If you read my blog, you may recall my frustration with staying healthy and the struggle of bringing my family along for the ride. Thus far, I have been shopping for three different diets; mine, my husbands and my kids. Besides being expensive, it was overwhelming trying to stock my cupboards to everyone's likings. After writing that post, I almost deleted it, thinking it was just whinny and self indulgent. But I must say, it helped me see how dumb the struggle was. I'm the mom! I've done the research and gosh darn it, I'm taking the reins.
I started the next day, clearing our lives of the things I don't want my family putting into their bodies. Providing the healthy balanced options and getting my hands dirty in the kitchen.
By removing the packaged foods, there is plenty of room in the budget for fresh food. By reading labels, and scrutinizing the amount of sugar and preservatives, the list of packaged foods I will buy has dwindled to almost nill. By baking and cooking more, we all feel more appreciative and connected to our food, seeing it for the precious thing that it is. To eat my the sweat of your brow, makes everything taste better
Whereas before, I would just try to slip in healthy things, I am now pointing them out, and teaching my kids why. Why do I buy orgainic, cage free, grass fed, meats and eggs. Why are most cereals not good for our bodies. What tricks are the food companies using to confuse us. I am finally telling my kids, instead of covertly keeping them in the dark. This food journey has been a big one for me and I don't want my kids to have to start as late as I did.
I have learned that there is a big difference between being thin and being healthy. I have been thin on shakes and bars ( totally constipated too I might add). I have been thin while taking my body of a roller coaster ride of hormones and blood sugar spikes. I have been thin, but low on energy. I have been thin but felt like I was struggling....this is not healthy. Food, good clean, HONEST food is the key.
To my surprise, the honesty hasn't caused them to be angry or scared of the world around them. I have seen them start to feel empowered by their knowledge and understanding of a very complicated issue in the United States. "We must learn to eat clean in a dirty world" is a quote that runs through my head. To me, my responsibility to teach my kids how to maneuver through the deception around them about food, is the same I have to teach them to avoid other pit falls of the world.
They may think their mom is a nut, but I hope some of it sinks in!
6 comments:
good for you! And I'd totally copy, except I know I'm not mentally prepared to give up cereal yet :) Maybe someday...
I think it's great that you're teaching your kids to love real food. And, of course they think you're weird :)
Love every word! You just validated my efforts with my family! I love teaching my kids about healthy choices and balanced eating. They help me with getting our fruits and veggies Saturday morning at a food coop. They know that is what we are eating the next coming week. I love their questions about food, especially when we changed grocery stores to get better quality organic groceries. Randy gives me a hard time about our change dairy and meat. He likes to have me explain my actions. Drives me nuts. He mostly does it for my reaction-the little stink! He can't complain when there is a fantastic meal waiting for him after work.
knowledge of real food does empower my children. It empowers me. One more thing I choose to do different from everyone else.
One person comes to mind the more and more I use grains and healthy alternatives. Betcha you can guess who! I laugh at myself cause I never said I would be that extreme. well never say never!
I loved your post. I think nutrition is so huge. I want to be like you but I am too overwhelmed to do more baking and cooking. Can you give me some quick and easy things I can do?
Hooray! Seriously! Evie knows why she can't eat school lunch on any meat pattie day, she knows how those patties are made and why she isn't eating them. Its made my life a little harder, because she always asks what's for lunch the next day, and then tells me if she will eat it or not, she usually shuns the stuff I don't want her to eat, but that means I have to send her to school with a healthy lunch. I'm totally with you, I want these girlies of mine to do without the body image issues, etc. Oh, that I had THAT power!
Nora and I have been studying nutrition for years. I recently came across this book: In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
-- Max
PS go read my post from today and you will KNOW you are doing the right thing!
Post a Comment