So, this summer, I have really gotten more serious about what I put in my body. I have read about the digestive system and how sugar aggravates our entire system. I have seen how main stream meat is produced ("Food, Inc." at Belcourt Theatre).
I have learned how sugar wrecks our bodies ("Sugar Busters"). I have been persuaded that back to basics is the way to go. What we were meant to eat is meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and absolutely NO sugar. I have experimented enough to know that this is really true! I really do function better when I eat this way.
The book, "Sugar Blues" showed me that sugar is a business. It takes a lot of work to refine sugar cane. We would never do that ourselves! We might drink the cane juice, but it is nothing like the refined sugar that we are used to putting in our foods.
As I search for the best foods to feed my kids that they can enjoy, "Sugar Busters for Kids" has been a great resource- lots of explanation to reinforce the importance of instilling healthy habits, motivation to stick it out even when they complain, and recipes to use at home.
About this blog
In other words, the Zone + Crossfit = Optimal Heath!
This blog focuses on nutrition, using the Zone Diet as the basis. However, I often eat Paleo foods in Zone proportions.
I love to investigate anything having to do with food- what we eat and why. And what happens within our bodies, our organs, our brain, when we do? My precious mother struggled with eating disorders. I want to avoid this delimma based on research, common sense, and the natural consequences on my body. The Zone shows me where the balance lies between eating too much and eating too little.
My husband runs a Crossfit gym. Exercise and choosing the right foods have become a mission for ourselves and our children. We don't want to be nerds about it, we just want to be healthy.
I have been asked by several friends what I feed our family, especially our kids. My husband and I follow the Crossfit prescription to nutrition (meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar). If you know me, you know that the sugar part of this equation will be a life long struggle given my love for chocolate! Evan adheres to the stricter version known as the Paleo-Zone diet (and I do on my good days!) which requires the same foods in a ratio of 40% protein, 30% carb, and 30% fat. Children require 50% carbs, 30% fat, and 20% protein. If you're wondering how to figure this out, I do it on a per meal basis and I have a "block" chart from the Zone website.
It seems like a headache at first, but if you're interested, just know that it is not that bad once you practice it for a couple of weeks. All you need is a $10 scale and some determination. It really is quite simple and makes my life easier at the grocery store and when cooking dinner. Most of all, I feel great when I eat well- mentally and physically, and we all know that the physical can affect the mental and visa versa!
Evan and I are hunter/gatherer wanna-be's! This blog will track my journey of health as it should be, and the honest reality of living in a sugar fried culture. When it comes down to it, I get excited to talk about nutrition, but I am definitely not perfect at it! If you have the desire to eat well, but it is often a challenge to overcome the temptations along the way, then you are in the right company!
I hope you leave this blog feeling enlightened and encouraged as you go throughout your day!
