Like anyone, I have a lot of opinions in regards to natural living. When it comes to Facebook I try to filter myself, but occasionally, I'll post or write something that I shouldn't. I feel very passionately about living a healthy, natural lifestyle. Social media is a wonderful way to express your thoughts and opinions about these issues; however, you have to be careful about offending people. Sometimes, in the heat of the moment you post, it's out there, and you feel that once people read that article their thoughts on that topic are going to change. We all know that doesn't happen.
Today, I read an blog post by Keeper of the Home. She wrote about how she utilizes facebook and her blog. Her facebook account she keeps neutral so she will not offend anyone. Her blog, is her voice/her opinion and people have a choice to read it or not. I do not want to offend ANYONE or make anyone feel that I am better then them because of the choices we make. Sometimes I'll write short sentence remarks on facebook and those can be misconstrued; THEREFORE, I am going to keep my facebook account neutral and my blog with be my thoughts and my opinions.
When you choose to live a lifestlye outside of the norm, people always question your sanity along with your beliefs. I believe that my family is moving in the right direction, but NEVER do I want to come across as snotty or superior. I NEVER want to turn people off. My goal is always to educate and I'm very passionate about it. Everything I do, I want to do in Love. I will be backing off facebook and blogging more on, not just nutrition, but living more of a natural lifestyle.
If I've ever offended anyone, accept my apologies. My mission is to educate and create healthier people in a loving manner. Until next time!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Grain Free Challenge
I have about a million other things to do right now, but I feel compelled to blog. Now that our family has been grain free for 3 weeks, I can honestly say we will not go back to the average American diet (after all, the American diet has brought us nothing more then illness, right?). I must confess, we have had our falls from grace, BUT when we decided to eat off our diet it was a conscious decision made by both. For example, we decided to get a pizza this weekend after the kids were in bed. My husband and I were both soo very excited about the prospect of pizza we were almost giddy. After we ate the pizza; however, we were left with a very uncomfortable feeling. As we were laying in bed, we agreed the thought of pizza was much more enjoyable then actually partaking of it.
Now, I don't make it a point to announce that my family is grain free. People just notice. Why doesn't she have a bun with that hamburger? No cookies for dessert? People then ask what we're doing. When I tell them we aren't eating any grains it's always followed with a "why". If I could give them the feeling I have (not tired, no more cramps - overall a better feeling) I would. But I can't. So most people say, "I could NEVER do that". What I want to say in return (but would never, mind you) is if you feel like you could never give up grains then you are addicted to grains and that my friends is a problem. If an average American gave up grains could turkey, they would crash just like a drug addict.
Since I've been eating this way, I have learned just how bad grains are for you. Really, I had no idea. After all, grains are apart of the food pyramid and the government would NEVER lead us astray, right? (sarcasm in that last statement). I really wish, in all my wisdom, that I could give you the science behind why you should omit grains from your diet, but I can't. So here is a guy that can. Read his blog. If you want more information about going gluten free, may I recommend learning more about the GAPS diet or the Paleo diet. My small knowledge of both tells me they are very similar. For those that are unaware, there has been success in REVERSING autistic behaviors with these diets along with other ailments. Fertility issues have often been resolved by omitting grains from diets. To me, that speaks volumes. Like my husband says, "If you put crap in your body, how can you expect to be anything less than crap?". Oh, the words of a wise man :).
Who doesn't want to live up to their optimal health?! I don't mean to make this blog about going grain free, but I now feel so passionately about it that I feel it's a lifestyle everyone should lead. My husband gave me something to think about yesterday. He asked me if I knew what the first signs of a heart attack were. I'm sure you're listing off some of the warning signs, right? Well, for 40% the FIRST symptom is the heart attack that kills them. WELLNESS people, that's what I'm preaching. How to live WELL and stay WELL - to be better than an Average SICK American. We don't ask our doctor, "how can I not get sick". When we see our doctor, it's because we already have an illness and we want a cure. That is sick care, not health care or wellness care. Often we wait until the first symptoms comes before we take action. Seems a little odd, right? It's like waiting to brush your teeth until you feel that cavity coming on. (I have to note, that I'm stealing a lot of this from my I husband).
I'm not asking everyone to go grain free. The little things make all the difference. Those little thing will then lead to BIG changes. If you feel like you can't give up grains, may I implore that you do a 30 day gluten free challenge. If you need help, may I suggest purchasing a book or doing research ahead of time so you don't feel completely overwhelmed. See how good you feel after those thirty days. It very well may change your life... :)
Now, I don't make it a point to announce that my family is grain free. People just notice. Why doesn't she have a bun with that hamburger? No cookies for dessert? People then ask what we're doing. When I tell them we aren't eating any grains it's always followed with a "why". If I could give them the feeling I have (not tired, no more cramps - overall a better feeling) I would. But I can't. So most people say, "I could NEVER do that". What I want to say in return (but would never, mind you) is if you feel like you could never give up grains then you are addicted to grains and that my friends is a problem. If an average American gave up grains could turkey, they would crash just like a drug addict.
Since I've been eating this way, I have learned just how bad grains are for you. Really, I had no idea. After all, grains are apart of the food pyramid and the government would NEVER lead us astray, right? (sarcasm in that last statement). I really wish, in all my wisdom, that I could give you the science behind why you should omit grains from your diet, but I can't. So here is a guy that can. Read his blog. If you want more information about going gluten free, may I recommend learning more about the GAPS diet or the Paleo diet. My small knowledge of both tells me they are very similar. For those that are unaware, there has been success in REVERSING autistic behaviors with these diets along with other ailments. Fertility issues have often been resolved by omitting grains from diets. To me, that speaks volumes. Like my husband says, "If you put crap in your body, how can you expect to be anything less than crap?". Oh, the words of a wise man :).
Who doesn't want to live up to their optimal health?! I don't mean to make this blog about going grain free, but I now feel so passionately about it that I feel it's a lifestyle everyone should lead. My husband gave me something to think about yesterday. He asked me if I knew what the first signs of a heart attack were. I'm sure you're listing off some of the warning signs, right? Well, for 40% the FIRST symptom is the heart attack that kills them. WELLNESS people, that's what I'm preaching. How to live WELL and stay WELL - to be better than an Average SICK American. We don't ask our doctor, "how can I not get sick". When we see our doctor, it's because we already have an illness and we want a cure. That is sick care, not health care or wellness care. Often we wait until the first symptoms comes before we take action. Seems a little odd, right? It's like waiting to brush your teeth until you feel that cavity coming on. (I have to note, that I'm stealing a lot of this from my I husband).
I'm not asking everyone to go grain free. The little things make all the difference. Those little thing will then lead to BIG changes. If you feel like you can't give up grains, may I implore that you do a 30 day gluten free challenge. If you need help, may I suggest purchasing a book or doing research ahead of time so you don't feel completely overwhelmed. See how good you feel after those thirty days. It very well may change your life... :)
Monday, June 27, 2011
Menu: Week 1
As I promised, here is our menu for this week. Our menu is gluten-free (grain free), but for those that eat grains you can make your own substitutions :). Hopefully, this will help those that are starting to phase out processed foods as well!
Day 1
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs and blackberries
Lunch: Chicken Skewers (Chicken, tomatoes, onion, and pineapple) and fresh veggies
Supper: Italian Sausages with onions and peppers, Green Beans and Grapes
Day 2
Breakfast: Gluten free blueberry pancakes
Lunch: Italian Sausages with onions and peppers, fresh veggies and berries
Supper: Pork Cutlets, Asparagus, and Cantaloupe
Day 3
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs and Raspberries
Lunch: Pork Cutlets, fresh veggies, watermelon
Supper: Shrimp, Zucchini, Eggplant, and berries
Day 4
Breakfast: Blueberry Muffins and Oranges
Lunch: Shrimp, fresh veggies and a fruit
Supper: Baked Cod, Muffins, Brussels Sprouts
Day 5
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs and Nectarines
Lunch: Cod, fresh veggies, and fruit
Supper: Roasted Chicken, Asparagus, and Strawberries
As you can see, I usually make enough for supper to have for lunch. This is just easier for me. If, for some reason, I do not have enough meat for lunch the next day, salads our my go-to meal. I always have tomatoes, mushrooms, lettuce and hard boiled eggs on had for an instant meal :). I also don't cook any veggies for lunch - we eat raw veggies which consists of broccoli, carrots and cauliflower.
In regards to snacks throughout the day, the boys usually just eat fruit. I have lots of berries on hand (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries), along with watermelon, nectarines, bananas, apples and grapes. These are easy, go-to snacks. We also eat nuts, nut mixes, raw veggies, gluten free granola, and gluten free pretzels for snacks as well. Freeze dried fruit is also great for the kids when you're on the go. Freeze dried fruit has replaced Cheerios for us! Natural peanut butter and hummus are great dips to add to any snack.
So, that's it! If there's anything else I can do to help you out, please let me know! Would recipes be helpful?? If I get enough response for recipes, I can post them tomorrow. I am a mother of 2 young children, so simple is my motto!
Day 1
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs and blackberries
Lunch: Chicken Skewers (Chicken, tomatoes, onion, and pineapple) and fresh veggies
Supper: Italian Sausages with onions and peppers, Green Beans and Grapes
Day 2
Breakfast: Gluten free blueberry pancakes
Lunch: Italian Sausages with onions and peppers, fresh veggies and berries
Supper: Pork Cutlets, Asparagus, and Cantaloupe
Day 3
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs and Raspberries
Lunch: Pork Cutlets, fresh veggies, watermelon
Supper: Shrimp, Zucchini, Eggplant, and berries
Day 4
Breakfast: Blueberry Muffins and Oranges
Lunch: Shrimp, fresh veggies and a fruit
Supper: Baked Cod, Muffins, Brussels Sprouts
Day 5
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs and Nectarines
Lunch: Cod, fresh veggies, and fruit
Supper: Roasted Chicken, Asparagus, and Strawberries
As you can see, I usually make enough for supper to have for lunch. This is just easier for me. If, for some reason, I do not have enough meat for lunch the next day, salads our my go-to meal. I always have tomatoes, mushrooms, lettuce and hard boiled eggs on had for an instant meal :). I also don't cook any veggies for lunch - we eat raw veggies which consists of broccoli, carrots and cauliflower.
In regards to snacks throughout the day, the boys usually just eat fruit. I have lots of berries on hand (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries), along with watermelon, nectarines, bananas, apples and grapes. These are easy, go-to snacks. We also eat nuts, nut mixes, raw veggies, gluten free granola, and gluten free pretzels for snacks as well. Freeze dried fruit is also great for the kids when you're on the go. Freeze dried fruit has replaced Cheerios for us! Natural peanut butter and hummus are great dips to add to any snack.
So, that's it! If there's anything else I can do to help you out, please let me know! Would recipes be helpful?? If I get enough response for recipes, I can post them tomorrow. I am a mother of 2 young children, so simple is my motto!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Still Gluten-Free After a Week
Week One of Gluten Free
A little over a week now, our family has been eating gluten-free. I felt this past week was a bit more challenging because I was out of the house more and faced with outside influences. The funny thing was, I did not have the feeling of, "oh, I would LOVE to have a piece of bread right now!" or "those Sun Chips look delish!". I was okay doing without. I feel so good that I don't want to screw up what I've got going on. We also went away this weekend to Amish country. Now that, was a bit more challenging because all they serve is bread and noodles (okay, being a little sarcastic, but you know what I mean!). It was hard to find things I could eat. Even though I stayed gluten free, I found myself compromising on salad dressing that I KNEW had hydrogenated oil in it. It's so hard to stay "natural". :)
Gluten-Free Crap
There is a lot of gluten-free crap out there. Sure, you can eat gluten-free packaged cookies, candy, cereal, mac n' cheese, etc., but just because it's gluten-free doesn't make it healthy by any means. I've started a new rule when it comes to packaged products. If it has more than 5 ingredients, I will not buy it. This has cut a lot of products out of our diet, but we are better off. Since we've become gluten-free, I've been searching out other bloggers who are doing the same. I've found many bloggers and TONS of recipes, but the majority of recipes are not-so-healthy. Be forewarned, if you go gluten-free you can still eliminate gluten and not be healthy.
Adjusting My Frame of Mind
In our society we are told what to eat because it's good for us and we take it at face value. For so long I was told to drink my milk, eat my grains, fat is bad, and Splenda was a gift from above. I believed all these things, without question. When I got married, Kevin refused to eat the low-fat American cheese, the 100 calorie packs - anything "diet" for that matter. So, being the good wife I am, I eliminated those items from our diet in exchange for "real food" (we still ate our fair share of processed food then). Do you know what happened?? Just months after we got married I had LOST weight. Cutting out fake food made me loose weight. At the time; however, I couldn't figure it out because I was consuming more fat than ever before. This did not make sense!! It went against everything I have ever learned!
There are many times I find myself going through the grocery store or looking through a menu and my first thought is, "that's good for me", when in fact it's not. When we are told for so long what's good for us and it becomes your truth, you have to completely rewire your brain. My brain is in the rewiring phase right now.
Why I'm Doing This
Okay, so I understand that some of you may ask why I'm taking everything a step further with going gluten free. After all, isn't eliminated processed foods enough? My answer is simple. I am on a quest for wellness. After having children I began to question our food and what it does to us. My children are the primary reason I am on a mission to do better. Did you know that one in three of our children will have cancer? Did you also know for the first time we are projected to outlive our children. This SCREAMS that a change needs to be made! I want better for my children and I want better for me. I want to be around for my kids and I want my kids to be around for their kids.
I'm currently reading the Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf. This has changed my perception on grains. If you want to know the science behind how grains effect us you MUST read this book. I cannot even begin to explain it to you, but he made a believer out of me! The Paleo diet is more than cutting out grains, it's cutting out dairy and refined sugar as well. We have begun the phasing out process to live this lifestyle (which was just decided today). The only dairy we really eat is cheese and since we've went gluten free we've found we don't crave sugar. This past week I indulged in M&M's and a can a pop. Not a bad sugar consumption for a week, huh?! :)
Menu's
I'm going to start posting what we eat on this blog to show other's it's do-able! I can tell you, our meals will consist of meat, veggies, and fruit. Thankfully, we are in the summer months so I have more options!
Getting Started to a Healthier Lifestyle
For those that are seeking a healthier lifestyle, I would not recommend going gluten free cold turkey because it may be very hard to stick with (however, if you do choose to do this, bravo!!). First, cut out the processed food, or use the processed food rule - no more than 5 ingredients. Cut out all deli meat (PROCESSED!) and try to avoid using bread as a side dish when possible. Finally, STOP thinking of fast food as an option. If you eat crap, you'll crave crap. By taking baby steps, you'll find going gluten free will be much easier.
Whishing everyone a healthy and happy week! Blessings :)
A little over a week now, our family has been eating gluten-free. I felt this past week was a bit more challenging because I was out of the house more and faced with outside influences. The funny thing was, I did not have the feeling of, "oh, I would LOVE to have a piece of bread right now!" or "those Sun Chips look delish!". I was okay doing without. I feel so good that I don't want to screw up what I've got going on. We also went away this weekend to Amish country. Now that, was a bit more challenging because all they serve is bread and noodles (okay, being a little sarcastic, but you know what I mean!). It was hard to find things I could eat. Even though I stayed gluten free, I found myself compromising on salad dressing that I KNEW had hydrogenated oil in it. It's so hard to stay "natural". :)
Gluten-Free Crap
There is a lot of gluten-free crap out there. Sure, you can eat gluten-free packaged cookies, candy, cereal, mac n' cheese, etc., but just because it's gluten-free doesn't make it healthy by any means. I've started a new rule when it comes to packaged products. If it has more than 5 ingredients, I will not buy it. This has cut a lot of products out of our diet, but we are better off. Since we've become gluten-free, I've been searching out other bloggers who are doing the same. I've found many bloggers and TONS of recipes, but the majority of recipes are not-so-healthy. Be forewarned, if you go gluten-free you can still eliminate gluten and not be healthy.
Adjusting My Frame of Mind
In our society we are told what to eat because it's good for us and we take it at face value. For so long I was told to drink my milk, eat my grains, fat is bad, and Splenda was a gift from above. I believed all these things, without question. When I got married, Kevin refused to eat the low-fat American cheese, the 100 calorie packs - anything "diet" for that matter. So, being the good wife I am, I eliminated those items from our diet in exchange for "real food" (we still ate our fair share of processed food then). Do you know what happened?? Just months after we got married I had LOST weight. Cutting out fake food made me loose weight. At the time; however, I couldn't figure it out because I was consuming more fat than ever before. This did not make sense!! It went against everything I have ever learned!
There are many times I find myself going through the grocery store or looking through a menu and my first thought is, "that's good for me", when in fact it's not. When we are told for so long what's good for us and it becomes your truth, you have to completely rewire your brain. My brain is in the rewiring phase right now.
Why I'm Doing This
Okay, so I understand that some of you may ask why I'm taking everything a step further with going gluten free. After all, isn't eliminated processed foods enough? My answer is simple. I am on a quest for wellness. After having children I began to question our food and what it does to us. My children are the primary reason I am on a mission to do better. Did you know that one in three of our children will have cancer? Did you also know for the first time we are projected to outlive our children. This SCREAMS that a change needs to be made! I want better for my children and I want better for me. I want to be around for my kids and I want my kids to be around for their kids.
I'm currently reading the Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf. This has changed my perception on grains. If you want to know the science behind how grains effect us you MUST read this book. I cannot even begin to explain it to you, but he made a believer out of me! The Paleo diet is more than cutting out grains, it's cutting out dairy and refined sugar as well. We have begun the phasing out process to live this lifestyle (which was just decided today). The only dairy we really eat is cheese and since we've went gluten free we've found we don't crave sugar. This past week I indulged in M&M's and a can a pop. Not a bad sugar consumption for a week, huh?! :)
Menu's
I'm going to start posting what we eat on this blog to show other's it's do-able! I can tell you, our meals will consist of meat, veggies, and fruit. Thankfully, we are in the summer months so I have more options!
Getting Started to a Healthier Lifestyle
For those that are seeking a healthier lifestyle, I would not recommend going gluten free cold turkey because it may be very hard to stick with (however, if you do choose to do this, bravo!!). First, cut out the processed food, or use the processed food rule - no more than 5 ingredients. Cut out all deli meat (PROCESSED!) and try to avoid using bread as a side dish when possible. Finally, STOP thinking of fast food as an option. If you eat crap, you'll crave crap. By taking baby steps, you'll find going gluten free will be much easier.
Whishing everyone a healthy and happy week! Blessings :)
Friday, June 17, 2011
Gluten-Free Day 3
It's day 3 of our gluten-free diet and so far we all feel great! My husband said he usually crashes for a couple of hours every afternoon, but since his diet has changed, he said that dragging/sleepy feeling went away! As for me, I've noticed my cravings for all things grain is completely gone. In previous posts, I wrote how I love my pretzels and I could not/would not give them up. My mother, being the ever-so-wonderful mother that she is, bought me gluten free pretzels at Fresh Market. Since we've cut out all grains though, I've noticed I don't even want to eat pretzels! This is HUGE!! I don't think you guys realize how much I LOVE my pretzels! :) The bloating that I was experiencing is gone. As for feeling sleepy, I still have that, but Jackson's not been sleeping the best so I really don't have a good gauge on that aspect yet!
If I had to guess, I'd bet we continue eating gluten free. I don't think my husband has any inclination to stop and I feel better so I don't plan on stopping either! The transition has been an easy one. Like I said in my previous post, we don't eat bread so our diet hasn't changed a whole lot. The biggest change for me is I can no longer pop in a pizza for lunch. All convenience foods are definitely out, which I've been trying to eliminate anyway. I've had to plan out meals, even lunch, just to make sure we have food to eat! Fast food is no longer an option for us. I'm mean, really, that's not all bad, right? If I had to guess, I'd say I lost some weight too. That wasn't the objective, but that is a great side effect :). One blogger wrote that she always had to worry about her weight until she went grain-free. I think that speaks volumes!
In closing, Bear Family Chiropractic is hosting a wellness workshop next Thurs @ 7pm at the Wells Co Public Library. Dr. Kevin, DC well be speaking about stress and Jill Sell, RN will be speaking about nutrition. To all parents reading this blog, I URGE you to come! I haven't heard the stress talk yet, but I'm sure it's great :). As for the nutrition aspect, this is a MUST! I learned SOOOO much from listening to Jill. I thought I knew quite a bit about nutrition before I heard her speak, but I was AMAZED at how much I learned after! I guarantee if come, you will be throwing out half the food in your pantry when you get home. Come! Come! Come! It's time to get healthy!! :)
If I had to guess, I'd bet we continue eating gluten free. I don't think my husband has any inclination to stop and I feel better so I don't plan on stopping either! The transition has been an easy one. Like I said in my previous post, we don't eat bread so our diet hasn't changed a whole lot. The biggest change for me is I can no longer pop in a pizza for lunch. All convenience foods are definitely out, which I've been trying to eliminate anyway. I've had to plan out meals, even lunch, just to make sure we have food to eat! Fast food is no longer an option for us. I'm mean, really, that's not all bad, right? If I had to guess, I'd say I lost some weight too. That wasn't the objective, but that is a great side effect :). One blogger wrote that she always had to worry about her weight until she went grain-free. I think that speaks volumes!
In closing, Bear Family Chiropractic is hosting a wellness workshop next Thurs @ 7pm at the Wells Co Public Library. Dr. Kevin, DC well be speaking about stress and Jill Sell, RN will be speaking about nutrition. To all parents reading this blog, I URGE you to come! I haven't heard the stress talk yet, but I'm sure it's great :). As for the nutrition aspect, this is a MUST! I learned SOOOO much from listening to Jill. I thought I knew quite a bit about nutrition before I heard her speak, but I was AMAZED at how much I learned after! I guarantee if come, you will be throwing out half the food in your pantry when you get home. Come! Come! Come! It's time to get healthy!! :)
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Gluten-Free Diet
I'm considering doing a gluten-free diet. Why gluten-free? If I was to tell my grandmother this, she would look at me and say I'm just doing it because it's the "in" thing. But Lord knows I love her! :) Seriously though, I have noticed over the past few years that I have been tired. Not a normal tired, almost exhausted. Some would say, "well, Kam, you do have 2 kids under the age of 3". And yes, I would have to agree with that. I've had other symptoms as well. I've been very bloated - to the point I feel like I'm pregnant (but THANKFULLY I'm not!). I also just want to feel better and be healthier.
Today, I read an article, "Will a Gluten-Free Diet Improve Your Health?". This article is great if you're considering going gluten-free. When I was first considering this, I thought it wouldn't be that hard because we don't eat bread, BUT we do eat pretzels, cheerios (kid's snack), bagels, oatmeal, tortillas, and spaghetti. I soon realized bread is only a small part of the equation.
At the very end of the article, there's a section about how gluten free doesn't always equal healthy. Lately, gluten-free products have been making their way into grocery stores. Even the Bluffton Wal-mart has gluten-free products (that's when you know it's a big deal :)). Just like every other packaged product, we need to know what we're eating. Manufacturers add extra sugar and fat to simulate the texture and satisfying fluffiness that gluten provides. Basically, you're eating junk. It's just gluten-free junk!
Bottom line, if I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it 100%. Here's the question...will it be too hard to stick with? I don't want to do this if it's going to be an impossible task. I'm not going to lie, I like my ice cream on occasion. If I have to cut out everything, then forget it. I am a firm believer that you have to be on a diet that you can stick with. And when I say diet, I mean the way one eats...I'm not talking about a diet to loose weight. If I choose to go gluten-free, it's because I want to be healthier; it has nothing to do with weight.
I think what I'm going to do is give it a trial run. I'm going to do it for one week and evaluate how I feel. I need to do more research in regards to what I can and cannot eat. If I cannot have any sweets at all, then I may have to count myself out :). I'm going to plan to start it on Tuesday and I'll document how it all goes. I'm guessing the first few days will be a little hellish!
Wish me luck! I'm going to need it! :)
Today, I read an article, "Will a Gluten-Free Diet Improve Your Health?". This article is great if you're considering going gluten-free. When I was first considering this, I thought it wouldn't be that hard because we don't eat bread, BUT we do eat pretzels, cheerios (kid's snack), bagels, oatmeal, tortillas, and spaghetti. I soon realized bread is only a small part of the equation.
At the very end of the article, there's a section about how gluten free doesn't always equal healthy. Lately, gluten-free products have been making their way into grocery stores. Even the Bluffton Wal-mart has gluten-free products (that's when you know it's a big deal :)). Just like every other packaged product, we need to know what we're eating. Manufacturers add extra sugar and fat to simulate the texture and satisfying fluffiness that gluten provides. Basically, you're eating junk. It's just gluten-free junk!
Bottom line, if I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it 100%. Here's the question...will it be too hard to stick with? I don't want to do this if it's going to be an impossible task. I'm not going to lie, I like my ice cream on occasion. If I have to cut out everything, then forget it. I am a firm believer that you have to be on a diet that you can stick with. And when I say diet, I mean the way one eats...I'm not talking about a diet to loose weight. If I choose to go gluten-free, it's because I want to be healthier; it has nothing to do with weight.
I think what I'm going to do is give it a trial run. I'm going to do it for one week and evaluate how I feel. I need to do more research in regards to what I can and cannot eat. If I cannot have any sweets at all, then I may have to count myself out :). I'm going to plan to start it on Tuesday and I'll document how it all goes. I'm guessing the first few days will be a little hellish!
Wish me luck! I'm going to need it! :)
Monday, May 23, 2011
What are You Going to Do?
I haven't blogged in quite awhile. We were blessed with a new home and we've been spending the last couple weeks getting everything in order, figuring out new routines and all the other fun stuff that goes along with moving!
Right now, I'm feeling a little frustrated/defeated about the entire food thing. I always feel like we can be doing better and sometimes I question where to draw the line. I have a confession...I love diet coke. Even to this day, if I can sneak in a diet coke I will. (I say sneak because my husband would never allow diet pop in his house :)). I don't know if it's addictive or what, but I CRAVE diet pop. I know I need to stop. Really, it's poison, isn't it?! It has so much crap in it and it goes against EVERYTHING I "preach" :). Anyway, that's a huge struggle, even now. Oh, but I love it!
Another thing I'm frustrated with is prices. We spend so much money on food. About a month ago, I totaled my bill up for that week. I had spent $300 on grocery's and I didn't buy any protein. I spent all that on fruits, veggies and some snack items. I am at the grocery store at least 3 times a week. Produce goes bad and I have to replenish. We eat everything I buy. After that $300 week I decided to put ourselves in a budget. Our budget is $150/week. I'm guessing that's on the high end? It's VERY hard for me to stick to that budget. I will never compromise on quality (grass feed beef, organic eggs, etc), so I've had to rework my menus. I went back to making roasts, soups, and roasting whole chickens. Most weeks we'll eat the same meal twice. I know people who are on a tight budget and manage to eat well. Nourished Kitchen, Kitchen Stewardship, and Keeper of the Home all offer great advice on cutting down food prices - you can follow them on facebook as well. I just need to devote my time to figuring out how to do better in this area.
Another confession I have is I am a cart snooper. I like to glance and see what people have in their carts. Just the other day I was in line with a man (I'm assuming he was single) who had about 10 Hungry Man meals, 6 six packs of pop and one apple. I looked at him and asked if he was going to have a party. (You know, he had TONS of pop). He just looked at me and said, "Nope, I like pop and I drink a lot of it". There was a man who knew nothing about nutrition. I hope that one apple served him well!
Sometimes, I think I'd like to help people shop for food. I'd like to see what they'd buy and give them some guidance. I know I am not all knowing in this area, BUT the stuff I see in people's carts blows my mind. In their defense, they don't know any better. Five years ago, I didn't know any better. There is a direct correlation between food and health. That is why we Americans are so ill...we have such a poor diet and we don't know it.
On a different note, I was very excited to find nitrate free hot dogs at Kroger (in Bluffton). I paid $6 for a package. What are you going to do? :)
Right now, I'm feeling a little frustrated/defeated about the entire food thing. I always feel like we can be doing better and sometimes I question where to draw the line. I have a confession...I love diet coke. Even to this day, if I can sneak in a diet coke I will. (I say sneak because my husband would never allow diet pop in his house :)). I don't know if it's addictive or what, but I CRAVE diet pop. I know I need to stop. Really, it's poison, isn't it?! It has so much crap in it and it goes against EVERYTHING I "preach" :). Anyway, that's a huge struggle, even now. Oh, but I love it!
Another thing I'm frustrated with is prices. We spend so much money on food. About a month ago, I totaled my bill up for that week. I had spent $300 on grocery's and I didn't buy any protein. I spent all that on fruits, veggies and some snack items. I am at the grocery store at least 3 times a week. Produce goes bad and I have to replenish. We eat everything I buy. After that $300 week I decided to put ourselves in a budget. Our budget is $150/week. I'm guessing that's on the high end? It's VERY hard for me to stick to that budget. I will never compromise on quality (grass feed beef, organic eggs, etc), so I've had to rework my menus. I went back to making roasts, soups, and roasting whole chickens. Most weeks we'll eat the same meal twice. I know people who are on a tight budget and manage to eat well. Nourished Kitchen, Kitchen Stewardship, and Keeper of the Home all offer great advice on cutting down food prices - you can follow them on facebook as well. I just need to devote my time to figuring out how to do better in this area.
Another confession I have is I am a cart snooper. I like to glance and see what people have in their carts. Just the other day I was in line with a man (I'm assuming he was single) who had about 10 Hungry Man meals, 6 six packs of pop and one apple. I looked at him and asked if he was going to have a party. (You know, he had TONS of pop). He just looked at me and said, "Nope, I like pop and I drink a lot of it". There was a man who knew nothing about nutrition. I hope that one apple served him well!
Sometimes, I think I'd like to help people shop for food. I'd like to see what they'd buy and give them some guidance. I know I am not all knowing in this area, BUT the stuff I see in people's carts blows my mind. In their defense, they don't know any better. Five years ago, I didn't know any better. There is a direct correlation between food and health. That is why we Americans are so ill...we have such a poor diet and we don't know it.
On a different note, I was very excited to find nitrate free hot dogs at Kroger (in Bluffton). I paid $6 for a package. What are you going to do? :)
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