Another day is upon me:) I find it funny that I sit and write on my blog in the early hours. I tend to think most bloggers write at the end of their day when they have so much to chat about. I did tell you I do not follow the normal way, right? Well, the early morning is when I have a few extra minutes to play (especially on my non workout days). My mind is not working at full throttle so you might see a few misspellings or grammatical errors but I stated in the beginning that I was going to try to be as real as I can. So, there you have that:) I could be totally wrong about the blogger people thing. I mean...I've only read a few and they mostly had to do with food or education (snicker...now about my previous comments of errors). On that note I have an issue that I want to shout to people ...or at least lovingly explain to those who would like to learn. It has to do with food.
Food is not your enemy! You are! Food is a wonderful gift from God. It is fuel for our bodies. It can be fuel and taste yummy. We don't have to go wild and eat grass, beans, and tofu raw everyday to call our self a healthy eating people. Okay, now I'll step off my soap box and explain why I said this. I've been in some bible studies and mom groups lately where moms are feeding their families junk (processed everything, refined anything, deep fried whatever) and feel guilty but feel that healthy eating is too far out of reach for them. I've been there. There have been times where I've questioned quality food over junk b/c of cost and or prep time. Then I saw the light:) You just have to bite the bullet and try! You'll be pleasantly surprised. I was. Start small and give in sometimes...sometimes.
#1-do not deprive yourself of fast food. Go to Subway and choose healthy options (yes even subway has unhealthy options). Don't go out more than once or twice a week.
#2-Just say good bye to white breads! Refined sugars are bad. If you are a mom who is struggling with wanting to feed her kids healthy and not knowing how..start here! NO MORE WHITE BREAD.
#3-make a meal plan for the week and have your family help you. Talk to them about eating better...bring the word "healthy" in later since they might think if raw tofu or something. Ask for ideas. Once you have ideas then you can tweak them...this is where you might need help. Write in if you do...
here are some ground rules.
*Lean meats. I replace all ground beef w/ ground turkey (not the kind in the freezer section {yucky for some reason} but the kind by the meats). There are levels of turkey like beef. I try to choose the leanest 99/1 (almost no fat) It is cheaper than the leanest beef ..this is why I choose turkey over beef. I am a penny pincher. Bacon tip: My very good friend Kendra and food blogger uses the real deal in her food but stretches like 4 pieces in a whole meal. I use turkey bacon (best microwaved). If I use the real stuff then I use the real stuff and don't eat as much of my meal...I like me some bacon so I believe you can have just about anything in small amounts.
One more quick thing about meats. I have heard but have not researched the stuff in things such as bacon and lunch meats...nitrates to be one. I am not well educated on this and I guess until so I will continue to love my bacons and fresh (?) deli lunch meats.
*fruit. I have heard some people say their kids will not eat a piece of fruit. WHAT! Fruit is Gods candy people! I will not let you give this excuse...nope don't even try. You will have to find something your child likes...period. I think you should let you child have fruit when ever, unless close to mealtime.
*Veggies. Okay, we all know that these are important. I think we don't understand how to get them in. Raw is best. A kids serving size is only the size of their hand (not yours). That's like 1/2 Cup. If you can't find something raw like carrots or celery and peanut butter/ or cheese...or cucumber slices then cooked something and make it taste good by putting garlic and Parmesan cheese on it. Maybe let them dip in ranch. It's ok if they start eating something healthy by using something unhealthy to help it go down..in my opinion. The "helps" can start to minimize but the good stuff will stay later on. About 5 years ago I went on a quest to have my kids like salad. At every meal they had a side salad. The salad had plenty of cheese and ranch...raisin's, Chinese noodles, Mandarin oranges...whatever. Result. My kids LOVE salad. They didn't back then. It is now one of my 6 yr old's favorite foods. I started with the non nutrient iceberg and then to romaine and now I only get spring mix or baby spinach.
That's enough for now. So, If you eat out...only do 1 or 2 times in a week and choose healthy choices...oh one other thing....for you (the adult) only eat 1/2 your meal...period! not kidding here. Get water, bag 1/2 your meal up first thing (if you need to get it out of sight) and enjoy what you have in front of you. You'll wonder after your meal why you had been eating so much all those other times, hehee. Before buying food you make a meal plan. Buy lean meats, fruit, and veggies to snack on. No white breads of any kind or refined goodies...swissroll cakes...nothing.
Last thing...only if you might have a little time and like to make some cookies...yes I said cookies!
Pick up some whole wheat flour and some unbleached, all purposed flour. make your favorite cookie with this flour (1/2 and 1/2) and is enough sub'ing for now...eat only 2 cookies...and enjoy them! Okay. now...start!
Remember on thing please with your kids. Love them. If they are heavy they know it. You need to help them out of the hole you both dug. Together:) You should not be eating anything bigger than your hand...so look at the hand before serving:)
Now to unwind........
How can you find unwinding in all this? Listen please.
Being a mother, women, or just a person in this world is hard work. It's a busy, crazy life we live. When we throw kids and family in the mix it gets even crazier but even better, right! We all know when we need to make changes in our lives. It might have to do with money, it might be spiritual, it might be the way we've been treating the loved ones around us, it might be the way we are treating ourselves. I don't know what your thing is today...but hopefully you are striving to better your self in some way today. Striving to make a change in some way..if not in you then maybe in the lives around you:) What I'm trying to get at is that when we don't do the things we know we should we can't rest...even when we have the chance to relax. We might seem to look as if we are fine and relaxed...we might have the chance..but even if we were in a beautiful spa being pampered like a queen we would not be able to unwind. So, if God put the desire in your heart to feed your family better quality foods than you better believe you won't be able to truly unwind until you at least start your journey. You can go to the local "Mac" and have a quick cheap meal and feel like "man, I should have just fixed something"...Or you could just fix something healthy a nd quick...and be proud that you started and sit down on the couch and smile b/c you can finally unwind.
Food is not your enemy! You are! Food is a wonderful gift from God. It is fuel for our bodies. It can be fuel and taste yummy. We don't have to go wild and eat grass, beans, and tofu raw everyday to call our self a healthy eating people. Okay, now I'll step off my soap box and explain why I said this. I've been in some bible studies and mom groups lately where moms are feeding their families junk (processed everything, refined anything, deep fried whatever) and feel guilty but feel that healthy eating is too far out of reach for them. I've been there. There have been times where I've questioned quality food over junk b/c of cost and or prep time. Then I saw the light:) You just have to bite the bullet and try! You'll be pleasantly surprised. I was. Start small and give in sometimes...sometimes.
#1-do not deprive yourself of fast food. Go to Subway and choose healthy options (yes even subway has unhealthy options). Don't go out more than once or twice a week.
#2-Just say good bye to white breads! Refined sugars are bad. If you are a mom who is struggling with wanting to feed her kids healthy and not knowing how..start here! NO MORE WHITE BREAD.
#3-make a meal plan for the week and have your family help you. Talk to them about eating better...bring the word "healthy" in later since they might think if raw tofu or something. Ask for ideas. Once you have ideas then you can tweak them...this is where you might need help. Write in if you do...
here are some ground rules.
*Lean meats. I replace all ground beef w/ ground turkey (not the kind in the freezer section {yucky for some reason} but the kind by the meats). There are levels of turkey like beef. I try to choose the leanest 99/1 (almost no fat) It is cheaper than the leanest beef ..this is why I choose turkey over beef. I am a penny pincher. Bacon tip: My very good friend Kendra and food blogger uses the real deal in her food but stretches like 4 pieces in a whole meal. I use turkey bacon (best microwaved). If I use the real stuff then I use the real stuff and don't eat as much of my meal...I like me some bacon so I believe you can have just about anything in small amounts.
One more quick thing about meats. I have heard but have not researched the stuff in things such as bacon and lunch meats...nitrates to be one. I am not well educated on this and I guess until so I will continue to love my bacons and fresh (?) deli lunch meats.
*fruit. I have heard some people say their kids will not eat a piece of fruit. WHAT! Fruit is Gods candy people! I will not let you give this excuse...nope don't even try. You will have to find something your child likes...period. I think you should let you child have fruit when ever, unless close to mealtime.
*Veggies. Okay, we all know that these are important. I think we don't understand how to get them in. Raw is best. A kids serving size is only the size of their hand (not yours). That's like 1/2 Cup. If you can't find something raw like carrots or celery and peanut butter/ or cheese...or cucumber slices then cooked something and make it taste good by putting garlic and Parmesan cheese on it. Maybe let them dip in ranch. It's ok if they start eating something healthy by using something unhealthy to help it go down..in my opinion. The "helps" can start to minimize but the good stuff will stay later on. About 5 years ago I went on a quest to have my kids like salad. At every meal they had a side salad. The salad had plenty of cheese and ranch...raisin's, Chinese noodles, Mandarin oranges...whatever. Result. My kids LOVE salad. They didn't back then. It is now one of my 6 yr old's favorite foods. I started with the non nutrient iceberg and then to romaine and now I only get spring mix or baby spinach.
That's enough for now. So, If you eat out...only do 1 or 2 times in a week and choose healthy choices...oh one other thing....for you (the adult) only eat 1/2 your meal...period! not kidding here. Get water, bag 1/2 your meal up first thing (if you need to get it out of sight) and enjoy what you have in front of you. You'll wonder after your meal why you had been eating so much all those other times, hehee. Before buying food you make a meal plan. Buy lean meats, fruit, and veggies to snack on. No white breads of any kind or refined goodies...swissroll cakes...nothing.
Last thing...only if you might have a little time and like to make some cookies...yes I said cookies!
Pick up some whole wheat flour and some unbleached, all purposed flour. make your favorite cookie with this flour (1/2 and 1/2) and is enough sub'ing for now...eat only 2 cookies...and enjoy them! Okay. now...start!
Remember on thing please with your kids. Love them. If they are heavy they know it. You need to help them out of the hole you both dug. Together:) You should not be eating anything bigger than your hand...so look at the hand before serving:)
Now to unwind........
How can you find unwinding in all this? Listen please.
Being a mother, women, or just a person in this world is hard work. It's a busy, crazy life we live. When we throw kids and family in the mix it gets even crazier but even better, right! We all know when we need to make changes in our lives. It might have to do with money, it might be spiritual, it might be the way we've been treating the loved ones around us, it might be the way we are treating ourselves. I don't know what your thing is today...but hopefully you are striving to better your self in some way today. Striving to make a change in some way..if not in you then maybe in the lives around you:) What I'm trying to get at is that when we don't do the things we know we should we can't rest...even when we have the chance to relax. We might seem to look as if we are fine and relaxed...we might have the chance..but even if we were in a beautiful spa being pampered like a queen we would not be able to unwind. So, if God put the desire in your heart to feed your family better quality foods than you better believe you won't be able to truly unwind until you at least start your journey. You can go to the local "Mac" and have a quick cheap meal and feel like "man, I should have just fixed something"...Or you could just fix something healthy a nd quick...and be proud that you started and sit down on the couch and smile b/c you can finally unwind.
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