I know, I know .. .it has been way to long! But, I have been busy studying for my Fitness Nutrition Specialist certification! Yes, I will be official and can't wait to work with many of you. I am procrastinating studying right now to write for a bit. I have spoken with so many and heard quite a few stories about positive changes people are making for themselves and their families in 2014. I LOVE IT!!! I thought that might be a great topic to chat about.
I often have people ask what my day of eating looks like. Generally, I will redirect the question. The majority of people seeking to make major lifestyle and health changes, would be scared off by my diet. I don't mean that in a bragging way, I mean it in a perspective way. We all have to start someplace and comparing my diet to yours is not the way to build motivation. If somebody told me 5 years ago that I would be where I am today, I would have been either scared out of my wits or laughed so hard I would have fallen out of the chair I was sitting in (and most likely peed my pants . .the joys of birthing 3 babies .. but I digress). When we take time for change and follow it when we are ready to make it, our success is greater. My evolution has happened very slowly over many years. Today I am on day 9 of a 21 day purification. Yes, I get to eat plenty of food to not be hungry however that food is all veggies, some fruit, protein shakes and a tiny bit of brown rice or lentils. I will be absolutely honest, I really miss chocolate and my cup of decaf coffee, a glass of wine .. . and just the freedom to "cheat" a few meals a week. But, I am committed to this process in order to be able to talk about it with you all. Supposedly it will remove most toxins from my body which seems like a good idea! 3 weeks is a short period of time overall so it should be no big deal, right? Guess what, when you are ready to do your purification, I have some great ideas for ways to enjoy those veggies. I am actually looking forward to my roasted veggies for dinner. Seriously.
Back to the topic, baby steps. So, instead of talking about my diet, let's talk about the little things we can do in our houses to make healthier lifestyle choices. One of the things I will repeat from a previous blog is menu planning. I mentioned it before as a time saver but I will mention it now as a way to make healthier choices. If you plan your menus for the week, you will be less likely to grab take out, drive thru, or snack on junk. Take it a step farther and shop/prep for the week. That will make for a relaxing week in the kitchen and a healthier table. One of the things we are going to start doing is making protein shakes for the kids for breakfast. Yes, they are green but they don't taste like it. My kids love them and they are stuffed full of kale and spinach. Protein, fruit and veggies to start your day? Or cereal? Which do you think is going to prepare them for the day? Also, one step closer to decreasing the gluten in their diets. Win win
One thing we have done in our house is talk about health. I don't push it on everyone, just talk about it. Maybe with a certain food, why it is not a great healthy choice and give an alternative. Mac N Cheese for example…. it is not that hard to make some pasta and melt some grated cheese on it for a homemade version. Or, you can make it out of a box that has powder cheese and chemicals. Get really crazy and use a brown rice pasta or wheat at the very least. Can't fully admit my house is there yet but I am working on it. My kids have started to ask questions about food choices and are slowly taking their baby steps to better health. Do they have a treat after dinner, yep. Do I? Not right now but sometimes. The conversations about foods and why we eat what we do are helping to give them the ability to make better choices when they are away from home and into adulthood.
Another thing we are working into our routine is using essential oils. I am in love with doTerra Essential Oils. We are replacing any medication we can. I used them to treat Grace when she got croup (no middle of the night in the shower!). My kids have their own hand sanitizer in their backpacks that is make from oils not chemicals. They can drink it if they want .. which would be good for them. I clean our counters and bathrooms with the same oil (on guard). It smells good and keeps us healthy! I could go on and on but you get the point. Removing chemicals and toxins where I can.
So, where do you start? Start with YOU. What do you want to change? Where are the places you would like to improve upon with your health? As you slowly incorporate those into your habits, you can add them in for your family as well. But, be the role model first. I am truly amazed what rubs off when you make a change for the better. Many times my eating changes have been completely focused on weight loss so I wasn't doing it to make family changes but over time it has made a difference for us all.
Brad was at the store a couple of weeks ago with the cart full of veggies and a couple of other items. The checker asked if he had overdone it over the holidays and was trying to get back in the swing of things. Brad's response was, no, this is our norm. What is sad to me is that society's "norm" is to eat healthy after the new year, when we party too hard, or have been on vacation. And we wonder why obesity is out of control. Never mind heart disease, diabetes, etc.
Wow, I did not really mean to get on a soapbox. What I really want to accomplish is a brainstorm where you can share ideas too! We all want to make some healthier changes in our homes and I would love to hear some of your ideas. What is the small change you have made? What other changes do you want to make as part of your baby steps? Alright, I need to study. 6 chapters to go and then I can take my test. Can't wait to pass this baby step for me! Studying and tests…yikes! We all have our vices and our challenges but it is how we handle them and tackle them that counts. I can't wait to hear what some of you are up to! Please send me messages, comment below, etc! I love hearing your thoughts. Let's Journey to Wellness together! Cheers with my can of flavored seltzer water :)
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