If you've talked to me in the last week you've probably heard me obsessing over me and Zac's latest obsession. It all began when we signed up for a free trial on netflix. One of the first movies we watched online was a documentary called "Food Inc." Maybe you've heard of it? It was Zac's idea and I'm SO glad he found it, we both learned so much about where our food comes from.
I highly recommend this documentary to everyone! Although we didn't agree with everything the guy said and all of the information presented, it was still extremely informational and eye opening.
A few days later we watched another documentary about obesity and that was the one that pushed us over the edge. Here are the main things we learned from the movies that are influencing the major shift in our eating habits.
1. Pretty much all processed food contains some form of corn (high fructose corn syrup, corn starch) and/or Soy Bean Oil that help preserve the food. Check your labels and read the ingredients. In most of the packaged foods we have those items are within the first few ingredients. I know that corn is a veggie, but it is an extremely starchy veggie and it is no secret that starches fatten you up. Most farmers these days feed their animals corn to fatten them up faster. I'm still going to eat my starchy corn on the cob and mashed potatoes, but I don't want corn in everything I eat. Soy Bean oil is full of too much fat so that just adds calories to whatever it's in.
2. There are too many uneccesary preservatives in food that aren't good for us. All the produce is sprayed with all sorts of junk to make it ripen or not ripen or have color or what not.
3. Most of the food industry is governed by a few major companies. They control how food is grown and how animals are cared for, and because they want to make a maximum profit, the quality is going down. Buying from local farmers helps keep quality up.
There is a lot more, but those are the main things. This week we've been on a "no processed food diet." We aren't super strict, but we are trying hard. The main changes that we'll be making in the Daniels home are:
1. The ingredients label of every item that goes into our grocery cart will be carefully examined. We are trying to only buy items where we recognize every ingredient and where the first ingredients aren't oil or sugar. This definitely limits us! We were eating some serious crap!
2. I'm going to start shopping at our local farmer's market for all our fresh produce. When we have a little more room in a couple years we will grow our own garden and try to buy our meat from local farmers. This helps the local economy and lessons the control of the big businesses AND means healthier and fresher fruits and veggies for us. :) It's a little tougher on the wallet, but I think a heart attack would set us back quite a bit more!
3. So far this post has been the shared opinion of both Zac and I, but I'm not sure he would agree with me on this next one. I am done with fast food. It is just nauseating to me now that I know what all that stuff is made of, or at least realize that I don't know what it's made of. I want my children to out live me so I need to start by setting the example and taking care of my body. Fast food is a fast road to obesity and I'm not going to take my family there!
Am I crazy and obsessed or what!?!?!? I know, moderation in all things. but if I'm going to be obsessed about something at least it's not drugs and alcohol right?
Feel free to share your opinions, I'm NOT an expert on anything that I've written. I do have 2 grandmas in their 80's that are both still thriving, doing their own yardwork living healthily without medication and I think that a HUGE part of that is that they eat SO healthy and stay active. What better motivation is there than that?
I'd love any tips and pointers and recipes from any of you that know or have opinions on this stuff!
Veggie Smoothies
16 years ago
8 comments:
Well I am impressed, glad you guys are feeling inspired and motivated, its so easy just to eat the junk and what's easy and fast! I'll be excited to hear about your adventures in local produce and farmers market shopping :)
I don't think there's ANYTHING wrong with being obsessed over healthy eating!! I feel my best when I'm careful about following the food pyramid guidelines.
One of the things that has helped me a ton with healthy eating is a blender - it is so easy to throw in some frozen fruit, yogurt, and milk (yoplait makes a great smoothie blend where you just add milk) and voila! A serving of fruit, fills you up quickly, and berries are sooo good for you! Lots of variety and easy to change it up - you'll never get bored.
And, fast food is okay if you make good choices. It's not a great replacement for healthy eating, but you can choose grilled over fried, mustard over mayonnaise, salad over fries, and fat free soft-serve instead of an apple pie. It's all about the choices!
Good work in your determination to be healthy!! I have some good recipes on my blog, and I always know where to find the good ones if you need some inspiration!! :)
Good for you!! Buying local is HUGE!! Keep the little guys in business!!
Not eating fast food is HUGE HUGE!! There's a book called "Eat This Not That", it takes EVERY restaurant's menu and tells you what is the best option... even the BEST option is loaded with fats, calories and junk.
Good Luck!!! Love it!!!
love your post. chris and i watched that awhile ago and i enjoyed it for the most part. we try to buy locally but chris put me on a budget so it's kinda hard. we haven't gone out to a fast food joint in almost 4 months minus my spicy chicken sandwich i had last week and i wanted to barf it up when i was done. we only eat out 2wice a month and its usually a local place. i make our bread and i try not to buy junk though that has been hard since i have been pregnant. we make a ton of shakes around our place too. oh and i love making peanut butter and jam. it's nice to know what ingredients your eating isn't it?? i am starting to make my own lotions and face wash also. its been fun.let me know if you run across things so make. awesome post!!
xoxo
Reid and I consider ourselves pretty avid "clean eaters." Eating clean is all relative but we try to stick to the motto that if it didn't have a mother or grow in the ground, we don't eat it- most of the time.
This has been a huge shift in eating for me. I feel so much better when I don't eat processed crap and the weight just falls off.
a book that I love is called "the Eat Clean Diet" by tosca Reno. It really isn't a diet as much as it is a healthy lifestyle. You should read it, it is super easy to understand and follow.
Wow! What a lifestyle switch! You can't go wrong giving up processed foods. Maybe you would be interested in the meat your local rancher, sister Rachel Durtschi, is raising. Well cared for, proper feed, no cruel handling, etc. Or the organically raised free range deer and elk we eat around here. I concur with the smoothies: it is how I get 3 servings of fruit and vegies every day (add carrots for extra nutrition with no added taste to fruit smoothies). Keep us posted on how it goes!
That sounds awesome Melissa! Since being pregnant I have tried to eat healthier, less processed foods, buying food where I can actually understand the food lable. Your right though those food labels are hard to find! We really need to limit our fast food intake, I tell ya though pregnancy has me craving everything I shouldn't or don't normally crave like French fries, cup cakes and pizza!
I don't know if Teagan is having a hard time with the food switch, or if he does in the future, I am testing out this book it's called "Deceptively Delicious" By Jessica Seinfeld, and she has loads of recipies that have hidden veggies in the food, such as brownies, pudding, and all sorts of foods you wouldn't expect veggies in, and yet, the kids don't even know they are there! (according to her family) If you are intersted let me know and I will bring it over sometime and you can look through it.
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