Some Tips on Eating Healthy

 In case you didn't know, at the start of the summer, James and I changed our diets. I can't say we are 100% vegetarian/vegan, but a lot of our meals are. Our goal was to try and eat as healthy as possible. We have eliminated a lot of processed foods, meat & dairy from our diet. Not to say that we don't ever have these things, but we have them a lot less now. With my new calling as a mother, I have found it rather discouraging, that the last 15 pounds I gained during my pregnancy has been sticking to me like white on rice. I wanted to do something about it and overall I was tired of lacking energy and focus.

I asked James to embark with me on this journey as I tried to find/invent recipes that didn't use meat. He was skeptical at first, but after we talked about it for a couple of weeks and he saw that he had gained some weight and was having a hard time losing it, he agreed. (Awkward sentence I know; too lazy to revise it.)

So I wanted to pass some tips on to you. Here they are in no particular order.

• Eliminate as much processed food as you can. I'm talking food from a box. Get rid of it or stop buying it and finish up what you have. Get out of the habit or mentality of thinking that boxed meals are quick and easy. I have so many recipes that take under 25 minutes to make and they are a lot more healthy that's for sure
• Stop eating out at fast food restaurants! No really, Stop! Not only are you throwing your money down the drain, but your health as well. If you want to go out on a date to a restaurant, than go for the vegetables not the fries. Baked potatoes are healthy has long as it's not smothered in a bunch of butter, sour cream, bacon and cheese and you eat the skin.
• Eliminate or at least try to limit how much white sugar is in your diet. You know, all those yummy sweets that you just can't avoid? Well, you don't have to necessarily. I have a couple of recipes for sugar free & dairy free desserts. Or take the recipe you have and substitute sugar for applesauce or all-natural maple sugar.
• Fresh, Fresh, Fresh! Buy as much fresh fruit and vegetables and use them! When I go grocery shopping 70% of the food I get is from the produce section. I have also read somewhere that it is healthier to eat fruits and vegetables that are in season and grown in your area. So if you can, support your local farmers markets or start your own garden! Keeping in mind to look up which fruits and vegetables are ok for the season you are growing them.
• Do not drink Soda or sugary drinks. I repeat, do not drink soda or sugary drinks! It is so so bad for you. Challenge yourself to drink as much water and whole juice as possible, but especially water. Sometimes this may mean asking your spouse or friend to join your for support. I have had to tell James no to buying soda a few times. Kool-aid is no better.
• Beans beans they're good for your heart, the more you eat the more you....yeah you know the rest. It may be a silly song, but it's so true. Same goes with the musical fruit version.
• Multi-grains and whole wheat. Multi-grain bread is better for you than white and even better than whole wheat. Whole wheat pasta (it takes a couple of times trying this to get used to it, but you will).
• Brown rice is soo much better for you than white rice. White rice is said to be one of the top 5 worse foods you can eat. Top 5! So stop eating it! Along with drinking soda! :-)
• Try to limit the amount of milk you consume. Soy milk is not to be consumed regularly either so I would suggest rice milk if you like to use milk often. I don't, so I just buy soy milk and it takes me 12 days to finish one little carton and even then I end up throwing some out. I don't say this because I'm against drinking milk; I'm not, but milk is fattening.
• I don't coupon for food. That's right, I don't coupon. You know why? Because all or most of the coupons out there are for processed foods. I realized that I was tempted to buy unhealthy food when I was looking up coupons. Instead, look at your local grocery store ads to see who has the best deals on produce. That's really where you want to be spending your money anyway. It's a long term investment into your health.

That's all I can think of now, but I"m sure I'll think of more later. If you have any questions, need clarification, or have specific requests for incorporating certain foods into meals, just leave me a comment.

Break out of the norm and do something good for yourself. And one more thing, just because you're skinny and eat junk doesn't mean you are healthy. I have known people like that who ended up having several vitamin deficiencies  with their doctors deeming them as being as unhealthy as someone 100 pounds heavier than them. Take care of yourself, you'll be happy you did!