Lately, my husband and I have been convicted of our diet. I'm not talking about cutting out fried foods or sweets for a few months. I'm talking the whole spectrum that makes up our daily eating habits. It has become acutely apparent to me that our society, this "American" way, has made food a convenience rather than a means to live. Our "impoverished" are even over-weight. McDonald's is a staple in every town. I was sitting in a CiCi's a few months ago and it hit me how lazy and wasteful we are. There I was with this long buffet of pizza in front of me, and I wasn't even going to finish the mound of food I had piled on my plate.
On a deeper, spiritual level, I have become even more aware that my body is the temple of God. Your body is too. I have been given this vessel, this physical life, to steward. By honoring my body, I honor Him.
Now, I'm not saying all this to show off or confess that I have perfected my diet. (I ate a brownie yesterday... and the day before that.) This is also not a 5-step course on how to lose 5 pounds. What I hope to do in this post is simply inspire you to take action, however small that may be, to make your life healthier.
When most people decide to get healthier or lose weight, they automatically think of exercise. And though exercise plays a very important role in a healthier lifestyle, it is only 30% of the contribution. The other 70% is diet. Not the kind of diet where you cut out carbs or drink this shake for 6 days straight. No, it's a lifestyle change. It's not something you do just for a few months to get the results you're looking for. It's something you commit to doing for the rest of your life.
Our bodies are starving for nutrients. Why else do you think we get sick after we've had a stressful few weeks? Why else do you think we have a persistent cold all through winter? Why else do you think heart disease is one of the leading killers in the country? Because our bodies have been designed to use certain tools to fight these invaders, and we are stripping them of these tools.
I know that making a lifestyle change is never easy. Most of the time we fail several times before we truly commit. And it never happens fast. Change is a slow process. It's difficult, painful, and frustrating. BUT the longterm effect is beautiful. So here are some facts and tips that I have learned thus far in my process.
-Start small. What I mean by that is don't bite off more than you can chew (ha, literally and figuratively!) Don't hit it hard week 1. You'll find yourself unsatisfied and defeated. Buying healthy can be expensive, so loading down your grocery cart with fruits and vegetables you've never heard of might not be the best thing to do at first. Instead, try one new vegetable or decide to incorporate more vegetables in your meals.
-Substitute. Examples: a lot of red meat is NOT good for you. And unfortunately, it is very prevalent in our diets. So, substitute ground beef for ground turkey. Seriously, if it's a dish with seasonings, you won't be able to tell the difference. Another example is processed sugar. Process sugar is so bad for you. But natural sugar in the right amount is much better. So, try putting natural honey in your coffee instead of the white grainy stuff. Or get natural peanut butter. Substituting little things can make big pay offs. Start researching other ways you can substitute for the things you consume on a daily basis.
-Invest in a juicer. If you don't like eating your greens, this is a great alternative. I like to juice kale and spinach because of their high nutritional values, but I would never be able to get that down on its own. So I add an apple, a few carrots, and a banana to the mix. Ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom, ya got ya self a healthy smoothie.
-Vitamin C. Stress triggers your body to produce adrenaline which breaks down Vitamin C which is what fights against colds and such. SO, if you feel like you are having or anticipating a stressful week, pop in some extra Vitamin C pills in the morning. Your body knows how to get rid of it if it doesn't need it. But you'll be less likely to get those annoying sniffles.
-Drink water. Oh my goodness, am I a stickler for water! Water is SO good for you, people. Stop complaining about how it has no flavor! Cut out those TERRIBLE soft drinks and start guzzling the agua. Your kidneys will thank you. If cutting out sugary drinks is difficult for you because you're addicted, again start small. Replace one drink a day with a glass of water. Or add in some water flavoring if you really can't stand the blandness (don't get addicted to that though).
Side note: I've heard that if you're afraid of getting those caffeine headaches, drinking ample amounts of water cuts that out. It's just what I've heard, but try it.... unless you're scared. :)
-I heard Dr. Oz say not to eat past 8 pm. And it makes sense. How many of us really do anything after 8 pm anyway? I would say though, if you just can't wait until morning, eat an apple, some carrots, or something low in calories. Because where is your body going to put that pint of ice cream once you've gone to bed? (answer: your hips!)
-Count calories. I've had several people give me crazy looks when I told them I was counting calories. Seriously, guys, you've got to start early because once you're 100 pounds overweight you're going to wish you had. I have an app on my phone that keeps track of everything. Limiting my body to the number of calories it NEEDS is much better for me than eating until I'm "full". I've really noticed how much of a mindless eater I am. I'll sit down with a bag of chips and just snack. Next thing I know, I've eaten 4x the serving size! So keeping tracking of how much I take in has helped me to take advantage of what I do eat and get the most out of it.
-Cut out bleached foods. White bread, white sugar, white flour, white rice, etc. If it's not naturally white, don't eat it.
-Take liquid minerals. I'm not doing this right now, but I've done it in the past and I never got sick. You can order these online and get them in bottles. It's usually about one or two tablespoons a day. Quite painless.
-Do this with someone you love. It has been a huge help that my husband was just as inspired as I was about being healthy. And in return, we inspire each other. We are not meant to do this life and everything that goes with it alone.
-Pray about all of this. Ask God what areas of your diet are not honoring Him. He'll be gentle, I promise.
I don't claim to be a perfect eater. I have a sweet tooth that gets the best of me daily. (This is something that I will be fighting for a while.) But being conscientious of what I eat has made a huge difference. I hope you've found some inspiration in this post. This is the only body you get for this life. Why not take care of it?
If you're interested, here are some documentaries that really got me thinking. I found them on Netflix.
'Hungry for Change'
'Food Matters'
'Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead'
