite of
peace is stress.
Dara Hedrick (09:42):
Exactly, and that's the number one cause of
disease, by the way.
Aaron O'Connell (09:46):
You took the words right out of my mouth.
Number one thing of disease andstress is more than just the
mental stress that people talkabout.
They're like oh, I'm sostressed out, my boss.
You know that, yes, that'smental anguish correct.
But there's also other types ofstresses, like eating two
(10:07):
little calories and working outis a stress that can cause
damage, unreparable damage, andI think we're starting to see a
lot of that just starting toform now, because body building
really took off in the 1970s.
You know, let's just say maybeit was the 90s 80s that people
(10:29):
really started like possiblygoing to the gym.
You know like around there.
And now then the 2000s,especially the 2010s, and now
it's like, if you're not lifting, what are you doing?
You know, like it's the onlyway to go, and it's like you got
.
You got mothers that are doingCrossFit.
You got you got personaltrainings making personal
trainers, making 300 poundpeople jump on these boxes like
(10:52):
they're these athletes andthey're not sitting here going.
Well, wait a minute.
What is the long term effectsof this?
Yes, can it.
It may that be a little quickerin the short run?
Yeah, like these fad diets,like you were saying.
But what is the long run?
That's actually happening?
How is it affecting our bodies,our endocrine system, our
(11:14):
hormone production, everything?
In the long run, because wehave these beautiful bodies made
in God's image, with God breathin us, it's going to adapt and
it's going to give us everyopportunity to have a quality
life, to be able to serve God,to give us every chance to
glorify God with our bodies,because we're meant to be
(11:35):
stewards of our bodies we'resupposed to like I said, do it
all for the glory of God, andthat that extends into what we
put into our bodies.
Dara Hedrick (11:45):
Exactly, if we can get our minds off of ourselves
and say this is for the glory ofGod, then our perspective can
change and shift off of self andthen literally a lot of things
can change when you.
It takes practice.
It doesn't come over time, likeI mean, it doesn't come
overnight.
It takes discipline, it takesconsistency and I always tell my
clients consistency is the bestdiet, discipline is the best
(12:08):
diet.
I don't, I don't suggestanything unless there's some
type of major health issue goingon.
Yes, I do believe that thereare some necessary actions you
should take, but when it comesto just overall health,
consistency and discipline andthe weight will eventually come
(12:29):
off.
The goal should not be weightloss.
That's a fear based goal.
People Like come on.
Aaron O'Connell (12:36):
Did you listen to my podcast before this?
Dara Hedrick (12:38):
No, You've never said that before.
This is why I have you on thepodcast.
Aaron O'Connell (12:46):
You, literally you wowed my socks off.
You keep wowing my socks offevery single time we talk.
That's why you are here,because I had one of the first
podcasts I have is the numberone reason why you are not
reaching your weight loss goals,and it was all about your bed.
You have backwards facing, fearbased goals.
(13:07):
That's hilarious, that'sexactly what is Weight loss?
Is the fear of being fat?
Dara Hedrick (13:12):
It is.
It's the fear of being fat, andit actually is a lie.
It's a complete lie to make yougo spinning in cycles of diets
that aren't ever meant to healyou.
Like that's an issue.
There's a deeper root issuegoing on that you have to deal
with and bring to the Lord andsurrender, and once you
surrender that, then you'regoing to be able to see things
(13:35):
differently.
It takes practice.
Aaron O'Connell (13:38):
And, like you said, it's consistency.
And what I always say is, inorder to be consistent, in order
to find the program that's bestfor you, it needs to be fun.
Exactly, it needs to be easy.
Dara Hedrick (13:49):
Yes.
Aaron O'Connell (13:50):
Because fun and easy is consistent.
Yes, that's what everyone isdoing.
That's why they have the pizza,that's why they have all these
things is because they get tohave the fun, the comforts, the
sociality, whatever it is.
But it's also easy.
But that's why I love that youhave this meal prepping thing,
because it takes the easy partand gives it to them.
Dara Hedrick (14:12):
Yes.
Aaron O'Connell (14:14):
And really meal prepping becomes that
deliberate act of choosing foodsthat honor God and foster
well-being.
Dara Hedrick (14:23):
Exactly, exactly.
I don't do no quick fixes.
Over here.
I have all sorts of clients,all the clients who just need me
to keep their fridges stockedbecause they don't have time
Literally, if they did it, thenthey would be super stressed.
So if I can just relieve thatstress for them, then I feel
like I'm serving them.
And then I have the otherclient that wants me to be in
(14:43):
their home and teach them allthe things, and that relieves
their stress.
And it's just really cool.
I just love health.
Aaron O'Connell (14:54):
No, I can see that so much.
How do you come up with the?
Dara Hedrick (15:00):
menus.
Aaron O'Connell (15:01):
I understand that you do it for individual
clients, but there has to be.
You don't just.
Do you have a rotational menus?
Do you have a book of 100recipes that you throw darts at?
Is it what you're kind ofhungry for that week?
So therefore, you're going tocook them that.
Dara Hedrick (15:23):
It's really based on how my public meal prep in
Charlotte.
It was more rotational.
It was kind of rotational.
I had the popular foods rotateoften, but then I would always
do new ones as well.
But when I did, I sent out.
(15:45):
I called emails to clients tosee what they wanted like would
you prefer a monthly menu orweekly, or just new every single
week?
And they love the whole varietything.
They want something new everyweek and that's why I sold out
the most with other meal prepbusinesses.
So I only did like eight to 10items a week and everyone would
(16:05):
choose off of those items and itwas new every single week.
And I do that with my clientshere too.
They just seems to work andthey enjoy the exciting.
The most exciting part is themnot choosing.
They just allow me to chooseand I make it and they tend to
always like it, so I just havefun with it.
I'm having fun doing this andjust kind of creating things out
(16:28):
of my own creativity.
Aaron O'Connell (16:31):
Yeah, because it makes me want to, Because I
follow your Instagram.
I follow all that stuff andit's like oh, she's making those
tacos.
Dara Hedrick (16:37):
Oh, like you just had that blueberry parfait I
like to make turn kind of likenaughty foods to nice In a way
like Clients, like the familiar,but they want it to be healthy.
So lasagna, whatever, tacos Imean whatever you know like none
of those are bad but they canbe healthy, you know well, I
don't like the word healthy, Ilike nutritious.
(16:58):
Nutritious.
Aaron O'Connell (16:59):
Yes, because you know, Nate, what's an
unhealthy food.
Dara Hedrick (17:03):
Right.
Aaron O'Connell (17:04):
Okay, alcohol, I could give you that one.
It's about the only thing,because, even though that's not
a food that I would say isUnhealthy unless you're straight
up eating like poison, clearlythat's unhealthy like unhealthy,
as in processed foods but evenstill that if you have 95% of
the most amazing things, and youhave 5% Unprocessed foods and
(17:26):
it relieves your stress and itmakes you have joy.
Okay, so you're a big picture Iwould say you didn't eat an
unhealthy food.
You ate everything you neededto that.
Just that 5% was very lownutritious.
You know, like if you have theright amount of fiber, if you're
drinking amount the rightamount of water which we know
(17:48):
most people don't, you know thestat is 70% of people live in a
constant state of dehydration.
95% of people don't get therecommended amount of fiber.
So if you just follow those twostats right there, things aren't
moving through you.
If things aren't moving through, you don't have your
purification of your water, youdon't have the movement of your
bowels.
A Simple grape can turn intoalcohol inside inside your body.
(18:12):
You know, I could first startfermenting, cause mass damage.
And that's a grape, let aloneyou name it.
You know whatever processedfoods.
So that's where I kind of lookat it, because you know, it's
not what you put into your mouththat defiles you.
What comes from your heart,that's what hate mouse all those
things are and it's also that'swhere gluttony comes from.
(18:32):
That's where selfishness comesfrom.
If you were putting into yourmouth out of selfishness, out of
gluttony, then it can have thatdamage too much of a good thing
, isn't a good thing exactly?
But if I go eat any, any foodwhatsoever there is, I can do it
with pure joy because I havefreedom, knowing that I am
paying attention and proactively choosing what needs to
(18:55):
be done.
Dara Hedrick (18:55):
Isn't that such a amazing place to be?
Yes because I've been in thatcycle of just like not eating
for several weeks and theneating again, and then eating
everything and then not eatingagain, and Then coming to a
state of like oh, I haveself-control.
Yes you know, and actually it'slike it doesn't come overnight,
(19:18):
but it takes practice anddiscipline and the right people
in your life, like you got tohave community and you got to
talk about it.
Oh yeah you know, but it's sucha beautiful place.
I have freedom with food.
Aaron O'Connell (19:30):
Yes, I always said back when I didn't have the
freedom and because I've beenthrough every single diet.
There is, you know, exprofessional bodybuilder, all
that other type of stuff.
Well, technically I'm still aprofessional builder can't lose
the status, but Through all thatyou know going through bulimia,
going through mass bingeeating- disorder going through
(19:51):
all of it I always said I justwish I could be somewhere like
imagine a population of 300.
Everyone is over 300 pounds,All right and we all we there's
no Superficial looking around ofyou.
Dara Hedrick (20:07):
look bad, you look good, we're all just fat and
you're like the fatter you are.
Aaron O'Connell (20:11):
It's almost like medieval times, like if
you're fat, your royalty, youknow.
Imagine just a group of 300people just eating what they
want, zero cares in the worldwhatsoever, and they are just
the joy fat person from theMidwest type of thing.
Like that's where I alwayswanted to get Mentally is what I
said, and I would say that I'mgetting pretty darn close.
(20:32):
Yes, I, I think I care morethan that population would have,
but it's almost like I care somuch that I no longer care.
Yeah, it's, it's like it becameso much second nature of I'm
going to get the right amount ofprotein calories nutrients,
(20:53):
fiber, vegetables, fruits.
I'm gonna focus on that so much.
That's what I enjoy that themoment, all of a sudden, a food
does come up, mm-hmm, I can eatit with the most joy that I ever
have, exactly even though, thatbeing said, I've I've lost
desires for many foods like I.
If you're like oh, there'spizza.
(21:14):
I'm not like.
Yes, I'm like.
Dara Hedrick (21:16):
You stop depriving yourself of stuff.
Aaron O'Connell (21:18):
Yeah, I yeah, but once it's not a deprivation
More of just you just know whatmakes you feel good.
Like I'm not gonna have pizzaunless it's like something new
or I'm in New York.
Yeah or you know, it's gonnaget a real Chicago style deep
dish.
You know, whatever it may be,I'm not just gonna have because
(21:39):
you had it again in its freepizza like no, I don't care for
that.
But but also with sweets, Idon't care for sweets, I don't.
They don't bring me joy oranything.
Dara Hedrick (21:49):
But if you made something, I'm sure of it, that
I've never seen before.
Aaron O'Connell (21:53):
Never tasted before.
You're gonna peak my interestand it's gonna be delicious and
I'm gonna maybe want a secondbit, but I'm, there's gonna be
zero guilt in it right,mississippi, my goodness.
Oh yeah.
Dara Hedrick (22:07):
Like food, great again like oh it's just make
eating great again.
Yes, and healthy, yes for sure.
Aaron O'Connell (22:16):
I would love for you to speak on just a
little bit further mm-hmm on thepurpose behind food and and
just your, your overall thoughtson how people should view food
and Really anything to thatnature.
Dara Hedrick (22:36):
Like I said before , when we can't get our minds
and on, you know, our thoughtsoff of ourself, I think that we
can see food and then more clearperspective.
If you are a Christian or not,you know we should see food,
that it was here on earth andit's given to us to Basically
(22:57):
rule over right.
Everything given to us, I see,is a responsibility.
Our bodies, food, people,friendships, you steward it just
like anything else in yourlives.
So once I Started seeing thingsin a different perspective, you
(23:18):
know also getting in my wordand like Just not so obsessed
about food, like thinking aboutit all the time like oh my gosh,
I eat this and I can't eattomorrow and just stupid stuff,
you know.
And so especially having theright relationships in your life
(23:39):
, because that was a gamechanger for me, you know people
go through trauma, terriblerelationships, like myself.
You, you eat emotionally andthen you, then it becomes a
habit right and then it becomeslike you're killing yourself
literally because you hateyourself, and Then it's like you
don't realize that food isn'tthe issue.
(24:01):
Yeah there's actually things yougot to work on in your life
that you may have never workedon before, and so I did the work
.
It took me a long time.
I started in 2018, when Istarted doing the work and I
went to therapy thinking becauseI had an anorexia and bulimia
problem, but that wasn't theproblem at all.
I had a lot of issues.
I'm childhood, you know, youknow, adulthood, preteen,
(24:26):
whatever that I just never dealtwith before.
So when you can kind of Findthat like the root, of your
issue.
I think that's where you canbegin to start healing, and so
this is my experience, so that'show I needed to start and Then
kind of seeing food again, kindof like starting all over again.
(24:49):
Like with the love of food, ittakes work.
You know, at first you may needto track your mac macros.
At first you may need to dothings that just kind of
alleviate the stress and justmaybe Going to a Daniel diet or,
you know, daniel fast, likejust do it, but you're doing it
for the Lord is different whenyou're doing it for yourself,
like okay, god, I surrender mythoughts About this negative
(25:12):
perspective on food.
I know food is good for me.
Food is Like.
You know, I don't want to lookat food as bad, like I used to,
and so you have to go back to Ifyou did have issues with food,
like you got to go back toconnect the dots there, and then
if you don't have any issueswith food I don't know, maybe a
lot of people do- I don't thinkthere's many people that don't
(25:32):
know it's sad, and if it's not,even with their food, it's it's
their body image.
Aaron O'Connell (25:39):
Yeah, it's body image, it's which they go hand
in hand.
And you, you said somethingthat's just so important that
you're like hey, you're anorexicand, believe me, you know you
didn't have a problem with that.
There was much dea rootedIssues and that's also why I I'm
doing what I'm doing, why Ihave my masters and pastoral
counseling.
I'm getting my PhD andcounseling and in psychology.
(26:01):
Right and the whole theorybehind why?
To fitness, like I said, isbring peace over their physical
health and image.
Dara Hedrick (26:08):
Right.
Aaron O'Connell (26:09):
I do that from a counseling basis.
First.
I guess I'm a health coach.
Yes, I give diet information.
Dara Hedrick (26:17):
Yes, I did.
Aaron O'Connell (26:18):
But it's like the first thing I do is I turn a
mirror on you.
I you need to be aware ofwhat's going on Exactly.
So I usually do about like twodifferent sessions within a week
.
One is mostly focusing on thephysical, the eating, the what
are you doing?
Just focus on the activity,whatever it is self awareness
yes.
Then the second one is more oflike that counseling kind of
(26:42):
kind of looking into your past,rich, trying to figure out that
root cause right.
And I marry them together and Ifound that's the most effective
way, because that's why it'scalled why to fitness?
What is your why to fitness?
And most people have thatfaulty why it's to be enough to
not be fat for your yeah,exactly.
(27:03):
All of these negative things.
Dara Hedrick (27:05):
instead, it's like look at athletes, you don't see
let's just say literally, wecan talk about this 300.
Aaron O'Connell (27:12):
Yeah, we can get a 340 pound lineman needs to
lose weight.
Okay, because he's fat and he'snot moving.
His goal isn't to lose weight.
His goal is to move aroundefficiently for his knees to
stop hurting to perform.
A byproduct of that is to loseweight.
Dara Hedrick (27:33):
Exactly that's weight loss always comes.
Aaron O'Connell (27:36):
Yes.
Dara Hedrick (27:37):
If you, I mean there's, there's science to food
too.
You know, like I also have mysports nutrition certification,
so I do help a lot of athletes.
You know weight loss and or youknow weight gain, or, but it's
not about again, those aren'tour goals, though it's it's.
What is your goals?
Okay, I need to win thischampionship.
Aaron O'Connell (27:58):
Yeah.
Dara Hedrick (27:59):
Okay, so that's the goal.
So we're going to get you thereand we're going to work on like
feeding you consistently soyou're fueled and so then your
weight can drop off so easilywhen it's, you know, go time.
But again, every person isdifferent and has different
goals, if we are an athlete ornot.
But I absolutely agree.
Aaron O'Connell (28:20):
Yeah.
Dara Hedrick (28:21):
And athletes don't look at it.
Athletes don't look at food.
Like to lose weight.
No, they it's like they havethe freedom to tool.
It's a tool.
Yeah they understand that theyneed for the fuel.
Aaron O'Connell (28:32):
Yeah, michael felt, yeah, eating what 11,000,
11,000 calories, whatever was,because he was swimming six
seven, eight hours a day.
Go try to swim eight hours aday without eating that much.
He was still a string bean.
Dara Hedrick (28:43):
Yeah you know, powerful People just don't want
to do the work.
Aaron O'Connell (28:47):
They don't.
Dara Hedrick (28:48):
They want quality without paying for it.
Aaron O'Connell (28:51):
Yeah, they don't want to do the work and
they also, from what I've seen,is they like to play the blame
game.
Dara Hedrick (28:56):
Yes, absolutely.
Aaron O'Connell (28:57):
Saying like oh, it's just my genetics.
Dara Hedrick (29:00):
I hate that.
Aaron O'Connell (29:01):
It's the worst thing.
It's like no, your mom ate thesame foods that you're eating,
and you're still eating thosesame foods.
You'll see it, You'll see fatdad, fat mom, fat sister skinny
brother.
Dara Hedrick (29:13):
What's the?
Aaron O'Connell (29:14):
skinny brother doing.
He's doing sports.
Dara Hedrick (29:15):
Yeah, he's, he's drinking protein shakes.
Aaron O'Connell (29:18):
He's doing all these other things.
It's like your genetics mayload the gun, but your habits
pull the trigger.
Dara Hedrick (29:23):
I always ask my clients like are you active,
like I have a littlequestionnaire before.
I think we're a great fit and Iask them to kind of track their
food.
You know the first day or two,and then I want to make sure how
active they are so that I knowwhat to feed them.
Yes so if you're not active.
I'm not going to give you ahigh carb diet you know like,
but I do try to encourage themto be active because that's the
(29:46):
number one thing to maintain Abody emotions stays emotional.
Aaron O'Connell (29:50):
Yes, exactly yeah.
And and activity isn't goingfrom crawling to sprinting.
So many people go from desk jobdoing nothing.
Last time, like you go, askthem to walk around their block
and they go.
You know heart rates in the130s 40s just from this low
(30:12):
paced walk and they think theyneed to go to the gym or join,
join orange theory or CrossFit,or get a personal trainer, which
all they're going to do is tryto beat the crap out of you
because they're.
They're all about speed.
They're not thinking about it.
Dara Hedrick (30:28):
But that's why.
Aaron O'Connell (30:29):
I love about Romans 12.
One is offer your body as aliving sacrifice, and that's
where you even said somethingyou're like hey, maybe you do
need to track your macros, oryour food at least.
And that's what that's what Ihave, because so many people.
Dara Hedrick (30:45):
I first thing.
Aaron O'Connell (30:46):
I asked I'm like, so how do you eat?
And most people, when they wantto work with me, care that's
why they're trying to work withme.
So they're like oh, I eatrelatively healthy.
I eat healthy.
I'm like, okay, and they, they,they like to label off one day.
Well, normally for breakfast Ihave this and this.
It's like it's like thispicture perfect day.
Dara Hedrick (31:07):
And usually.
Aaron O'Connell (31:07):
I'm like that sounds like you're only 8900
calories, but even still theypicked this.
They paint this perfect picture, but that's only on the perfect
day.
There's so many days they wakeup late, there's so many days
that they ate this because theythe coworker brought donuts.
And there's so many times wherethey're not talking about the
weekends, when they strugglebecause no one wants to admit
(31:28):
that.
And the first thing that Ialways have them do is log that
food and get used to it and I'mlike hey, it's you offering your
body as a living sacrifice.
Look at is when you're prayingto God.
Dear Lord, thank you so muchfor this food.
Bless it to my needs.
Well, what is it that you areblessing and what are your needs
?
You know, let's pay attentionto that, but before that, tell
(31:51):
me what you're doing.
And everyone that startslogging it usually goes.
I had no idea what I'm actuallyeating.
This was so convicting.
Dara Hedrick (32:00):
People need a visual.
I think, like I don't.
Really, they aren't aware ofthemselves, yep.
Aaron O'Connell (32:07):
And they look at themselves in the mirror,
like James says, and theyinstantly forget what they look
like when they walk away.
Yeah, yeah, that's, andunfortunately they're glancing
into that law.
They think they're doing it,but then they walk away.
That's and that's where youknow.
They hire the personal trainer,like, oh well, I did my one
good thing, check, and then theygo do everything wrong.
Dara Hedrick (32:28):
But they want to hire because they don't want to
do it themselves.
So they think like Okay, I'mgonna get a personal trainer and
I'm gonna get a private chef todo it for them.
But I'm sorry, I'm not gonna.
I don't really like to work withpeople like that.
One, two or I can teach themand see you know how it goes,
but like you gotta work foryourself, it's not gonna be my
(32:49):
fault if you messed up Exactly,I will accept those type of
people will do that, and thenthey keep buying the food.
Aaron O'Connell (32:56):
Yeah, they're eating something completely
different, because they knowthat if they cancel it, that's
them emitting defeat.
Dara Hedrick (33:03):
Exactly.
Aaron O'Connell (33:05):
Have you ever fired a client?
Dara Hedrick (33:08):
Yes, well, it was.
It was.
I've, like I said, you know,business is like trial and error
, so you learn how to firenicely.
I mean, I fired I don't reallyfire clients.
They just kind of I never had.
(33:30):
Actually, you know, my biggestthing is to have great
relationship with my clients.
Like that is my big, that'slike my number one thing, okay,
relationship with clients.
I've actually never had like tofire a client.
I have had clients though likejust not know anything about
food and they don't understandthat like a difference between a
(33:52):
steak and a pizza tuna, andthey think they get tuna when
it's really like medium raresteak, and then they just stop
working with me because theydon't think I know what I'm
doing.
I've I literally had a clientlike that, but I've never had.
Aaron O'Connell (34:04):
Okay.
Dara Hedrick (34:05):
I've never had a terrible time with that's good
Client.
Aaron O'Connell (34:10):
I guess that really does come down to
choosing beforehand Exactly.
Dara Hedrick (34:16):
I do care about who I work with.
You know I want to serveeverybody, but I can't.
Aaron O'Connell (34:23):
But so do you have plans to go and back to
serving the public?
Dara Hedrick (34:29):
Maybe, Maybe, I don't know yet, like, like.
Like you said, I am rebranding.
I am still figuring out what todo with Charlotte location, but
I, like I said, I really lovethe private and if people like,
if I have a nice community,they're like, dare I, you need
to get a storefront by the sea,then sure, if this is like a
(34:53):
blessing, it's like I know it'sthe right time to do it.
I don't think right time.
right now is not the right timeto do it, but if later on I've
always kind of envisioned myselfwith like a dish was by the sea
or something, type yeah likewe'll see, but I also just
really love being in people'shomes and not having a
storefront?
I don't know.
Aaron O'Connell (35:13):
So so I would.
What would you say?
The you said it would be coolto have that storefront, but if
you are always being so personalwith clients clearly that
affects scalability.
Dara Hedrick (35:25):
Yeah, that's why I call Charlotte.
Aaron O'Connell (35:29):
But it's like, is the goal really to be
scalable or what?
What is you know?
Because clearly it's not justto make money.
So it's make true impact onpeople's lives.
Dara Hedrick (35:43):
I do like see, maybe I don't think I would be
running it like I would manageit, of course, but I wouldn't be
the one there every single day.
I would have to have a trusteegroup of a lovely team to help
me but.
I don't know.
I honestly I don't know yet.
Aaron O'Connell (36:02):
So like have, so have maybe, like, have you be
doing the still educationalside, the the meeting with
clients that do a little bitmore and pay you that little bit
more for the additionalservices that you're obviously
providing?
But then have that storefront,have that.
Dara Hedrick (36:18):
Yeah.
Aaron O'Connell (36:19):
That quick serve thing and be that's the
fuel to be able to, then, youknow, because then you can take
those profits and pour it intoyour church pour it into this.
Dara Hedrick (36:29):
Exactly X Y Z oh yeah, I could see that I have
vision for both.
I still would.
I will always keep private Um.
It'll always be an option.
Aaron O'Connell (36:37):
Yeah.
Dara Hedrick (36:38):
But the public.
I mean we'll see Excellent.
Yeah, we'll see.
I'd like to shift gears.
Aaron O'Connell (36:43):
No, I'm sorry, I'd like to shift gears just a
little bit and really talk abouthow to stay in tune with your
body.
Can you speak to that just alittle?
Bit of like how to stay in tunewith your body, because our
bodies are fearfully andwonderfully made and they have
(37:04):
telltale signs of whensomething's off, when you are
needing something, and I knowyou've talked about this before
so.
I'd love to have our listenershere.
Dara Hedrick (37:15):
Yeah.
So, again, getting in tune withyour body takes work.
It takes you again, like Imentioned, um figuring out the
root causes of maybe some typeof disordered eating.
Um, you're learning to haveself control through your
emotions.
You're um physically, mentally,spiritually balanced?
(37:38):
Um, because I believe they allwork together and if you're, I
feel like you're physical, cankind of show what your spiritual
is.
So they should be in line witheach other.
Yes, so if you're maybe out ofshape or you're struggling, and
maybe you may not look out ofshape, but maybe, um, I don't
know, you're struggling withsomething physically, it kind of
(38:00):
is because your spiritual islacking, something, typically,
and your mental you know, sowe're gonna get mad at that.
I know Whatever, but it's thetruth.
Aaron O'Connell (38:13):
It really is.
Dara Hedrick (38:14):
Once you.
If you don't believe it, fine,try it, if you're just not gonna
hurt you, you know.
Yes, but you have to be in tunewith your body, but also be in
tune with your spirit.
Also be in tune.
The temple I mean we are thetemple.
We carry the Holy Spirit.
That's what I believe and wewere tuned with the Holy Spirit.
You're gonna realize you're notthinking about all the the
(38:38):
thing the world is wanting us tobelieve about ourselves, and so
when my mind is focused on whatGod has called me to do with my
life, not like Like the stupidworldly things, like, oh, my
goal in life is to be skinny.
The goal in life is to you know, these, just these goals that
(39:02):
don't make it.
Aaron O'Connell (39:02):
It's just God has the results and the goals
figured out.
Dara Hedrick (39:09):
We just need to be obedient.
Aaron O'Connell (39:12):
He's gonna have us reach goals that we never,
never fathomed it's discipline,obedience, it's consistency, and
then leaving everything else tothe Lord and I love it, I'll
even say it I'll be the firstone to say, like, if you're
overweight and you know clearlywhen I say overweight,
completely unhealthy, you andit's not even the weight, it's,
(39:35):
it's it's the unactive.
It's the unhealthy, it's theyou know.
You know when you're beingunhealthy Like I'm, the first
one to say it.
Dara Hedrick (39:44):
Mm-hmm.
Aaron O'Connell (39:45):
You are lacking something spiritually, because
we need to do, like we said, allthings for the glory of God,
and you need to be ready andcapable for anything he's gonna
throw your way exactly I mean.
Dara Hedrick (39:58):
I always say health is wealth because if you
can't, you know if you'll sayyou're an entrepreneur and
athlete.
There is no way you're gonna besuccessful if you're an
unhealthy human.
Aaron O'Connell (40:09):
Even your food dictate your mind or a
professional athlete and you do.
Dara Hedrick (40:14):
I mean you made it whatever financially, but as I
mean you made it likespiritually, I mean you're
lacking.
Still, that's not really thetrue goal here.
Like, what are you gonna do?
Bring all that stuff to heaven?
I don't think so like.
None of that goes to heaven.
The only things that come toheaven are people.
Yes, it's a stewarding yourrelationships and your life,
stewarding yourself.
(40:34):
You go to have, like you knowyou, you can help yourself this
lifetime, like stay healthy, bethere for your children, be
there for your family, likethose are the things that matter
.
Aaron O'Connell (40:45):
Yes, you know, yes, for sure.
Also, I what I love about foodprepping as well and just
Logging food, just everythingthat you're doing is.
It allows you to really get intune with your body, because so
many people have no clue whatthey're eating, don't know what
they're getting, and whensomething bad happens they need
(41:06):
to find someone to blame.
If they are, if they get sick,they instantly find little
Johnny that have the cold andthey point at little Johnny and
say it's your fault.
Or they're like I'm gonna, I'mgonna make sure I don't get
around anyone, don't, don't letmy baby around anyone, because I
can't let them be sick.
Dara Hedrick (41:21):
It's like living out of fear, living completely
out of fear.
But it's.
Aaron O'Connell (41:26):
That's what God wants us to look at.
The first sin in the garden,satan creeps up and has a
serpent.
Okay, eve eats the fruit.
Adam eats the fruit.
God then does the firstcounseling session when are you?
He already knew where they were, already knew what they did,
and he goes but wanted to getdown to their level and say I'm
(41:46):
looking out for you.
I already know you failed.
I'm still gonna ask out to youand say where are you and allow
you to answer.
And what did they do?
They said they started blamegaming.
Eve was like it was the snake'sfault, yeah, adam's, like it
was Eve's fault.
No one wanted to takeresponsibility and Because of
that we then fall.
(42:07):
All in all, we just keep movingforward, but everyone's not
wind of take responsibilities.
So I so many people are justlike oh, you know, I'm just
gonna Blame my.
I had somebody on the podcastthat they were like they had
autoimmune disorder and thesethings, and they wanted to be
like oh, cut out all gluten, cutout all this, all these things,
(42:29):
start playing them.
That's what the doctor told herto do, and so she started doing
that.
It just was miserable, but sheknew that it was just from the
stress.
It was just a major amounts ofstress, all the crappy up and
down, yo-yo diets, all thosethings.
And that's what stress can do,that's what over you know,
immunization, constantlydesanitizing to, constantly
getting vaccines, can playaround with all that stuff.
(42:51):
But then they need to findsomething to blame because it's
not what I've already done.
I need to find some otherculprit.
But when you start foodprepping and you start
understanding your food,understanding what you're
putting in your mouth andKnowing it, you then are gonna
have a control.
Let's go back to science.
We need to have the controlgroup.
(43:11):
Mm-hmm, if you can't have acontrol group, if you have no
clue what amount of caloriesyou're eating, what your foods
are, chipotle on this day, thison that day, eating a little bit
of that, little bit of that oh,got sad.
Eat this, do this.
But if you can just have enoughself-control, get a menu of
foods and eat those foodsexactly and then from there you
(43:32):
go.
Well, now I feel better.
Now I feel worse.
Dara Hedrick (43:34):
It's okay to take one step at a time.
It's okay, like I said, it'sokay to track your macros.
I believe in all I believeCalorie macros like do the do
what you gotta do, but you don'tstick in that you know forever.
Don't think it's gonna heal you, because it's not.
Aaron O'Connell (43:49):
Well, I like to look at it as like it's your
education.
Once you've logged your foodfor six months, you already know
that that piece of chickenbreast is around and even
weighing food for sure.
I may.
If you look at it, you do.
You know what a cup is.
Go look at it.
You know what about a cup is.
Now you don't need to ever doit again, just eyeball it.
(44:10):
If you're always under doing it, then you're.
That's a new status quo controlgroup all over again.
But you know the foods you'reeating.
Eventually, six months later,you know that, oh, banana, 115,
120 calories or so you know it'sgonna have right around.
You know about 23 carbs.
You're gonna know these things.
Dara Hedrick (44:32):
Yeah, but just just.
Aaron O'Connell (44:34):
Yes because you said off our bodies living such
holy employees got theirspiritual.
I don't copy patterns of thisworld, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind.
Then you can test and approvewhat God's will is for your life
.
It's perfect will and whatthat's our transforming of our
mind.
Time, Don't get like latched onto it.
You can get free from it but,it's just Understanding those
(44:55):
things.
And when you can have hiresomebody like yourself that
gives you that menu of food,that knows the macros behind it,
that's what you're eating, youthen can say, wow, I'm feeling
good, I'm feeling bad.
Whoa, my sinuses are clearingup.
Dara Hedrick (45:11):
Whoa, I no longer have brain fog crazy people are
shocked like, oh wow, this ishealthy.
Yeah like I feel great and I'mlike and.
Aaron O'Connell (45:19):
But you can go back and track it, know what
it's all about and then, fromthere, make your little
adjustments.
Well, what happens now that Ihave my control, if I start
eating this piece of candy everysingle day?
You start doing it.
You're like nothing happened.
Whoa, okay, maybe this isn'tthat bad.
Yeah, now you found a diet thatyou can have a Kit Kat every
(45:42):
single day.
Dara Hedrick (45:42):
Yeah, I mean, it's like with me is spiritual to
you know.
It's like, once we can Bedisciplined in something, let's
say reading your Bible everysingle day you want to find it
naturally easier to beconsistent in what you put in
your body as well, and thenyou're gonna not want certain
things anymore.
Aaron O'Connell (46:03):
Yes, you know, yep, and when you have that
basis of control, you'll be ableto interpret those signs, just
like we can interpret God'sguidance in our lives.
When you start diving deeperand deeper Into the Bible.
You can interpret the signalsof our bodies because when, all
of a sudden, when I know I'mfeeling fatigued, it's like, oh,
it's because I know I haven'tbeen eating as many carbs.
(46:25):
I know I've been working outjust that little bit harder.
Dara Hedrick (46:28):
You know those little things like in choosing
what to feel yourself withinstead of like a candy bar.
Aaron O'Connell (46:35):
Yes, like.
Dara Hedrick (46:37):
Knowing.
Okay, I should probably haveoatmeal or you know something
that's nutritious.
Aaron O'Connell (46:43):
Yes.
Dara Hedrick (46:44):
So that's powerful , it's empowering.
Knowing like nutrition, yes yes, most people do not want that.
Aaron O'Connell (46:51):
They don't want to take.
Dara Hedrick (46:52):
They don't want to , they don't care too much.
They should care, yeah, becauseit's sweet food every single
day.
Aaron O'Connell (46:59):
Mm-hmm, and, and we become what we eat.
We literally do our cells turnover every single seven years.
That's why most people's lifecycles are in a like seven year
type of type of things how, whenit gets really bad, really bad,
you know, or even better,because every cell turns over
every seven years, other thanthe ones in your cerebral cortex
.
Yeah, because if those did, youchange personalities every
(47:21):
seven years.
Dara Hedrick (47:22):
You want to regret paying for everything in the
future with all of your healthissues.
Aaron O'Connell (47:26):
Then investing yourself now with all the
healthy, quality foods trust me,mm-hmm, trust me, but most
people those people don'tbelieve it.
Dara Hedrick (47:36):
Where?
Aaron O'Connell (47:36):
would you?
Where would you recommendMm-hmm?
If someone, let's just say theycan't afford you, they, they,
or they live in Washington orBrazil, or they don't have
access to you.
Dara Hedrick (47:52):
Yeah.
Aaron O'Connell (47:53):
They and they don't have a meal delivery
service either accessible tothem, maybe, which I would argue
that there's a lot internet.
Yeah, you know domestic, youknow, in the USA at least but
let's just say somebody'sstarting to want to embark on a
journey of meal prepping theirown food.
Yeah, where would you recommendthat they start?
(48:15):
How would you?
How would you get that journey?
How would you guide them?
Dara Hedrick (48:22):
Well, first, I do have, if they want to talk to me
, I do have appointments on mywebsite where we can have a
conversation about your goals.
I just kind of want to get anidea of what your goals are like
.
I want to hear you speak, I wantto hear where your mind is at
why you feel the way that you doand then if I can help you,
(48:43):
like I want to help everybody, Ireally do, like it's even if
it's just I do offer Likenutrition counseling as well on
my website if they need helpwith that, that's you know.
I obviously can't Send food tothem, like I would love to maybe
one day again, but I wouldprobably look up certain Places
(49:05):
in their area, depending wherethey live, and help them find
maybe a chef that they canafford and.
I just want to.
I would help them that way,like you know, help them
mentally, emotionally.
I think that's, and then thephysical comes.
You know, really, its firststep is emotional and what if?
Aaron O'Connell (49:23):
what if somebody was like you know what?
I just want to start cooking.
Dara Hedrick (49:27):
I don't know Great answer.
Aaron O'Connell (49:30):
But I want to start cooking.
I want to start meal preppingmy own foods.
I want to go to the grocerystore.
I want to learn it myself.
You know, where would you whatwould?
What would your advice be tothem if they were listening
right now.
They're not gonna contact youtoo scared.
They're not.
They're not action peoplethey're.
They're not gonna read, theydon't they're.
They're very introverted.
(49:51):
They, you know, they don't wantto talk to anyone.
Admit they have a problem.
They're living in fear,whatever it is, but they want to
start okay.
Where, where would you guidethem?
What would, what would you youradvice?
Be?
Dara Hedrick (50:05):
so, because I have my advice, but people hear me
all the time.
I would love to hear what yousay so they want to meal prep
their own right?
Yeah, they're just starting out.
Aaron O'Connell (50:13):
They don't know what to buy to end the
groceries they're eating.
They're eating out like everysingle day.
Dara Hedrick (50:18):
They don't know like healthy.
Aaron O'Connell (50:21):
Nothing, they, yeah, they don't.
Dara Hedrick (50:25):
They really don't.
Aaron O'Connell (50:27):
Yeah, where would you have them start?
I?
Dara Hedrick (50:29):
think that's one of my downfalls is that I think
people should know certainthings and I'm like wait, I need
to be more detailed.
Aaron O'Connell (50:37):
People really don't understand.
They're like wait a minute.
Yeah, wait, fruits, a carb.
Dara Hedrick (50:42):
I didn't ask you to buy dried fruit in the adult
day.
I meant like real fruit.
Aaron O'Connell (50:48):
Like fresh, but but people don't even
understand.
Dara Hedrick (50:50):
Like wait, fruits are carbs.
Oh well, yeah vegetables arecarbs.
Aaron O'Connell (50:54):
I thought carbs were bad.
How can fruits and vegetablesbe Carbs?
There are, carbs are bad.
You're talking to that person,so where would you just guide
them to start?
Dara Hedrick (51:09):
Um, get your mind off of food at the moment.
Okay, like, let's not focus onthe food right now.
Like I would rather you likesit with yourself and I Would
like for you to pray about itHonestly, just pray about it and
see what the Lord says.
Okay just sit in silence likeshut up your mind.
(51:33):
Let the Lord speak to you.
Whether you're a prayer or not,try it.
Just sit there and try to thinkabout what would how could I
take care of my body better?
Like think about what am Igoing through?
Is there anything that I needto work on outside of the food
(51:54):
prop?
like food is just a byproduct ofsomething right.
So think about that and thenmake a list.
Make a.
Make a list of foods you wantto eat, foods that you do eat.
What do you already know aboutnutritious food?
Keep it simple, don't overwhelmyourself.
If you only know about broccoliand fish and rice, start there
(52:18):
and then, every week maybe takea day to to look up new
nutritious foods you know, andthen that's the next step.
Yes, I always say to start withyour protein intake.
Don't worry about the carbs andthe fats at the moment.
Just at least have your proteinevery single meal.
Yes, and make sure that's there.
And then just just work on notstressing about it.
I don't overwhelm your, yourmind with it.
(52:42):
So just take time before youeat, give you know, say you're
you know, be grateful for thefood and be grateful that you
can go and get the food and buyit.
Because we're blessed inAmerica and people don't realize
it.
We have all this food.
We have all this food around us.
Yes, we should be thankful.
(53:03):
There's no stress in that.
Aaron O'Connell (53:05):
I'm over here laughing because your voice
right now.
I'm just like imagining thisguided meditation right now.
That is exactly how it was.
I'm like I'm getting relaxedright now just by her voice and
what she's saying.
I just like yes, yes, I wanther to say start with protein,
(53:29):
but she's saying all the rightthings beforehand, because it's
true, if you search Googlebefore you search God's word,
your, your priorities, arebackwards.
Dara Hedrick (53:37):
It's so bad it shouldn't start with.
Okay, what's like best diet tolose weight?
No, don't start there.
I love it.
You take your, take timesyourself, go for a walk.
Aaron O'Connell (53:46):
I say go for a walk and pray like literally I
love it and then, and thenfigure out trust in the Lord
with all your heart.
Lean not on your ownunderstanding or Google's yeah,
all your ways.
Submit to him and he will makeyour path straight.
He will show you what to,because just that simple act of
praying- yes, yes that simpleact of praying, searching the
(54:09):
Bible will turn you from Googlesearch.
Can you please give me a diet tolose weight quick?
And?
And?
If you search the word and pray, it will then turn into Google
search.
You know how can I be morehealthy?
Because, because God will layyou into that different way of
(54:29):
searching things, looking for adifferent answer.
That is actually the trueanswer.
You know, like you were saying,don't start, don't start with
just protein.
Don't get me wrong.
That was.
What my question was waitingfor was start with protein.
If you surround every meal withprotein, you're so much more is
gonna happen.
Dara Hedrick (54:48):
It keeps you, are you know it, keeps it, keeps you
balanced it keeps you fueled,it keeps you full all those
things.
Aaron O'Connell (54:54):
That's what I was looking for, but the way you
even said it, and the thingsbeforehand are so important
because how you do what you'redoing is better than what you
are doing exactly like you cango find.
You can always find a better Wayto do something.
Trust me, there's a millionways to skin the cat, and
there's a new technique outthere that might make your body
(55:16):
get confused a little bit andshow Some signs of benefit, but
then, if it's causing stress inyour mind, it's gonna then
actually be worse off.
But then you try another way.
We're constantly testing thingsout but, how you currently are
doing.
Dara Hedrick (55:29):
What you're doing makes so much more of a
difference right and focus onthe present, like, yes, don't
think about the future right nowin your Way to lost goals.
You know it's all gonna come ifyou're consistent and have the
discipline.
I thought it was kind ofinteresting how Eve was tempted
(55:50):
with food, the fruit, and youknow, as you know, satan loves
quick fixes.
He wants to Make you believethat there's something better
than it was the long term.
Was pleasing to the eye exactly.
Yeah, and so that's exactly whathappened in the garden exactly
(56:11):
it looks like it was.
Aaron O'Connell (56:12):
It was pleasing to that and was good.
Dara Hedrick (56:15):
Satisfying.
Aaron O'Connell (56:17):
Instantaneous is always the enemy of what
exactly?
Dara Hedrick (56:20):
what God wants for us.
Aaron O'Connell (56:22):
That's because God has that upside down kingdom
.
Yeah, you know, the world says,get it, and it's all yours, get
it now.
Yeah and it's like.
No, the things that trulymatter are the things that you
can Invest in small little bitsat a time, so then you can make
that big withdrawal because ithad compound interest at the end
.
Exactly, exactly, yeah,excellent so what type of advice
(56:45):
, because this is we can wrap upnow.
I usually like keeping thesethings around.
This time for our listeners,because listeners lose Focus
after about an hour, especiallyif they're not eating correctly
yeah, which most people don't.
Just last words for ourlisteners.
What would you love for them tojust be departing with?
(57:07):
I?
Dara Hedrick (57:09):
Hope you see food in a different light.
It's More than just physical,it's spiritual and it's mental
and they're all connected and Iwould just hope you see it in a
different way.
You know just it.
Maybe you don't understand whyI think this way, but I hope
it's a seed planted and youstart to become more aware of
(57:36):
your own life, like you're meantto thrive, and food will help
you thrive, survive, like allthese great things.
Think about food in a differentway.
Yeah, I just, I just reallybelieve that you need to work on
your mental and emotional andphysical.
They're all intertwined and andonce you have that, you know
(57:58):
we're never gonna be perfect,you know, but once you can have
a consistent living on makingsure your spiritual, mental and
your emotional and physical areall like filled, that means not
just eating, but like doinghobbies that you love, being
around people that you lovebeing around, being around your
family, play your sports,whatever make, have things
(58:23):
fulfill you that give you life,because Nobody wants a poor
virgin of you, honestly.
So let's be the best version ofourselves, and one way is to
feed your body properly.
Aaron O'Connell (58:39):
Excellent.
Where can people find you?
How can people get in contactwith you?
Dara Hedrick (58:45):
Instagram my website dish bliss kitchen comm.
Again I'm rebranding, but rightnow it's still dish bliss
kitchen comm.
Aaron O'Connell (58:57):
Yeah.
Dara Hedrick (59:00):
This was kitchen for Instagram.
Aaron O'Connell (59:03):
This was kitchen comm.
Dara Hedrick (59:04):
Yeah, I'm very personable, so if you want to
reach out, I'm, I'm, I willalways respond.
I Love to help, I truly love tohelp.
I'm not just a food service onmy health service.
Love it, yeah.
Aaron O'Connell (59:17):
Well, thank you so much for being on this
podcast.
It was.
It was a pleasure, and I reallydo hope that people reach out
and just take, just take whatyou said and what we were
talking about to heart to beable to live Life to the fullest
, because that's what God wants.
So they can have more peace.
So they can then, in turn, bethe best versions of themselves,
(59:39):
to be able to Carry out thepurpose that God designed them
for.
So we're here for yeah, well,again, thank you so much.
Dara Hedrick (59:49):
Thank you, of course, I sure.
I feel like your physical can kind of show what
your spiritual is, so theyshould be in line with each
other.
There's just so much fad dietthat just oh like it makes me
sick.
You know what I always tell myclients consistency is the best
diet, discipline is the bestdiet.
It's such a beautiful place tohave freedom with food.
Aaron O'Connell (00:31):
Welcome back to the WHY to Fitness Podcast.
I'm your host, aaron O'Connell,and today I am joined with Dara
Hedrick.
How are you doing today, dara?
Dara Hedrick (00:41):
Great.
Aaron O'Connell (00:42):
Excellent, excellent.
And you are the owner andcreator of Dish Bliss Kitchen,
which is a food prep business,correct?
Yes, and this whole entirepodcast is about the importance
of meal prepping and cultivatingthe healthy mindset towards
food, with an emphasis onunderstanding the purpose of
(01:04):
food beyond weight loss, which,when we were talking, when I
first met you, you just wowed mewith your, with just your
insight on food, your wholetheory behind everything, and
that is why I have you on yourpat on this podcast.
So thank you so much forjoining with us, absolutely, I'm
excited.
So let's just first just diveinto just a little bit about you
(01:25):
and Dish Bliss Kitchen.
I understand you said you'regoing to be rebranding it in the
future, so I don't know howlong you'll stay Dish Bliss
Kitchen.
But how did this all start?
What was the inspiration behindall of it?
Dara Hedrick (01:41):
Well, it wasn't planned literally.
It was literally God.
I wanted to be a principal.
I got my master's degree.
I was on this path of wantingto be a principal.
I wanted to lead something, ownsomething I always knew.
I wanted to be some type ofleader that made an impact.
(02:05):
I've always loved children.
I've always loved justestablishing God's love
somewhere, and I really feltlike at the time it was in the
school system.
However, I graduated with amaster's degree and then COVID
hit and I was a full-timeteacher and we were remote
(02:26):
teaching.
And then, all of a sudden, myfamily was like, hey, well, at
the time, I was meal preppingfor my friends because they
couldn't go out to eat and theywanted healthy food.
And then I did it for my familyas well, and they were like,
hey, you should do a businessout of this.
I was like, no, it'll neverwork.
I just started doing itactually with my friends and
(02:49):
they started posting me andtelling people about me, and I
just never stopped meal preppingever since June of 2020.
It just never stopped and I gotto a point where I quit my
full-time teaching position oneyear later and I became a
full-time business owner.
Aaron O'Connell (03:04):
Wow.
Dara Hedrick (03:05):
And that's funny because my dad, when I was about
seven years old, was like youshould go culinary school and I
was like no dad, you don't knowwhat you're talking about, I
know what I want to do.
So I thought that was reallyfunny.
They always know best.
So here I am, a chef, not aprincipal, but I don't regret
(03:28):
going to Graspgut.
Oh, I love learning, so, ifanything, it made me a better
leader.
So I don't take it as a regretor anything, but this is the
best thing I've ever fell intomy hands and have the
responsibility to do, and itjust brings out joy to serve
people with health, becausehealth is so important.
(03:50):
It's kind of funny because Iactually had my own struggles
with health a long time ago.
Well, whatever High school,you're an athlete, you're a girl
, you're going through pubertyand you just try to figure out
your body and you have peerpressure around you.
You want to be like other girlsand they're telling you don't
eat, eat.
And then you get stuck in thiscycle, and so it's kind of funny
(04:14):
how God uses your greatest fearto become this whole business.
Aaron O'Connell (04:20):
I love it.
I love it, so that all startedin North Carolina.
Dara Hedrick (04:25):
Yes.
Aaron O'Connell (04:26):
Okay, and then it started to expand and I
understand you were serving thecommunity and you had people
underneath you, all that stuff.
Dara Hedrick (04:35):
And so I started out as a public meal prep
business and I was serving allof Charlotte, north Carolina.
It was fun.
I mean, I'm on pause right nowin North Carolina just because I
transitioned to a private mealprep business, and their reason
is because I didn't want to losethe focus on quality and I
really love the one-on-one work.
(04:56):
I think it becomes reallyspecial that way in transforming
other people's lives.
I can see them, I can talk tothem, I can have a relationship
with them, compared to as I'mjust stuck in the kitchen and
then everyone else does the workfor me and I don't really see
or meet anybody, or I just kindof.
I mean, I talked to my chefsbut I don't know, it just wasn't
(05:16):
like I wanted more.
So I kind of shiftedperspective, not that I closed
or ended anything, it just was are-evaluate my business and I
wanted to go a little deeper inmy business and make it really
(05:37):
intentional, and so helpingpeople one-on-one with their
health became truly a passionfor me.
It's not just about meal prep.
I felt like the public was morelike here's meal prep, stay
healthy and wealthy, but here, Idon't know, it's just I love it
.
Aaron O'Connell (05:57):
Yeah, it's that next level where we can
actually start taking a biblicalfoundation of nourishing our
body.
Because in 1 Corinthians 619,we are that temple and when you
are, like you said, stuck in thekitchen not seeing the people,
you can't necessarily get thatmessage out.
And, yes, you're producinggreat food, but you're not
(06:21):
really educating behind that.
It seems like you're here's,your great meals, but for all
you know, they eat one of them,or two of them, or they end up
in the back of the refrigeratorand then they get thrown out
because they kept on, you know,forgetting that they were there,
or eating the XYZ.
That was not as well.
So you weren't really helpingthem.
Because that's one thing that Irealized within personal
(06:43):
training I was changing peoplebut I wasn't really helping them
, and it almost sounds likethat's what you were almost
going through of.
You were serving people but youdidn't necessarily know if you
were truly helping them to thatlevel that made a difference.
Dara Hedrick (06:59):
It was like became surface level help.
Aaron O'Connell (07:01):
Yes.
Dara Hedrick (07:02):
I was just surfacing and, yeah, I have
social media and stuff, butthere's something about being in
someone else's kitchen and theycan smell the health, you know.
They become excited and thenthey want to watch you cook and
then they learn how to cook andit's just like I don't know it's
just there's a lot of coolthings that can happen.
Aaron O'Connell (07:19):
So you go to people's kitchens and you do it.
Dara Hedrick (07:21):
I do a few A few.
A lot of them.
I just they just want somethingquick, like they they're super
busy.
They need someone to do alltheir food, deliver all that.
So I have the best of bothworlds, you know?
Aaron O'Connell (07:34):
but yeah, no, that's fantastic Every client's
different.
Dara Hedrick (07:39):
So you know, of course, we all, we all need
different needs.
We need everything.
Aaron O'Connell (07:44):
But I also love first Corinthians 10, 31.
That says whatever you eat ordrink, whatever you do, do it
all for the glory of God.
And so many people lose that.
Dara Hedrick (07:55):
So many people.
Aaron O'Connell (07:56):
It's more of like I eat and drink to be
social.
I eat and drink to for comfort.
You know, not many people arelooking as from the glory of God
and you going into somebody'shome seems like that's what it
does.
Dara Hedrick (08:11):
Yeah, I think people miss out or they don't
believe or they don't know aboutthe Holy Spirit.
It dwells within us and it'smore than just putting foods in
our body, like the Lord, justyou know, tells us that we
should take care of our temple,and that's part of it.
Is not just about meal prepping.
My meal preps are more thanjust a food service.
(08:33):
It's a health service, mentally, physically, spiritually.
You know, I want, I want peopleto not have to stress about like
there's just so much fad diets.
I just, oh, like it makes mesick and it's like everything
has to be so like confusing,like it's annoying.
I just want people to go backto the basics of this is food
(08:56):
and it's meant to fuel you andit's meant to help you with your
day.
Like God provides all thatstuff for us and we're meant to
have responsibility over it andwe take everything to granted,
like for granted nowadays, likeeven the food and the drinks
that we have, we just there'sgluttony.
It's just like we abuseeverything, like our bodies, the
(09:19):
food, the drinks.
You know, everything is justabused and I just want to bring
peace to people honestly.
Aaron O'Connell (09:25):
And peace.
You know, because, with Y2Fitness, my main ability and
desire is to help Christiansfind inner peace over their
health and their physicalappearance.
That's what Y2 Fitness is allabout, because the opposite of
peace is stress.
Dara Hedrick (09:42):
Exactly, and that's the number one cause of
disease, by the way.
Aaron O'Connell (09:46):
You took the words right out of my mouth.
Number one thing of disease andstress is more than just the
mental stress that people talkabout.
They're like oh, I'm sostressed out, my boss.
You know that, yes, that'smental anguish correct.
But there's also other types ofstresses, like eating two
(10:07):
little calories and working outis a stress that can cause
damage, unreparable damage, andI think we're starting to see a
lot of that just starting toform now, because body building
really took off in the 1970s.
You know, let's just say maybeit was the 90s 80s that people
(10:29):
really started like possiblygoing to the gym.
You know like around there.
And now then the 2000s,especially the 2010s, and now
it's like, if you're not lifting, what are you doing?
You know, like it's the onlyway to go, and it's like you got
.
You got mothers that are doingCrossFit.
You got you got personaltrainings making personal
trainers, making 300 poundpeople jump on these boxes like
(10:52):
they're these athletes andthey're not sitting here going.
Well, wait a minute.
What is the long term effectsof this?
Yes, can it.
It may that be a little quickerin the short run?
Yeah, like these fad diets,like you were saying.
But what is the long run?
That's actually happening?
How is it affecting our bodies,our endocrine system, our
(11:14):
hormone production, everything?
In the long run, because wehave these beautiful bodies made
in God's image, with God breathin us, it's going to adapt and
it's going to give us everyopportunity to have a quality
life, to be able to serve God,to give us every chance to
glorify God with our bodies,because we're meant to be
(11:35):
stewards of our bodies we'resupposed to like I said, do it
all for the glory of God, andthat that extends into what we
put into our bodies.
Dara Hedrick (11:45):
Exactly, if we can get our minds off of ourselves
and say this is for the glory ofGod, then our perspective can
change and shift off of self andthen literally a lot of things
can change when you.
It takes practice.
It doesn't come over time, likeI mean, it doesn't come
overnight.
It takes discipline, it takesconsistency and I always tell my
clients consistency is the bestdiet, discipline is the best
(12:08):
diet.
I don't, I don't suggestanything unless there's some
type of major health issue goingon.
Yes, I do believe that thereare some necessary actions you
should take, but when it comesto just overall health,
consistency and discipline andthe weight will eventually come
(12:29):
off.
The goal should not be weightloss.
That's a fear based goal.
People Like come on.
Aaron O'Connell (12:36):
Did you listen to my podcast before this?
Dara Hedrick (12:38):
No, You've never said that before.
This is why I have you on thepodcast.
Aaron O'Connell (12:46):
You, literally you wowed my socks off.
You keep wowing my socks offevery single time we talk.
That's why you are here,because I had one of the first
podcasts I have is the numberone reason why you are not
reaching your weight loss goals,and it was all about your bed.
You have backwards facing, fearbased goals.
(13:07):
That's hilarious, that'sexactly what is Weight loss?
Is the fear of being fat?
Dara Hedrick (13:12):
It is.
It's the fear of being fat, andit actually is a lie.
It's a complete lie to make yougo spinning in cycles of diets
that aren't ever meant to healyou.
Like that's an issue.
There's a deeper root issuegoing on that you have to deal
with and bring to the Lord andsurrender, and once you
surrender that, then you'regoing to be able to see things
(13:35):
differently.
It takes practice.
Aaron O'Connell (13:38):
And, like you said, it's consistency.
And what I always say is, inorder to be consistent, in order
to find the program that's bestfor you, it needs to be fun.
Exactly, it needs to be easy.
Dara Hedrick (13:49):
Yes.
Aaron O'Connell (13:50):
Because fun and easy is consistent.
Yes, that's what everyone isdoing.
That's why they have the pizza,that's why they have all these
things is because they get tohave the fun, the comforts, the
sociality, whatever it is.
But it's also easy.
But that's why I love that youhave this meal prepping thing,
because it takes the easy partand gives it to them.
Dara Hedrick (14:12):
Yes.
Aaron O'Connell (14:14):
And really meal prepping becomes that
deliberate act of choosing foodsthat honor God and foster
well-being.
Dara Hedrick (14:23):
Exactly, exactly.
I don't do no quick fixes.
Over here.
I have all sorts of clients,all the clients who just need me
to keep their fridges stockedbecause they don't have time
Literally, if they did it, thenthey would be super stressed.
So if I can just relieve thatstress for them, then I feel
like I'm serving them.
And then I have the otherclient that wants me to be in
(14:43):
their home and teach them allthe things, and that relieves
their stress.
And it's just really cool.
I just love health.
Aaron O'Connell (14:54):
No, I can see that so much.
How do you come up with the?
Dara Hedrick (15:00):
menus.
Aaron O'Connell (15:01):
I understand that you do it for individual
clients, but there has to be.
You don't just.
Do you have a rotational menus?
Do you have a book of 100recipes that you throw darts at?
Is it what you're kind ofhungry for that week?
So therefore, you're going tocook them that.
Dara Hedrick (15:23):
It's really based on how my public meal prep in
Charlotte.
It was more rotational.
It was kind of rotational.
I had the popular foods rotateoften, but then I would always
do new ones as well.
But when I did, I sent out.
(15:45):
I called emails to clients tosee what they wanted like would
you prefer a monthly menu orweekly, or just new every single
week?
And they love the whole varietything.
They want something new everyweek and that's why I sold out
the most with other meal prepbusinesses.
So I only did like eight to 10items a week and everyone would
(16:05):
choose off of those items and itwas new every single week.
And I do that with my clientshere too.
They just seems to work andthey enjoy the exciting.
The most exciting part is themnot choosing.
They just allow me to chooseand I make it and they tend to
always like it, so I just havefun with it.
I'm having fun doing this andjust kind of creating things out
(16:28):
of my own creativity.
Aaron O'Connell (16:31):
Yeah, because it makes me want to, Because I
follow your Instagram.
I follow all that stuff andit's like oh, she's making those
tacos.
Dara Hedrick (16:37):
Oh, like you just had that blueberry parfait I
like to make turn kind of likenaughty foods to nice In a way
like Clients, like the familiar,but they want it to be healthy.
So lasagna, whatever, tacos Imean whatever you know like none
of those are bad but they canbe healthy, you know well, I
don't like the word healthy, Ilike nutritious.
(16:58):
Nutritious.
Aaron O'Connell (16:59):
Yes, because you know, Nate, what's an
unhealthy food.
Dara Hedrick (17:03):
Right.
Aaron O'Connell (17:04):
Okay, alcohol, I could give you that one.
It's about the only thing,because, even though that's not
a food that I would say isUnhealthy unless you're straight
up eating like poison, clearlythat's unhealthy like unhealthy,
as in processed foods but evenstill that if you have 95% of
the most amazing things, and youhave 5% Unprocessed foods and
(17:26):
it relieves your stress and itmakes you have joy.
Okay, so you're a big picture Iwould say you didn't eat an
unhealthy food.
You ate everything you neededto that.
Just that 5% was very lownutritious.
You know, like if you have theright amount of fiber, if you're
drinking amount the rightamount of water which we know
(17:48):
most people don't, you know thestat is 70% of people live in a
constant state of dehydration.
95% of people don't get therecommended amount of fiber.
So if you just follow those twostats right there, things aren't
moving through you.
If things aren't moving through, you don't have your
purification of your water, youdon't have the movement of your
bowels.
A Simple grape can turn intoalcohol inside inside your body.
(18:12):
You know, I could first startfermenting, cause mass damage.
And that's a grape, let aloneyou name it.
You know whatever processedfoods.
So that's where I kind of lookat it, because you know, it's
not what you put into your mouththat defiles you.
What comes from your heart,that's what hate mouse all those
things are and it's also that'swhere gluttony comes from.
(18:32):
That's where selfishness comesfrom.
If you were putting into yourmouth out of selfishness, out of
gluttony, then it can have thatdamage too much of a good thing
, isn't a good thing exactly?
But if I go eat any, any foodwhatsoever there is, I can do it
with pure joy because I havefreedom, knowing that I am
paying attention and proactively choosing what needs to
(18:55):
be done.
Dara Hedrick (18:55):
Isn't that such a amazing place to be?
Yes because I've been in thatcycle of just like not eating
for several weeks and theneating again, and then eating
everything and then not eatingagain, and Then coming to a
state of like oh, I haveself-control.
Yes you know, and actually it'slike it doesn't come overnight,
(19:18):
but it takes practice anddiscipline and the right people
in your life, like you got tohave community and you got to
talk about it.
Oh yeah you know, but it's sucha beautiful place.
I have freedom with food.
Aaron O'Connell (19:30):
Yes, I always said back when I didn't have the
freedom and because I've beenthrough every single diet.
There is, you know, exprofessional bodybuilder, all
that other type of stuff.
Well, technically I'm still aprofessional builder can't lose
the status, but Through all thatyou know going through bulimia,
going through mass bingeeating- disorder going through
(19:51):
all of it I always said I justwish I could be somewhere like
imagine a population of 300.
Everyone is over 300 pounds,All right and we all we there's
no Superficial looking around ofyou.
Dara Hedrick (20:07):
look bad, you look good, we're all just fat and
you're like the fatter you are.
Aaron O'Connell (20:11):
It's almost like medieval times, like if
you're fat, your royalty, youknow.
Imagine just a group of 300people just eating what they
want, zero cares in the worldwhatsoever, and they are just
the joy fat person from theMidwest type of thing.
Like that's where I alwayswanted to get Mentally is what I
said, and I would say that I'mgetting pretty darn close.
(20:32):
Yes, I, I think I care morethan that population would have,
but it's almost like I care somuch that I no longer care.
Yeah, it's, it's like it becameso much second nature of I'm
going to get the right amount ofprotein calories nutrients,
(20:53):
fiber, vegetables, fruits.
I'm gonna focus on that so much.
That's what I enjoy that themoment, all of a sudden, a food
does come up, mm-hmm, I can eatit with the most joy that I ever
have, exactly even though, thatbeing said, I've I've lost
desires for many foods like I.
If you're like oh, there'spizza.
(21:14):
I'm not like.
Yes, I'm like.
Dara Hedrick (21:16):
You stop depriving yourself of stuff.
Aaron O'Connell (21:18):
Yeah, I yeah, but once it's not a deprivation
More of just you just know whatmakes you feel good.
Like I'm not gonna have pizzaunless it's like something new
or I'm in New York.
Yeah or you know, it's gonnaget a real Chicago style deep
dish.
You know, whatever it may be,I'm not just gonna have because
(21:39):
you had it again in its freepizza like no, I don't care for
that.
But but also with sweets, Idon't care for sweets, I don't.
They don't bring me joy oranything.
Dara Hedrick (21:49):
But if you made something, I'm sure of it, that
I've never seen before.
Aaron O'Connell (21:53):
Never tasted before.
You're gonna peak my interestand it's gonna be delicious and
I'm gonna maybe want a secondbit, but I'm, there's gonna be
zero guilt in it right,mississippi, my goodness.
Oh yeah.
Dara Hedrick (22:07):
Like food, great again like oh it's just make
eating great again.
Yes, and healthy, yes for sure.
Aaron O'Connell (22:16):
I would love for you to speak on just a
little bit further mm-hmm on thepurpose behind food and and
just your, your overall thoughtson how people should view food
and Really anything to thatnature.
Dara Hedrick (22:36):
Like I said before , when we can't get our minds
and on, you know, our thoughtsoff of ourself, I think that we
can see food and then more clearperspective.
If you are a Christian or not,you know we should see food,
that it was here on earth andit's given to us to Basically
(22:57):
rule over right.
Everything given to us, I see,is a responsibility.
Our bodies, food, people,friendships, you steward it just
like anything else in yourlives.
So once I Started seeing thingsin a different perspective, you
(23:18):
know also getting in my wordand like Just not so obsessed
about food, like thinking aboutit all the time like oh my gosh,
I eat this and I can't eattomorrow and just stupid stuff,
you know.
And so especially having theright relationships in your life
(23:39):
, because that was a gamechanger for me, you know people
go through trauma, terriblerelationships, like myself.
You, you eat emotionally andthen you, then it becomes a
habit right and then it becomeslike you're killing yourself
literally because you hateyourself, and Then it's like you
don't realize that food isn'tthe issue.
(24:01):
Yeah there's actually things yougot to work on in your life
that you may have never workedon before, and so I did the work
.
It took me a long time.
I started in 2018, when Istarted doing the work and I
went to therapy thinking becauseI had an anorexia and bulimia
problem, but that wasn't theproblem at all.
I had a lot of issues.
I'm childhood, you know, youknow, adulthood, preteen,
(24:26):
whatever that I just never dealtwith before.
So when you can kind of Findthat like the root, of your
issue.
I think that's where you canbegin to start healing, and so
this is my experience, so that'show I needed to start and Then
kind of seeing food again, kindof like starting all over again.
(24:49):
Like with the love of food, ittakes work.
You know, at first you may needto track your mac macros.
At first you may need to dothings that just kind of
alleviate the stress and justmaybe Going to a Daniel diet or,
you know, daniel fast, likejust do it, but you're doing it
for the Lord is different whenyou're doing it for yourself,
like okay, god, I surrender mythoughts About this negative
(25:12):
perspective on food.
I know food is good for me.
Food is Like.
You know, I don't want to lookat food as bad, like I used to,
and so you have to go back to Ifyou did have issues with food,
like you got to go back toconnect the dots there, and then
if you don't have any issueswith food I don't know, maybe a
lot of people do- I don't thinkthere's many people that don't
(25:32):
know it's sad, and if it's not,even with their food, it's it's
their body image.
Aaron O'Connell (25:39):
Yeah, it's body image, it's which they go hand
in hand.
And you, you said somethingthat's just so important that
you're like hey, you're anorexicand, believe me, you know you
didn't have a problem with that.
There was much dea rootedIssues and that's also why I I'm
doing what I'm doing, why Ihave my masters and pastoral
counseling.
I'm getting my PhD andcounseling and in psychology.
(26:01):
Right and the whole theorybehind why?
To fitness, like I said, isbring peace over their physical
health and image.
Dara Hedrick (26:08):
Right.
Aaron O'Connell (26:09):
I do that from a counseling basis.
First.
I guess I'm a health coach.
Yes, I give diet information.
Dara Hedrick (26:17):
Yes, I did.
Aaron O'Connell (26:18):
But it's like the first thing I do is I turn a
mirror on you.
I you need to be aware ofwhat's going on Exactly.
So I usually do about like twodifferent sessions within a week
.
One is mostly focusing on thephysical, the eating, the what
are you doing?
Just focus on the activity,whatever it is self awareness
yes.
Then the second one is more oflike that counseling kind of
(26:42):
kind of looking into your past,rich, trying to figure out that
root cause right.
And I marry them together and Ifound that's the most effective
way, because that's why it'scalled why to fitness?
What is your why to fitness?
And most people have thatfaulty why it's to be enough to
not be fat for your yeah,exactly.
(27:03):
All of these negative things.
Dara Hedrick (27:05):
instead, it's like look at athletes, you don't see
let's just say literally, wecan talk about this 300.
Aaron O'Connell (27:12):
Yeah, we can get a 340 pound lineman needs to
lose weight.
Okay, because he's fat and he'snot moving.
His goal isn't to lose weight.
His goal is to move aroundefficiently for his knees to
stop hurting to perform.
A byproduct of that is to loseweight.
Dara Hedrick (27:33):
Exactly that's weight loss always comes.
Aaron O'Connell (27:36):
Yes.
Dara Hedrick (27:37):
If you, I mean there's, there's science to food
too.
You know, like I also have mysports nutrition certification,
so I do help a lot of athletes.
You know weight loss and or youknow weight gain, or, but it's
not about again, those aren'tour goals, though it's it's.
What is your goals?
Okay, I need to win thischampionship.
Aaron O'Connell (27:58):
Yeah.
Dara Hedrick (27:59):
Okay, so that's the goal.
So we're going to get you thereand we're going to work on like
feeding you consistently soyou're fueled and so then your
weight can drop off so easilywhen it's, you know, go time.
But again, every person isdifferent and has different
goals, if we are an athlete ornot.
But I absolutely agree.
Aaron O'Connell (28:20):
Yeah.
Dara Hedrick (28:21):
And athletes don't look at it.
Athletes don't look at food.
Like to lose weight.
No, they it's like they havethe freedom to tool.
It's a tool.
Yeah they understand that theyneed for the fuel.
Aaron O'Connell (28:32):
Yeah, michael felt, yeah, eating what 11,000,
11,000 calories, whatever was,because he was swimming six
seven, eight hours a day.
Go try to swim eight hours aday without eating that much.
He was still a string bean.
Dara Hedrick (28:43):
Yeah you know, powerful People just don't want
to do the work.
Aaron O'Connell (28:47):
They don't.
Dara Hedrick (28:48):
They want quality without paying for it.
Aaron O'Connell (28:51):
Yeah, they don't want to do the work and
they also, from what I've seen,is they like to play the blame
game.
Dara Hedrick (28:56):
Yes, absolutely.
Aaron O'Connell (28:57):
Saying like oh, it's just my genetics.
Dara Hedrick (29:00):
I hate that.
Aaron O'Connell (29:01):
It's the worst thing.
It's like no, your mom ate thesame foods that you're eating,
and you're still eating thosesame foods.
You'll see it, You'll see fatdad, fat mom, fat sister skinny
brother.
Dara Hedrick (29:13):
What's the?
Aaron O'Connell (29:14):
skinny brother doing.
He's doing sports.
Dara Hedrick (29:15):
Yeah, he's, he's drinking protein shakes.
Aaron O'Connell (29:18):
He's doing all these other things.
It's like your genetics mayload the gun, but your habits
pull the trigger.
Dara Hedrick (29:23):
I always ask my clients like are you active,
like I have a littlequestionnaire before.
I think we're a great fit and Iask them to kind of track their
food.
You know the first day or two,and then I want to make sure how
active they are so that I knowwhat to feed them.
Yes so if you're not active.
I'm not going to give you ahigh carb diet you know like,
but I do try to encourage themto be active because that's the
(29:46):
number one thing to maintain Abody emotions stays emotional.
Aaron O'Connell (29:50):
Yes, exactly yeah.
And and activity isn't goingfrom crawling to sprinting.
So many people go from desk jobdoing nothing.
Last time, like you go, askthem to walk around their block
and they go.
You know heart rates in the130s 40s just from this low
(30:12):
paced walk and they think theyneed to go to the gym or join,
join orange theory or CrossFit,or get a personal trainer, which
all they're going to do is tryto beat the crap out of you
because they're.
They're all about speed.
They're not thinking about it.
Dara Hedrick (30:28):
But that's why.
Aaron O'Connell (30:29):
I love about Romans 12.
One is offer your body as aliving sacrifice, and that's
where you even said somethingyou're like hey, maybe you do
need to track your macros, oryour food at least.
And that's what that's what Ihave, because so many people.
Dara Hedrick (30:45):
I first thing.
Aaron O'Connell (30:46):
I asked I'm like, so how do you eat?
And most people, when they wantto work with me, care that's
why they're trying to work withme.
So they're like oh, I eatrelatively healthy.
I eat healthy.
I'm like, okay, and they, they,they like to label off one day.
Well, normally for breakfast Ihave this and this.
It's like it's like thispicture perfect day.
Dara Hedrick (31:07):
And usually.
Aaron O'Connell (31:07):
I'm like that sounds like you're only 8900
calories, but even still theypicked this.
They paint this perfect picture, but that's only on the perfect
day.
There's so many days they wakeup late, there's so many days
that they ate this because theythe coworker brought donuts.
And there's so many times wherethey're not talking about the
weekends, when they strugglebecause no one wants to admit
(31:28):
that.
And the first thing that Ialways have them do is log that
food and get used to it and I'mlike hey, it's you offering your
body as a living sacrifice.
Look at is when you're prayingto God.
Dear Lord, thank you so muchfor this food.
Bless it to my needs.
Well, what is it that you areblessing and what are your needs
?
You know, let's pay attentionto that, but before that, tell
(31:51):
me what you're doing.
And everyone that startslogging it usually goes.
I had no idea what I'm actuallyeating.
This was so convicting.
Dara Hedrick (32:00):
People need a visual.
I think, like I don't.
Really, they aren't aware ofthemselves, yep.
Aaron O'Connell (32:07):
And they look at themselves in the mirror,
like James says, and theyinstantly forget what they look
like when they walk away.
Yeah, yeah, that's, andunfortunately they're glancing
into that law.
They think they're doing it,but then they walk away.
That's and that's where youknow.
They hire the personal trainer,like, oh well, I did my one
good thing, check, and then theygo do everything wrong.
Dara Hedrick (32:28):
But they want to hire because they don't want to
do it themselves.
So they think like Okay, I'mgonna get a personal trainer and
I'm gonna get a private chef todo it for them.
But I'm sorry, I'm not gonna.
I don't really like to work withpeople like that.
One, two or I can teach themand see you know how it goes,
but like you gotta work foryourself, it's not gonna be my
(32:49):
fault if you messed up Exactly,I will accept those type of
people will do that, and thenthey keep buying the food.
Aaron O'Connell (32:56):
Yeah, they're eating something completely
different, because they knowthat if they cancel it, that's
them emitting defeat.
Dara Hedrick (33:03):
Exactly.
Aaron O'Connell (33:05):
Have you ever fired a client?
Dara Hedrick (33:08):
Yes, well, it was.
It was.
I've, like I said, you know,business is like trial and error
, so you learn how to firenicely.
I mean, I fired I don't reallyfire clients.
They just kind of I never had.
(33:30):
Actually, you know, my biggestthing is to have great
relationship with my clients.
Like that is my big, that'slike my number one thing, okay,
relationship with clients.
I've actually never had like tofire a client.
I have had clients though likejust not know anything about
food and they don't understandthat like a difference between a
(33:52):
steak and a pizza tuna, andthey think they get tuna when
it's really like medium raresteak, and then they just stop
working with me because theydon't think I know what I'm
doing.
I've I literally had a clientlike that, but I've never had.
Aaron O'Connell (34:04):
Okay.
Dara Hedrick (34:05):
I've never had a terrible time with that's good
Client.
Aaron O'Connell (34:10):
I guess that really does come down to
choosing beforehand Exactly.
Dara Hedrick (34:16):
I do care about who I work with.
You know I want to serveeverybody, but I can't.
Aaron O'Connell (34:23):
But so do you have plans to go and back to
serving the public?
Dara Hedrick (34:29):
Maybe, Maybe, I don't know yet, like, like.
Like you said, I am rebranding.
I am still figuring out what todo with Charlotte location, but
I, like I said, I really lovethe private and if people like,
if I have a nice community,they're like, dare I, you need
to get a storefront by the sea,then sure, if this is like a
(34:53):
blessing, it's like I know it'sthe right time to do it.
I don't think right time.
right now is not the right timeto do it, but if later on I've
always kind of envisioned myselfwith like a dish was by the sea
or something, type yeah likewe'll see, but I also just
really love being in people'shomes and not having a
storefront?
I don't know.
Aaron O'Connell (35:13):
So so I would.
What would you say?
The you said it would be coolto have that storefront, but if
you are always being so personalwith clients clearly that
affects scalability.
Dara Hedrick (35:25):
Yeah, that's why I call Charlotte.
Aaron O'Connell (35:29):
But it's like, is the goal really to be
scalable or what?
What is you know?
Because clearly it's not justto make money.
So it's make true impact onpeople's lives.
Dara Hedrick (35:43):
I do like see, maybe I don't think I would be
running it like I would manageit, of course, but I wouldn't be
the one there every single day.
I would have to have a trusteegroup of a lovely team to help
me but.
I don't know.
I honestly I don't know yet.
Aaron O'Connell (36:02):
So like have, so have maybe, like, have you be
doing the still educationalside, the the meeting with
clients that do a little bitmore and pay you that little bit
more for the additionalservices that you're obviously
providing?
But then have that storefront,have that.
Dara Hedrick (36:18):
Yeah.
Aaron O'Connell (36:19):
That quick serve thing and be that's the
fuel to be able to, then, youknow, because then you can take
those profits and pour it intoyour church pour it into this.
Dara Hedrick (36:29):
Exactly X Y Z oh yeah, I could see that I have
vision for both.
I still would.
I will always keep private Um.
It'll always be an option.
Aaron O'Connell (36:37):
Yeah.
Dara Hedrick (36:38):
But the public.
I mean we'll see Excellent.
Yeah, we'll see.
I'd like to shift gears.
Aaron O'Connell (36:43):
No, I'm sorry, I'd like to shift gears just a
little bit and really talk abouthow to stay in tune with your
body.
Can you speak to that just alittle?
Bit of like how to stay in tunewith your body, because our
bodies are fearfully andwonderfully made and they have
(37:04):
telltale signs of whensomething's off, when you are
needing something, and I knowyou've talked about this before
so.
I'd love to have our listenershere.
Dara Hedrick (37:15):
Yeah.
So, again, getting in tune withyour body takes work.
It takes you again, like Imentioned, um figuring out the
root causes of maybe some typeof disordered eating.
Um, you're learning to haveself control through your
emotions.
You're um physically, mentally,spiritually balanced?
(37:38):
Um, because I believe they allwork together and if you're, I
feel like you're physical, cankind of show what your spiritual
is.
So they should be in line witheach other.
Yes, so if you're maybe out ofshape or you're struggling, and
maybe you may not look out ofshape, but maybe, um, I don't
know, you're struggling withsomething physically, it kind of
(38:00):
is because your spiritual islacking, something, typically,
and your mental you know, sowe're gonna get mad at that.
I know Whatever, but it's thetruth.
Aaron O'Connell (38:13):
It really is.
Dara Hedrick (38:14):
Once you.
If you don't believe it, fine,try it, if you're just not gonna
hurt you, you know.
Yes, but you have to be in tunewith your body, but also be in
tune with your spirit.
Also be in tune.
The temple I mean we are thetemple.
We carry the Holy Spirit.
That's what I believe and wewere tuned with the Holy Spirit.
You're gonna realize you're notthinking about all the the
(38:38):
thing the world is wanting us tobelieve about ourselves, and so
when my mind is focused on whatGod has called me to do with my
life, not like Like the stupidworldly things, like, oh, my
goal in life is to be skinny.
The goal in life is to you know, these, just these goals that
(39:02):
don't make it.
Aaron O'Connell (39:02):
It's just God has the results and the goals
figured out.
Dara Hedrick (39:09):
We just need to be obedient.
Aaron O'Connell (39:12):
He's gonna have us reach goals that we never,
never fathomed it's discipline,obedience, it's consistency, and
then leaving everything else tothe Lord and I love it, I'll
even say it I'll be the firstone to say, like, if you're
overweight and you know clearlywhen I say overweight,
completely unhealthy, you andit's not even the weight, it's,
(39:35):
it's it's the unactive.
It's the unhealthy, it's theyou know.
You know when you're beingunhealthy Like I'm, the first
one to say it.
Dara Hedrick (39:44):
Mm-hmm.
Aaron O'Connell (39:45):
You are lacking something spiritually, because
we need to do, like we said, allthings for the glory of God,
and you need to be ready andcapable for anything he's gonna
throw your way exactly I mean.
Dara Hedrick (39:58):
I always say health is wealth because if you
can't, you know if you'll sayyou're an entrepreneur and
athlete.
There is no way you're gonna besuccessful if you're an
unhealthy human.
Aaron O'Connell (40:09):
Even your food dictate your mind or a
professional athlete and you do.
Dara Hedrick (40:14):
I mean you made it whatever financially, but as I
mean you made it likespiritually, I mean you're
lacking.
Still, that's not really thetrue goal here.
Like, what are you gonna do?
Bring all that stuff to heaven?
I don't think so like.
None of that goes to heaven.
The only things that come toheaven are people.
Yes, it's a stewarding yourrelationships and your life,
stewarding yourself.
(40:34):
You go to have, like you knowyou, you can help yourself this
lifetime, like stay healthy, bethere for your children, be
there for your family, likethose are the things that matter
.
Aaron O'Connell (40:45):
Yes, you know, yes, for sure.
Also, I what I love about foodprepping as well and just
Logging food, just everythingthat you're doing is.
It allows you to really get intune with your body, because so
many people have no clue whatthey're eating, don't know what
they're getting, and whensomething bad happens they need
(41:06):
to find someone to blame.
If they are, if they get sick,they instantly find little
Johnny that have the cold andthey point at little Johnny and
say it's your fault.
Or they're like I'm gonna, I'mgonna make sure I don't get
around anyone, don't, don't letmy baby around anyone, because I
can't let them be sick.
Dara Hedrick (41:21):
It's like living out of fear, living completely
out of fear.
But it's.
Aaron O'Connell (41:26):
That's what God wants us to look at.
The first sin in the garden,satan creeps up and has a
serpent.
Okay, eve eats the fruit.
Adam eats the fruit.
God then does the firstcounseling session when are you?
He already knew where they were, already knew what they did,
and he goes but wanted to getdown to their level and say I'm
(41:46):
looking out for you.
I already know you failed.
I'm still gonna ask out to youand say where are you and allow
you to answer.
And what did they do?
They said they started blamegaming.
Eve was like it was the snake'sfault, yeah, adam's, like it
was Eve's fault.
No one wanted to takeresponsibility and Because of
that we then fall.
(42:07):
All in all, we just keep movingforward, but everyone's not
wind of take responsibilities.
So I so many people are justlike oh, you know, I'm just
gonna Blame my.
I had somebody on the podcastthat they were like they had
autoimmune disorder and thesethings, and they wanted to be
like oh, cut out all gluten, cutout all this, all these things,
(42:29):
start playing them.
That's what the doctor told herto do, and so she started doing
that.
It just was miserable, but sheknew that it was just from the
stress.
It was just a major amounts ofstress, all the crappy up and
down, yo-yo diets, all thosethings.
And that's what stress can do,that's what over you know,
immunization, constantlydesanitizing to, constantly
getting vaccines, can playaround with all that stuff.
(42:51):
But then they need to findsomething to blame because it's
not what I've already done.
I need to find some otherculprit.
But when you start foodprepping and you start
understanding your food,understanding what you're
putting in your mouth andKnowing it, you then are gonna
have a control.
Let's go back to science.
We need to have the controlgroup.
(43:11):
Mm-hmm, if you can't have acontrol group, if you have no
clue what amount of caloriesyou're eating, what your foods
are, chipotle on this day, thison that day, eating a little bit
of that, little bit of that oh,got sad.
Eat this, do this.
But if you can just have enoughself-control, get a menu of
foods and eat those foodsexactly and then from there you
(43:32):
go.
Well, now I feel better.
Now I feel worse.
Dara Hedrick (43:34):
It's okay to take one step at a time.
It's okay, like I said, it'sokay to track your macros.
I believe in all I believeCalorie macros like do the do
what you gotta do, but you don'tstick in that you know forever.
Don't think it's gonna heal you, because it's not.
Aaron O'Connell (43:49):
Well, I like to look at it as like it's your
education.
Once you've logged your foodfor six months, you already know
that that piece of chickenbreast is around and even
weighing food for sure.
I may.
If you look at it, you do.
You know what a cup is.
Go look at it.
You know what about a cup is.
Now you don't need to ever doit again, just eyeball it.
(44:10):
If you're always under doing it, then you're.
That's a new status quo controlgroup all over again.
But you know the foods you'reeating.
Eventually, six months later,you know that, oh, banana, 115,
120 calories or so you know it'sgonna have right around.
You know about 23 carbs.
You're gonna know these things.
Dara Hedrick (44:32):
Yeah, but just just.
Aaron O'Connell (44:34):
Yes because you said off our bodies living such
holy employees got theirspiritual.
I don't copy patterns of thisworld, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind.
Then you can test and approvewhat God's will is for your life
.
It's perfect will and whatthat's our transforming of our
mind.
Time, Don't get like latched onto it.
You can get free from it but,it's just Understanding those
(44:55):
things.
And when you can have hiresomebody like yourself that
gives you that menu of food,that knows the macros behind it,
that's what you're eating, youthen can say, wow, I'm feeling
good, I'm feeling bad.
Whoa, my sinuses are clearingup.
Dara Hedrick (45:11):
Whoa, I no longer have brain fog crazy people are
shocked like, oh wow, this ishealthy.
Yeah like I feel great and I'mlike and.
Aaron O'Connell (45:19):
But you can go back and track it, know what
it's all about and then, fromthere, make your little
adjustments.
Well, what happens now that Ihave my control, if I start
eating this piece of candy everysingle day?
You start doing it.
You're like nothing happened.
Whoa, okay, maybe this isn'tthat bad.
Yeah, now you found a diet thatyou can have a Kit Kat every
(45:42):
single day.
Dara Hedrick (45:42):
Yeah, I mean, it's like with me is spiritual to
you know.
It's like, once we can Bedisciplined in something, let's
say reading your Bible everysingle day you want to find it
naturally easier to beconsistent in what you put in
your body as well, and thenyou're gonna not want certain
things anymore.
Aaron O'Connell (46:03):
Yes, you know, yep, and when you have that
basis of control, you'll be ableto interpret those signs, just
like we can interpret God'sguidance in our lives.
When you start diving deeperand deeper Into the Bible.
You can interpret the signalsof our bodies because when, all
of a sudden, when I know I'mfeeling fatigued, it's like, oh,
it's because I know I haven'tbeen eating as many carbs.
(46:25):
I know I've been working outjust that little bit harder.
Dara Hedrick (46:28):
You know those little things like in choosing
what to feel yourself withinstead of like a candy bar.
Aaron O'Connell (46:35):
Yes, like.
Dara Hedrick (46:37):
Knowing.
Okay, I should probably haveoatmeal or you know something
that's nutritious.
Aaron O'Connell (46:43):
Yes.
Dara Hedrick (46:44):
So that's powerful , it's empowering.
Knowing like nutrition, yes yes, most people do not want that.
Aaron O'Connell (46:51):
They don't want to take.
Dara Hedrick (46:52):
They don't want to , they don't care too much.
They should care, yeah, becauseit's sweet food every single
day.
Aaron O'Connell (46:59):
Mm-hmm, and, and we become what we eat.
We literally do our cells turnover every single seven years.
That's why most people's lifecycles are in a like seven year
type of type of things how, whenit gets really bad, really bad,
you know, or even better,because every cell turns over
every seven years, other thanthe ones in your cerebral cortex
.
Yeah, because if those did, youchange personalities every
(47:21):
seven years.
Dara Hedrick (47:22):
You want to regret paying for everything in the
future with all of your healthissues.
Aaron O'Connell (47:26):
Then investing yourself now with all the
healthy, quality foods trust me,mm-hmm, trust me, but most
people those people don'tbelieve it.
Dara Hedrick (47:36):
Where?
Aaron O'Connell (47:36):
would you?
Where would you recommendMm-hmm?
If someone, let's just say theycan't afford you, they, they,
or they live in Washington orBrazil, or they don't have
access to you.
Dara Hedrick (47:52):
Yeah.
Aaron O'Connell (47:53):
They and they don't have a meal delivery
service either accessible tothem, maybe, which I would argue
that there's a lot internet.
Yeah, you know domestic, youknow, in the USA at least but
let's just say somebody'sstarting to want to embark on a
journey of meal prepping theirown food.
Yeah, where would you recommendthat they start?
(48:15):
How would you?
How would you get that journey?
How would you guide them?
Dara Hedrick (48:22):
Well, first, I do have, if they want to talk to me
, I do have appointments on mywebsite where we can have a
conversation about your goals.
I just kind of want to get anidea of what your goals are like
.
I want to hear you speak, I wantto hear where your mind is at
why you feel the way that you doand then if I can help you,
(48:43):
like I want to help everybody, Ireally do, like it's even if
it's just I do offer Likenutrition counseling as well on
my website if they need helpwith that, that's you know.
I obviously can't Send food tothem, like I would love to maybe
one day again, but I wouldprobably look up certain Places
(49:05):
in their area, depending wherethey live, and help them find
maybe a chef that they canafford and.
I just want to.
I would help them that way,like you know, help them
mentally, emotionally.
I think that's, and then thephysical comes.
You know, really, its firststep is emotional and what if?
Aaron O'Connell (49:23):
what if somebody was like you know what?
I just want to start cooking.
Dara Hedrick (49:27):
I don't know Great answer.
Aaron O'Connell (49:30):
But I want to start cooking.
I want to start meal preppingmy own foods.
I want to go to the grocerystore.
I want to learn it myself.
You know, where would you whatwould?
What would your advice be tothem if they were listening
right now.
They're not gonna contact youtoo scared.
They're not.
They're not action peoplethey're.
They're not gonna read, theydon't they're.
They're very introverted.
(49:51):
They, you know, they don't wantto talk to anyone.
Admit they have a problem.
They're living in fear,whatever it is, but they want to
start okay.
Where, where would you guidethem?
What would, what would you youradvice?
Be?
Dara Hedrick (50:05):
so, because I have my advice, but people hear me
all the time.
I would love to hear what yousay so they want to meal prep
their own right?
Yeah, they're just starting out.
Aaron O'Connell (50:13):
They don't know what to buy to end the
groceries they're eating.
They're eating out like everysingle day.
Dara Hedrick (50:18):
They don't know like healthy.
Aaron O'Connell (50:21):
Nothing, they, yeah, they don't.
Dara Hedrick (50:25):
They really don't.
Aaron O'Connell (50:27):
Yeah, where would you have them start?
I?
Dara Hedrick (50:29):
think that's one of my downfalls is that I think
people should know certainthings and I'm like wait, I need
to be more detailed.
Aaron O'Connell (50:37):
People really don't understand.
They're like wait a minute.
Yeah, wait, fruits, a carb.
Dara Hedrick (50:42):
I didn't ask you to buy dried fruit in the adult
day.
I meant like real fruit.
Aaron O'Connell (50:48):
Like fresh, but but people don't even
understand.
Dara Hedrick (50:50):
Like wait, fruits are carbs.
Oh well, yeah vegetables arecarbs.
Aaron O'Connell (50:54):
I thought carbs were bad.
How can fruits and vegetablesbe Carbs?
There are, carbs are bad.
You're talking to that person,so where would you just guide
them to start?
Dara Hedrick (51:09):
Um, get your mind off of food at the moment.
Okay, like, let's not focus onthe food right now.
Like I would rather you likesit with yourself and I Would
like for you to pray about itHonestly, just pray about it and
see what the Lord says.
Okay just sit in silence likeshut up your mind.
(51:33):
Let the Lord speak to you.
Whether you're a prayer or not,try it.
Just sit there and try to thinkabout what would how could I
take care of my body better?
Like think about what am Igoing through?
Is there anything that I needto work on outside of the food
(51:54):
prop?
like food is just a byproduct ofsomething right.
So think about that and thenmake a list.
Make a.
Make a list of foods you wantto eat, foods that you do eat.
What do you already know aboutnutritious food?
Keep it simple, don't overwhelmyourself.
If you only know about broccoliand fish and rice, start there
(52:18):
and then, every week maybe takea day to to look up new
nutritious foods you know, andthen that's the next step.
Yes, I always say to start withyour protein intake.
Don't worry about the carbs andthe fats at the moment.
Just at least have your proteinevery single meal.
Yes, and make sure that's there.
And then just just work on notstressing about it.
I don't overwhelm your, yourmind with it.
(52:42):
So just take time before youeat, give you know, say you're
you know, be grateful for thefood and be grateful that you
can go and get the food and buyit.
Because we're blessed inAmerica and people don't realize
it.
We have all this food.
We have all this food around us.
Yes, we should be thankful.
(53:03):
There's no stress in that.
Aaron O'Connell (53:05):
I'm over here laughing because your voice
right now.
I'm just like imagining thisguided meditation right now.
That is exactly how it was.
I'm like I'm getting relaxedright now just by her voice and
what she's saying.
I just like yes, yes, I wanther to say start with protein,
(53:29):
but she's saying all the rightthings beforehand, because it's
true, if you search Googlebefore you search God's word,
your, your priorities, arebackwards.
Dara Hedrick (53:37):
It's so bad it shouldn't start with.
Okay, what's like best diet tolose weight?
No, don't start there.
I love it.
You take your, take timesyourself, go for a walk.
Aaron O'Connell (53:46):
I say go for a walk and pray like literally I
love it and then, and thenfigure out trust in the Lord
with all your heart.
Lean not on your ownunderstanding or Google's yeah,
all your ways.
Submit to him and he will makeyour path straight.
He will show you what to,because just that simple act of
praying- yes, yes that simpleact of praying, searching the
(54:09):
Bible will turn you from Googlesearch.
Can you please give me a diet tolose weight quick?
And?
And?
If you search the word and pray, it will then turn into Google
search.
You know how can I be morehealthy?
Because, because God will layyou into that different way of
(54:29):
searching things, looking for adifferent answer.
That is actually the trueanswer.
You know, like you were saying,don't start, don't start with
just protein.
Don't get me wrong.
That was.
What my question was waitingfor was start with protein.
If you surround every meal withprotein, you're so much more is
gonna happen.
Dara Hedrick (54:48):
It keeps you, are you know it, keeps it, keeps you
balanced it keeps you fueled,it keeps you full all those
things.
Aaron O'Connell (54:54):
That's what I was looking for, but the way you
even said it, and the thingsbeforehand are so important
because how you do what you'redoing is better than what you
are doing exactly like you cango find.
You can always find a better Wayto do something.
Trust me, there's a millionways to skin the cat, and
there's a new technique outthere that might make your body
(55:16):
get confused a little bit andshow Some signs of benefit, but
then, if it's causing stress inyour mind, it's gonna then
actually be worse off.
But then you try another way.
We're constantly testing thingsout but, how you currently are
doing.
Dara Hedrick (55:29):
What you're doing makes so much more of a
difference right and focus onthe present, like, yes, don't
think about the future right nowin your Way to lost goals.
You know it's all gonna come ifyou're consistent and have the
discipline.
I thought it was kind ofinteresting how Eve was tempted
(55:50):
with food, the fruit, and youknow, as you know, satan loves
quick fixes.
He wants to Make you believethat there's something better
than it was the long term.
Was pleasing to the eye exactly.
Yeah, and so that's exactly whathappened in the garden exactly
(56:11):
it looks like it was.
Aaron O'Connell (56:12):
It was pleasing to that and was good.
Dara Hedrick (56:15):
Satisfying.
Aaron O'Connell (56:17):
Instantaneous is always the enemy of what
exactly?
Dara Hedrick (56:20):
what God wants for us.
Aaron O'Connell (56:22):
That's because God has that upside down kingdom
.
Yeah, you know, the world says,get it, and it's all yours, get
it now.
Yeah and it's like.
No, the things that trulymatter are the things that you
can Invest in small little bitsat a time, so then you can make
that big withdrawal because ithad compound interest at the end
.
Exactly, exactly, yeah,excellent so what type of advice
(56:45):
, because this is we can wrap upnow.
I usually like keeping thesethings around.
This time for our listeners,because listeners lose Focus
after about an hour, especiallyif they're not eating correctly
yeah, which most people don't.
Just last words for ourlisteners.
What would you love for them tojust be departing with?
(57:07):
I?
Dara Hedrick (57:09):
Hope you see food in a different light.
It's More than just physical,it's spiritual and it's mental
and they're all connected and Iwould just hope you see it in a
different way.
You know just it.
Maybe you don't understand whyI think this way, but I hope
it's a seed planted and youstart to become more aware of
(57:36):
your own life, like you're meantto thrive, and food will help
you thrive, survive, like allthese great things.
Think about food in a differentway.
Yeah, I just, I just reallybelieve that you need to work on
your mental and emotional andphysical.
They're all intertwined and andonce you have that, you know
(57:58):
we're never gonna be perfect,you know, but once you can have
a consistent living on makingsure your spiritual, mental and
your emotional and physical areall like filled, that means not
just eating, but like doinghobbies that you love, being
around people that you lovebeing around, being around your
family, play your sports,whatever make, have things
(58:23):
fulfill you that give you life,because Nobody wants a poor
virgin of you, honestly.
So let's be the best version ofourselves, and one way is to
feed your body properly.
Aaron O'Connell (58:39):
Excellent.
Where can people find you?
How can people get in contactwith you?
Dara Hedrick (58:45):
Instagram my website dish bliss kitchen comm.
Again I'm rebranding, but rightnow it's still dish bliss
kitchen comm.
Aaron O'Connell (58:57):
Yeah.
Dara Hedrick (59:00):
This was kitchen for Instagram.
Aaron O'Connell (59:03):
This was kitchen comm.
Dara Hedrick (59:04):
Yeah, I'm very personable, so if you want to
reach out, I'm, I'm, I willalways respond.
I Love to help, I truly love tohelp.
I'm not just a food service onmy health service.
Love it, yeah.
Aaron O'Connell (59:17):
Well, thank you so much for being on this
podcast.
It was.
It was a pleasure, and I reallydo hope that people reach out
and just take, just take whatyou said and what we were
talking about to heart to beable to live Life to the fullest
, because that's what God wants.
So they can have more peace.
So they can then, in turn, bethe best versions of themselves,
(59:39):
to be able to Carry out thepurpose that God designed them
for.
So we're here for yeah, well,again, thank you so much.
Dara Hedrick (59:49):
Thank you, of course, I sure.
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