Lots of readers have signed up to take our “10 Days of Real Food” pledge in the New Year, and this is what some of them say they have learned from the experience…
“Doing this has made me realize how horribly we were eating, with all of the ‘time crunches’ we place on ourselves. This has caused us to slow down, eat and prepare food together and has improved family dynamic as well as over all health.” – Port Orchard, WA
“I learned coffee creamer has no cream! That my children are willing to try new things, especially if presented in a fun way. I used to use way more processed foods than I realized. I also learned I love spaghetti squash!” – Auburndale, FL
“I learned a great deal about food additives – we were already what I considered ‘healthy,’ but upon closer examination of our food choices, I realized that there were a host of contaminants in our meals, and subsequently in our bodies. As we traded in our breakfast cereal for green smoothies, I saw changes. Moods lightened, bowels began behaving, and cravings even started changing. The crunch of an apple is as addictive as that of a potato chip.” – Old Hickory, TN
“After a few days of withdrawal and brain fog, I started feeling great. I now have less fatigue during the day and just feel good about what we’re eating.” – Des Allemands, LA
“It has made me a much more thoughtful eater and shopper. I definitely have more energy and I’m not experiencing the hunger highs and lows I had before. I even had a few people tell me I look great.” – Swampscott, MA
“I have learned so much more on the problems preservative can have on my children. My son has ADD and we feel we see a change. I cut out food dye a while ago but with the change of food, he seems to be doing more talking and can concentrate more.” – Roseville, MI
“I have to admit the first day I was a little worried that I wouldn’t do the challenge, that I would get 3 days in and give up. I have tried so many of these types of challenges and failed miserable at them. This time was different – I really wanted to succeed, and I did. I have noticed I have more energy and I seem to be happier. That could be because my body feels better, or the fact that I am happy I was able to accomplish this. Either way, yay me for doing this.” – Outside of the U.S.
“The biggest thing I learned was that organic and natural does not equate to bland and tasteless. With some ingenuity we had some tasty meals. Eliminating that stigma came easily. The key was planning out the meals as opposed to quickly grabbing something convenient.” – Tacoma, WA
“I had been trying to integrate real food recipes into our diet for several months and trying to learn the ‘rules’ to make better decisions. Therefore it was not as overwhelming to do the ten days once we had been cooking this way for a few months.” – Pell City, AL
“I feel better, I have more energy, I’m even not craving sugar AS much as I used to, my skin looks great, I’ve lost 4 lbs, and I KNOW I am eating SO much better! The kids have been eating more fruit and vegetables because there is very little junk in the house.” – Overland Park, KS
“I learned that you really have to plan out your meals and snacks– and that real food tastes really good! I have slowly been cutting out processed food over several months and have lost several pounds. I was surprised that I didn’t miss eating out. It’s comforting knowing exactly what is in my food.” – Des Plaines, IL
“At first it was MISERABLE!! The sugar cravings and headaches from it was bad, but pushing through it I noticed I started to have more energy, actually wanting to get out of bed in the morning. My boys started acting calmer, and less out burst/tantrums! If I’d have known it would have such great effects I would have done this SO long ago!” – Tehachapi, CA
“Just reading labels has been an eye opening experience. Something as simple as a chicken broth can have so many unnecessary ingredients and sugar! This has definitely changed my lifestyle, and since Jan 2nd I have lost 9.8 pounds!” – Midlothian, VA
“I learned that eating healthy is not painful! The food was actually tasty and not difficult to follow. I feel really good! I even lost 7 lbs…which is huge for me! For the first time, this doesn’t feel like a ‘diet’ but like a real ‘life-style change.’” – Westfield, IN
“The first 5 days were hard, lots of cravings and hunger, and intermittent headaches. There was a fairly abrupt change at day 5/6, I suddenly had more energy, less hunger and cravings, and I felt better overall.” – Piscataway, NJ
“Where do I start???? We have learned so much about our bodies in just these few 10 days. We learned that eating “Real Food” taste better, looks better, makes us feel better, helps you loose weight, helps my son focus better in school and have better behavior. Just to name a few. And since we are eating better we felt like we need to move more. So have been doing some form of exercise almost every day since we started. So it has a trickle down effect.” – Plainview, TX
What have you learned since ditching the processed food?
Sponsor Shoutout: eMeals
If you are trying to reduce the processed food in your life then you’ll definitely want to check out the “Clean Eating” Meal Plan track from our sponsor, eMeals. They have meal plans for both big and small families and even offer a Paleo track as well. Each week eMeals subscribers get 7 different dinner recipes (including side dishes) along with a corresponding grocery list. Many of our readers use meal planning services because they can save you both time and money…it’s definitely worth looking into!
Food Babe Investigates: How Food Companies Exploit Americans with Ingredients Banned in Other Countries
Jessica
February 15, 2013 at 11:00 amI didn’t take the 10 day pledge, but had been eating this way for 2 weeks and came across the facebook page. My biggest surprise was how willing my 8 year old daughter was to listen to about the crap that goes into processed foods and the way animals aregiven so many “supplements”. She is making better choices on her own and we all feel better, and that’s motivation enough to keep it up and bulk up our recipe box with new meals and better habits.
Erin
February 15, 2013 at 11:15 amI love reading these, I start my pledge with my family this weekend and this gives me such a boots in confidence.
Victoria
February 15, 2013 at 11:18 amI am so glad I found this challenge! I have stuck to it and it really has become a new way of life for me and my husband. Our eating habits have changed drastically and they way I shop has changed as well. It’s amazing how much better we feel. I love it!
Jason Leake with 100 Days of Real Food
February 25, 2013 at 11:28 pmGood for you Victoria! It really is amazing how real food becomes a new normal and how (relatively) easy avoiding processed food becomes over time.
Debbie
February 15, 2013 at 11:25 amWe as a family started 2days ago. WE realize how much we overeat. Our portions would be that of the whole banana pancake recipe vs. half of it (I’m assumming 1/2 since there aren’t real clear portion sizes). Also I knew how many choices there were in processed foods before, we normally don’t buy triscuit crackers, but how many dang choices of triscuit crackers do there really need to be LOL. We bought plain originals. I told my husband, if you want red pepper olive oil triscuits what would be the problem with stickin’ a redpepper and some olive oil on your own plain triscuit? Ughhh and of course all the chemicals in that cracker to give you the right flavor. We are looking forward to a healthier family and a healthier pocket book :) Thank you 100 days of REAL FOOD
Melinda Simmons
February 15, 2013 at 11:26 amI didn’t take the pledge, but my family has been eating this way since Jan. 1st and the results are amazing! We are eating better tasting food than we ever have and I feel like a proper cook for the first time in my life! It is so satisfying to see my family love the things I make for them so much. An extra bonus…I’ve lost 16 lbs! We will be eating this way for the rest of our lives. I can’t imagine deciding one day that I would like to start feeding my family chemicals again! This lifestyle is amazing!
Maggie
February 15, 2013 at 11:54 amLisa,
I have never thanked you for your blog and I guess now is a good time. I stumbled upon your blog last July and decided to read In the Defense of Food. After I read the book we made emmediate changes in our diet. I lost about 12 lbs in 8 weeks (the last of the weight from baby number 2 shooting me into the 120’s). I follow your blog almost daily. I feel like our whole family is healthier and happier. Even my husband noticed a big difference in the way clean eating made him feel, especially at work. Thank you so much!
Maggie
Lisa
February 15, 2013 at 12:00 pmI have not taken the challenge yet, because I have realized I dont know enough about basic cooking to cook real food all the time yet. So Im plodding along, reading alot, and making lots of mistakes in the kitchen. The fact I used to eat box mac n cheese because I didnt know how to make a basic Roux is pretty sad, but Im betting not at all unusual.
Amy
February 15, 2013 at 6:43 pmNope, not unusual at all. Keep up the good work!
Zoe
February 19, 2013 at 12:10 amMistakes in the kitchen happen to everyone, even seasoned chefs (pardon the pun). Cooking has a learning curve and not all of us, myself included, were taught cooking basics from childhood. If you had asked me ten years ago what a Roux was, I would have replied “A river in France?” Reading recipes, adapting them to suit your preferences, and learning from mistakes is part of cooking. Everything you learn builds upon itself. Hang in there. Don’t be discouraged or afraid of trying new things.
Leslie
February 15, 2013 at 12:10 pmMy 13-year-old son told another little boy he may want to eat more protein and less junk if he wanted to behave better! I thought that was a hoot – and oh so true. :)
Chantelle
February 15, 2013 at 2:00 pmlol awesome
Jen
February 15, 2013 at 12:48 pmI also would like to thank you so much for doing this blog! I love your suggestions for dealing with kids/family. I have always thought I have eaten healthy fat free/ low cal… and then a few yrs ago started “couponing” (which for me was all processed crap) but as a runner could eat it and wouldn’t get fat but noticed that I was sick ALL the time, kids too. Side note: I have since I was 12 had cronic migraines with an aura. I found your blog over a year ago and all last year I only had to take my kids to the doctor for their well child visits (so far so good this year too but it is only Feb)and, only had 1 series of migraines right after the birth of my 3rd this past summer when I ate the hospital food/neighbor meals. I just love your suggestions for the kids/holidays. Yesterday I made the melon on a stick and called them my “fun suckers”-a nick-name I got when copied you and handed out glow sticks for halloween. I did feel good when we drove by a McDonalds and my 4yr old yelled, “LOOK MOM THERE IS A PARK IN THAT BUILDING.” Thanks again I love that I have such a great resource/support group in your blog.
Brandy
February 15, 2013 at 1:34 pmPlanning on starting this way of eating on Monday but confused on portion size. How do you know what the proper portion size for a man women and 10 year old son appropriate ? By the way me being the women need to loss about 10 pounds. Thank you!
Shallon
February 21, 2013 at 5:14 pmPortion size maters less than to stop eating when you are no longer hungry, even if there is still food on your plate. Start with putting less than you think you need, then really think about whether you need more or not before you get seconds. Remind your son – and yourself that you might be eating something because it is really good not because you are hungry – you can always eat it again another time instead of over eating it this time.
Chantelle
February 15, 2013 at 2:19 pmI guess my story is pretty different from the rest.For most of my life I’ve been dealing with an anxiety/eating disorder. I’m 5’10” and at my lowest point I was 118 pounds.
I’m happy to say that changing the way I have been eating (a process that has taken 2.5 years and is still ongoing!) that I have gained a healthy 17 pounds, and I am now within my BMI where I should be. And my weight is stable!
I started reading 100 days of real food a little less than a year ago, and it has really helped how I view food. Before I used to be obsessed with facts such as fat content, calories, and I would portion control to the extreme or starve. I grew addicted to that light headed feeling, for me there was strength in doing what I knew others didn’t have the self-control for.I had a fear of food, but reading your blogs and seeing all the positives in food and with no focus on micro-nutrients and fat content really helped me.I worked on changing the way I viewed food. This food is good, processed foods are bad. Stop focusing on the bad in everything, and eat and focus on the good. Enjoy food, enjoy life.
It may sounds simple to most, but it’s helped me alot. Also I’m usually one of those people who get 4 colds a year. This year I’ve only had one! It’s proof that food and good choices are making me a stronger person :)
Jana
February 15, 2013 at 4:05 pmI came across your blog about 6 months ago and it has transformed the way we eat. Before reading your blog, I weighed 131 pounds and today I weigh 120. I only buy organic foods for my family and I pack the kids’ lunches every day. I take my 9 year old grocery shopping with me every week so that she can be part of the process. Before your blog, my family often ate separate meals because my oldest daughter was a VERY picky eater. Since your blog, I decided that I will cook ONE healthy meal for dinner and she needs to try at least one thing. She now eats chicken! She doesn’t even complain about dinner anymore. It has increased our time together as a family. I’m not perfect with my eating, I still eat out for lunch, but I don’t do fast food anymore. I will choose restaurants that serve real cooked foods and I make better choices. I really credit this huge change to you and your blog, so THANK YOU very much. :)
Lisa
March 21, 2013 at 2:05 pmIt sounds like you are doing great Jana! I am so glad to hear your story and also that we could help along the way :)
Courtney
February 15, 2013 at 5:23 pmI am about to embark on this challenge, and have been revving up by stocking my kitchen full of the good stuff….and praying :) I am horrible with food, and hoping this challenge will be, well, challenging, but successful. I’m encouraged by these comments!
Courtney
Leighann
February 15, 2013 at 8:37 pmI decided to take your challenge for Lent. I’ve been reading your blog for a year and have been slowly making changes to our family’s eating habits since my father passed away from colon cancer 6-1/2 years ago. I remain convinced that his diet was a significant factor in his illness. I’ve been intimidated to take the plunge with your challenge, because I don’t love to cook. But today while shopping with one of your lists, I realized another reason I was so nervous to take this challenge is because I have been reluctant to take full ownership of my family’s eating. As much as I wanted us to get healthier (and we are already pretty healthy), I still wanted a short cut to make it “easier.” And though your lists do make it (a lot!) easier, I still have to do my own work … our families aren’t exactly the same; for this to truly work for us, we have to make this our own. I decided to make this my Lenten focus so that I would give our food, our sustenance, our livelihood, the dedication and attention it deserves. Thank you for your example and your encouragement. It’s a revolution in each person who partakes and is truly making a difference!
Kelly
February 15, 2013 at 9:59 pmI came upon your blog a little over a year ago and it has really changed the way I view food. Our family has not taken the pledge but we have made many changes. One of the lists I like most is the one on how you can start by making small changes. It makes it so much easier! My kids have a hard time with change and my oldest, a nine year old, has an anxiety disorder so change is particularly hard on him. They are trying, though, and are making healthier choices. Your reports on the food industry have truly been eye opening. I now read food labels much more carefully and avoid all products with food coloring, preservatives, BHT, etc. I think it is a disgrace that food companies include ingredients in our food that are banned in other countries. Sadly, it is hard to get people to change what they buy. I applaud you and your family for having the courage to speak up for change!
Lisa
March 21, 2013 at 2:07 pmI am so glad the blog has helped open your eyes and led to some positive changes…that’s exactly why I started writing and sharing in the first place. Good luck with the rest of your transition! :)
Robin Jingjit
February 16, 2013 at 6:14 amIt must warm your heart to see all the people you’ve helped. You can count my family in that number, too. Our lives are completely different. My younger son stopped having almost-constant seizures the same week we started eating real food. We’ll celebrate one year this Monday, and in that time, he has had probably only a few dozen seizures total. My older son has shown big improvements in self control, too, and has so many less “atypical behaviors’ now. :)
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Lisa
March 21, 2013 at 2:04 pmWow, that is amazing…good for you and your family!! I am thrilled we could help :)
C
February 16, 2013 at 5:16 pmYou can also save on organic, natural, and vegan food iherb.com $5-$10 2013 Coupon Code: JBV705 I have recently made the pledge to eat “real food for life”
Jola
February 18, 2013 at 10:53 amIt is so inspiring reading the feedback and all these supportive comments. I didn’t the the pledge, but am changing the way I eat since about a year ago. Little steps that lead to a healthier life.
Thank you for sharing!
Zoe
February 19, 2013 at 12:43 amI started reading this blog about 18 months ago after reading some of Michael Pollan’s books and being aghast at what was in the boxes of Hamburger Helper and other processed foods I was making for my family. I thought I was being healthy by buying the light/low-fat yogurt, low sodium but still processed canned soup, and Cheerios. I was being “good” when I used sugar-free coffee creamer (which doesn’t contain any cream!). It took me a while to accept that whole milk dairy products weren’t going to make me fat and sick and that whole grains could be made to taste good. The different taste of grass-fed beef was exciting.
I’m not 100% real food. We still eat out at least once a week and when I’m in a major time crunch, I will go to Starbucks and get a sandwich. I add a little Coke to my whiskey here and there. I do the best I can in my circumstances and I think that is all one can ask. I make our dinners nearly every night and our breakfasts and lunches on the weekends and that has to be good enough for now. I’m teaching my kids to enjoy cooking and food and to eat together as a family every night even if for only 20 minutes. Our minuscule garden of strawberries, bell peppers and citrus trees are a marvelous start for my kids. Discovering our local farmers market was an epiphany as was the local butcher and dairy farmers. I don’t need to shop at the chain store if I don’t want to – I can feed my family on items grown within mere miles of my home.
I like Lisa’s blog because I’m a fulltime working mother of two young kids. I need some answers and I need them fast.
Zoe
February 19, 2013 at 12:46 amI forgot to add that I’ve lost more than 20 pounds in 18 months. That wasn’t even my goal, but an awesome fringe benefit. :-)
Nan
February 20, 2013 at 12:55 pmWe’ve eaten this way for all of our married life (going on 15 years now!), and I’m really glad to see your website helping more people to realize how much non-food they were eating! My family and I do most of our shopping at a natural foods store, and when we’re on vacation and can’t find one, we’re always shocked at how hard it is to find anything we consider food in a regular, chain grocery. Tortillas? Forget whole wheat because those seem to be even more processed than the white-flour ones in mainstream stores. All a flour tortilla needs is flour, fat, and maybe some salt, but you have to look long and hard to find one like that if you’re shopping in a mainstream grocery. It’s no wonder so many people eat the way they do–it’s just about all you can find at many stores.
Keep up the great work! I’m so happy more people are figuring out how artificial much of their “food” is!
Christopher
February 20, 2013 at 4:10 pmHello,
Please read this article, it is a horrifying glimpse into our food industry ( but what they actually provide is not even close to food):
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/magazine/the-extraordinary-science-of-junk-food.html?pagewanted=all
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)
February 27, 2013 at 9:45 amThanks Christopher. We have read this. ~Amy
Steph Ward
March 7, 2013 at 9:20 amJust found your blog , my family has been eating real food for years . I make all my dressings ,marinates and ketup all from real food . We live in Vt. So we have no problem finding GOOD eggs ,grass feed beef. pastured pork and free range chickens. Wish more people understood how important it is to eat real food. The Vermont house is working on a bill to label GMO products .it has passed the agerculture commitee on to Judesuary . Keep up the good work will be checking your blog dailey!! Steph
Lauren
March 20, 2013 at 1:52 pmWe didn’t do the pledge in our house, just sort of went cold turkey on a big grocery day. It has been great and not nearly as difficult as I thought! We are on about 85-90% “real” food in our house. Still keeping a very few basic things around (like ketchup, mustard, pickles…) because I don’t want to throw them out, when they’re gone I’ll replace them with the real food counterparts. Other than those few things we are making so much from scratch at home and really enjoying the switch. Since the switch (almost a month) I noticed my energy level really coming up in the first week or so, but now….I am so tired all the time. Did anyone else experience this in transition? Can’t say we are even eating less meats, (iron) we always buy our meats “real” anyway, so that hasn’t been altered in our move towards 100% real. Thoughts anyone? Thanks to all who contribute here, I have learned loads, and can’t wait to learn more :)
Tamara Borowiec
August 5, 2013 at 8:38 amI live in Europe and go regularly back to the States. I have been struck recently by how American food and recipes add sugar when it is neither needed nor desired, e.g. to a potato salad. American canned tomato juice is disgustingly sweet, for instance. I don’t eat food that I have not cooked myself and certainly not in the States. If you compare a good French recipe to an American one the latter almost always has a totally redundant addition of sugar. This is recent. Julia Child wrote an excellent cook book and didn’t add sugar where not wanted. Now a recipe on the Internet has sugar as often as salt. Tastebuds seem to have been blunted.
No wonder so many Americans are obese!! They weren’t when I was young.