In the course of one day, how much do you eat the whole thing? Given the incredible statistics of people who are overweight and obese in this country there are a lot of folks who don’t do it very often. When I was growing up I don’t remember seeing things in boxes or in the freezer that came that way.
We froze all our own fruit, made our own applesauce, canned peaches and if we had a treat in the summer of angel food cake with strawberries, the angel food cake was made fresh and the strawberries were from our garden. We picked blueberries on farms, got peaches from the roadside stand and found blackberries in our backyard (5 1/2 acres). I grew up on home-baked bread and meals that came from the stove or the oven (thanks Ma!). We even made our own ice cream on many occasion. I love fresh whole food!
That was my very blessed reality and one that I continue today (without the canning and freezing). There is a marked difference in how I feel when I eat whole real fresh food vs. eating at a restaurant, or God forbid something from a box. My stomach lets me know right away when I’ve eaten something that isn’t fresh. By contrast my energy level is completely different and my mental focus is sharp from eating whole foods.
At some point in the last fifty plus years convenience crept in and became more important. But, it’s not more important than your health! I have clients that when they first come to see me tell me they eat pretty healthy. Ahem, eating Chick-fil-A a couple of times a week is not healthy! And pre-packaged foods don’t carry the same nutritional value as whole foods. It definitely affects your energy and performance throughout the day.
I often speak of the sugar train. In case you haven’t heard, sugar is an addiction…sugar is a drug. And what sugar does to your health isn’t pretty. Check out this list, when I first read it, it was 121, now it’s 141 Reasons Sugar Ruins Your Health. I made the decision a few years ago to remove processed sugar from my diet and I haven’t regretted it or missed it. On that rare occasion when I choose to indulge my body responds immediately, yet sluggishly with “What the hell did you just do man?” The peace and sanity I experience from removing this addictive substance from my knife, glass, spoon and fork is amazing. Cravings—gone. It just isn’t worth it to me.
How often do you eat whole food from the ground? How much of what you consume comes from a can, or box, “pre-washed” bag or restaurant (where you don’t even know the origin)? If your primary source of food comes from these sources, start by adding one whole food per day. A piece of fruit or a steamed vegetable or salad you make yourself. The amazing thing is your taste buds will quickly adapt. Just ask my clients who have done the Learn2Balance cleanse! They are always blown away by how their body changes, the weight drops and taste buds adapt to healthier foods.
Challenge yourself to evaluate what you eat on a daily basis. Give yourself a healthy break this week – add in more WHOLE food.
It’s easier than you think to improve your focus, diet and energy!
With accountability, guidance and compassion from me – it makes it doable for you.
Call today! Because there is never a “perfect” time to start.
