Where are we now?

Yesterday I talked about how we got started on this whole healthy lifestyle adventure, and today I find it fitting to talk about where we are at this point.

I found the blog 100 Days of Real Food just over a year ago. Lisa, the author, blogs about her family's pledge to eliminate processed foods from their world. Herself, her husband and their two daughters took a 100 day pledge to eat a whole food diet after she started learning more about the American food system, its additives and the questionable ingredients that often make their way into our foods. Once I began reading Lisa's blog, that's when I really got serious about not just swapping a less healthy choice with a better version of itself, but actually learning to read and understand ingredient labels to help me make better decisions for our household.

Our 2014 New Year's Resolution was to eliminate as many processed and refined foods as possible, and base our diets around the best organic, local, and whole foods available to us. We used up many of the items in our house gradually, and slowly but surely our pantry, fridge and freezer transformed. Where there used to be Poptarts, you will now find whole grain, organic cereal and bread, along with fresh fruits and free-range organic eggs. Where there once was ice cream, there are now a variety of frozen berries, seafood and lean proteins. Our intention was to create a healthy, balanced diet at home, and be ok knowing that the world around us will still involve some less-than-stellar offerings from time to time. We had no intention of giving up ice cream, french fries, pizza and burgers for the rest of time. But what we did intend, and have since stuck with, is to enjoy these foods only on occasion, moderately, and to seek a locally crafted, high quality option.

We quickly fell in love with a new restaurant in our neighborhood that is centered upon locally farmed, family owned, organic ingredients. We only eat out 1-2 times per month, which means that the majority of our food we prepare ourselves. I enjoy cooking, and this also allows us to control what goes into our bodies. In Food Rules, Michael Pollan says, "Eat all the junk food you want, as long as you cook it yourself." The concept behind this phrase is that you are much less likely to consume something like french fries everyday if you have to wash, cut, soak, fry, and season them yourself versus simply pulling into the drive through of your favorite fast food joint. Most people, including us, are not going to go through that much effort on a regular basis, which in turn, keeps your indulging to a reasonable level.

One thing I want to remain clear through all of this is that we are not perfect people, nor perfect eaters, exercisers, or any of the like. We simply aim to be conscience of the decisions we make regarding food and our health, and allow those decisions to fuel our lifestyle. Our diet today consists of approximately 95% homemade meals, composed of almost entirely organic ingredients. There are certain items that are not available to us in an organic option, and for these we simply choose the best option there is, or omit them, depending on the situation. I'll talk about this in more depth at a later time, but I have been impressed over this past year at how much our options have expanded. There are some items, such as salad dressings, dipping sauces and other condiments that are surprisingly easy and quick to make yourself, and doing so eliminates a lot of questionable additives that are found in store bought versions. And here's a little secret, quality food just simply tastes better. Period.

While we have made leaps and bounds of improvement in just little over a year, we both still struggle with certain cravings that are hard to kick. For Jason, that's fast food. Things like Arby's roast beef and cheddar sandwiches, Taco Bell quesadillas, and Pizza Hut bread sticks are hard to resist. For me, I have a serious sweet tooth and a love for salty snacks as well. Part of what we hope to gain from our Whole30 challenge is a break away from the love affair we have with these items once and for all. Stay tuned for a future post outlining more of our goals for the Whole30 as well as how we are preparing for the challenge!