You've heard of the Polar Bear Plunge, right? Jump right into that cold water, all for a good cause! Well, I am doing the New Year's Pantry Plunge: Eat everything up that is bad and then don't replace it with more! This is not as good of an idea as making a clean sweep of your pantry. But, the holidays are over and I can't bring myself to throw out the badness that I love so much, so I will let it deplete. If this does not work, then I will have to go cold turkey on the sugar for a while to readjust! This new year is not going to be a countdown to healthy eating for me, rather a practice in daily decision making. My first goal has come straight from Missy's comment on the last blog entry- preparing ahead. I will not buy anymore processed foods (graham crackers, cereal, enriched flour products). I probably will not even weigh and measure my food, but I WILL make attempts at discipline and self control when it comes to choosing the right foods.
Concerning my sweet tooth, I am going to experiment. Missy allowed herself icecream somewhat frequently and still saw results and felt great, so I may also allow myself dark chocolate (Ghirardelli's bittersweet chocolate chips or squares, to be precise). Some of you may be remembering that this was my past downfall and that I vowed to stop keeping chocolate chips on hand to bake with, so it may be that I allow myself to go get some when the cravings well up, but just not keep them around all the time.
If you are ready to be super precise about what you eat, then don't let me talk you out of it. There is a time and place for measuring and weighing- I would encourage anyone to do this in order to gain a realistic idea of what your body needs versus what you tend to want.
I hope you figure out your goals and then work towards them, experimenting. The road to health is a journey. I hope you will share your successes and failures with me (us!).
Preparing,
Angela
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!
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