Climbing the mountain

So, one thing I am most struck by when I converse with other parents about diet and nutrition is the general notion that making dietary changes give most people feelings akin to climbing a mountain.  I hear a lot of "I can't cook everyday" and "My kids would die without (blank)"...and I totally get it!  When my boys were younger, I remember reading a book about changing to a whole foods, all natural diet...and I laughed to myself, threw the book to the side and said "IMPOSSIBLE!".  I mean, seriously...get rid of all processed and prepackaged foods???  It couldn't be done!  Well...I suppose it could be done...but who could do that???  Not me!

The only difference between my situation when my boys were 4 months old, and 10 months ago...my outlook on the situation.  I started this process not planning on getting rid of every processed food...my goal was to get rid of 50% of it.  I figured, if I was feeding my family whole, nutritious foods 50% of the time...that was 50% better than I had been doing.  That is 50% fewer preservatives, 50% less artificial colors....50% fewer toxins entering my body and their body....and I was perfectly fine with that!  I did not ransack my cupboards and fridge and throw out hundreds of dollars worth of food.  I went through, found things I knew we would not likely use in the next 3 months (artificial sweeteners and condiments containing high fructose corn syrup were two big ones) and I donated what I could, threw away what I couldn't.  Then I slowly replaced foods in our cupboard with better choices.  I never had the intention that my husband and I would not go out to eat...and I sure never thought that my kids wouldn't enjoy ice cream or chicken nuggets!!  The difference was...I read labels and made the "BEST" choices I could.  As I continued to slowly make the transition, I easily found alternatives to 99% of our foods.  Transitioning slowly made the changes permanent...and I never felt like I was missing out.  I would say that today, we are making better choices 95-98% of the time...so I have FAR exceeded my goal...basically without thinking about it...almost accidentally!!  My theory...the fewer ingredients, the better!!  I also agree with a statement I've read several times "If your great grandparents wouldn't recognize it as food, neither should you!" 

Going to an all natural diet doesn't mean you'll be slaving over the stove either!  There are lots of options and choices out there that can help you to make a delicious and healthy lunch for your kids without spending the day in the kitchen!!  Keep things simple (that is the point!!!)...how about turkey burgers and steamed broccoli with butter???  My kids love peanut butter toast...we give them an all natural variety...ingredients "Peanuts, salt" and we've replaced our bread with one that is whole grain and doesn't contain HFCS (lots and lots of good choices out there!!).  Decreasing the number of ingredients in our food also is relevant to what I cook!  I have no intention of becoming a chef...just doing the best I can for myself and my family!

We are almost a year into this transition...I have lost several pounds without counting calories...without exercise and even more telling...I haven't gained any weight!  I eat butter and cream.  My kids drink whole milk and eat ice cream.  I just had a health screening for work and I passed with flying colors.  I am enjoying my life and my food and I am not a slave to dieting and "fake foods".  I am continuing to learn...continuing to further my knowledge, and my plan is to continue to to share that knowledge with others.  My blog might not always contain a recipe...but I will continue to share information...give suggestions on recommended reading and recent studies.  I really feel that knowledge is power and educating ourselves is key!

So, how do you climb a mountain???  One step at a time!  Good luck!