By blog team member, Kiran. To learn more about Kiran, check out our team page!
Before you read this, I'm asking you to do me a favor: Please don't judge.
I started working with Lisa two years ago, but I actually have known her for years. I watched her start this blog, kept up with the original 100-Day pledge, and prior to working with her, took in little bits and pieces of her input. But to be honest, I thought that I was pretty healthy already, and I thought she may have been taking this a little further than I would (again, I'm being totally honest). Flash forward to 2012 when I started to work with her at 100 Days of Real Food.
Two Years Ago
As I mentioned, I thought my family was already eating healthy. I cooked many nights of the week, and by that I don't mean I was just opening a bag of chicken nuggets. But like many, I was using some processed foods such as store bought white tortillas, and I certainly wasn't shredding my own cheese. I even (gasp!) had a can or two of cream of mushroom soup in my pantry.
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After getting better acclimated to Lisa's real food rules, I did decide to start making some changes. This didn't happen overnight, however. Now, jump back to today, two years after not only being a solid follower but a member of the team.
Where We are Today
I have the most respect for Lisa and her family, and I try my darndest to eat and feed my family as best I can when it comes to following the rules. But we are not 100%. No, in all honesty, I'm going to say that we are probably 85-90%. But that's just realistic for us. I almost said "unfortunately," but really, it is what it is. I can't make it to the farmer's market each week, and honestly, feeding a family of six, we can't afford to buy every single thing organic. Everyone's situation is different and some changes were easier for us to make than others.
Our successes include the following:
- Switching over to whole wheat.
I ditched the white tortillas, the so-called wheat bread (with 15+ processed ingredients), and swapped out my flour to whole-wheat (or white whole-wheat) flour. I went on a huge bread baking kick and honestly didn't do too badly with it. But time and dishes got the best of me; so these days, I do occasionally bake our whole-wheat bread, but otherwise I get it from Great Harvest. - Opting for organic.
I got smarter about where I was buying our food (i.e. ditching one grocery store in favor of another) and aim to buy organic whenever possible, keeping the dirty dozen chart in mind. I also always choose organic milk now, which I was not doing before. - Minimizing the meat.
Especially since I am feeding a family of six, I don't buy all organic/local meats. Instead, I opt to not offer as much meat as we were eating two years ago (which was a lot). This will forever be a challenge for my husband, but eating less meat means that I can fill our plates up with more veggies and/or fruit. - Swapping out (and reducing) sugar.
This was actually much easier than I thought, and I'm happy to report that I haven't had one complaint from my kids on this one. They tend to favor maple syrup over honey, and I also use dates sometimes in baking. - Purging the packaged goods.
Personally speaking, this was the most difficult for us. I was a huge Wheat Thin addict. I loved them and had them multiple times each day. I thought I was doing well by switching over to Special K crackers (remember your promise to not judge?). No lie—it took me 12-18 months to get them out of our pantry. But I'm happy to report that I'm a recovering addict. My kids were the same with Goldfish. Unfortunately (or fortunately) for them, I just stopped buying them. And I'm also happy to report that if they are served Goldfish at Girl Scouts (don't get me started) or elsewhere, they actually say they don't really like them. Tastebuds do change!
The Other 15%
I mentioned that we eat about 85% real food. So where does that extra 15% lie? Well, remember that I don't buy everything organic. I don't make my own tortillas all the time, but I do opt for the ones with the least ingredients. I also have a sweet tooth, and I don't always (ok, almost never) choose the better dark chocolate. We go out to eat maybe once a week, and I'm the only one in my family who would have any desire whatsoever to find a restaurant that serves local food (I'd love a vegetarian one, at that). No, my family prefers a favorite pizza place that we've been frequenting for 10+ years. And no matter how hard I try to convert my kids over to 1-ingredient peanut or almond butter, they just won't leave their beloved Jif (albeit the "natural" version - though I'm not sure how much better that makes me feel!).
I have to pick my battles, though. And for me, settling for 85% is just the best that I'm going to be able to do at this point in time. Looking back, I realize all the positive changes that Lisa has helped my family make. And I know that there are so many more that we can make in the future.
Positive Changes in Our Health
A lot of times I read a story about someone or some family making changes, and I wonder, did this really change them? Or after hearing their story, even though it sounds like a success story, I wonder, should I try it? And why?
So here is my proof; here are some positive changes that I and/or we have experienced:
- Change in tastebuds/cravings. I now crave raw, cut vegetables instead of my former beloved Wheat Thins.
- Satisfaction. A feeling of satisfaction after meals instead of hunger that used to ensue 20-30 minutes after a meal.
- Regularity. Not one of my kids has any issue with this, which I attribute to the natural fibers they consume on a daily basis.
- Regularity of a different form. I had irregular menstrual periods for years. They are now like clockwork.
- Decreased sickness.
- Increased energy.
So now that I've shared my realistic journey, please share some of your successes and potential goals for the future with me. How has Lisa helped you change? Are you 100%? 90%? 50%? No matter where you are on this journey, let this serve as a reminder that when it comes to cutting out highly processed foods, any small changes are encouraging and far better than none!
Heather says
Kiran, thanks for sharing! Our family of 5 lives by the 85-90% whole foods too. We have been on this journey for just under a year. It's true, my older two (10 & 8) their tastes have changes. We do feel healthier, and are sick less.
Melissa says
Thank you for your post! My family is relatively new to clean eating and while we've made a lot of changes, I'd say we are about 75-85%. Our extended family loves to give my son junk food to prove how much he loves it and we eat out once or twice during the weekend. Often it's more an issue of time but often I feel guilty. Thanks again.
Lisa says
This is wonderful to read. I think many people are in the same position.
Polly @ Tasty Food Project says
Wonderful post! It's nice to get to know a little more about a member of the team!
I noticed a lot of changes when I started eating healthier. I don't get sick as often and my cravings have changed. I no longer crave soda or candy as much. I would just treat myself with fruit if I'm having a sweet tooth!
Nicole says
You are worried about being judged for buying crackers? Good night. Who are you hanging out with??? Most people I know are loading their kids up on French fries and hot dogs. I really hate how judgey all the Paleo-Organic-Real food people are. Now with that out of my system, congratulations on creating such a healthy lifestyles for your family. You've inspired me to put a vegetable on my kids' plates tonight...
Cheryl S says
Question for Nicole...if you "hate how judgey" Paleo-Organic-Real food people are, why are you reading a blog about real food? Just curious. I hate pedophiles. I don't read pedophile blogs.
Angel says
Pedophiles? Really? I think you really drove home the point being made above. I like to eat real food and so frequent sites like this for the recipes and inspirations. Hold the all-too-common judgy crap, thanks.
Rachel says
Wow that escalated quickly haha! I would think she was here for the same reason I am to get information about how to live a healthier lifestyle with better whole ingredients. You can appreciate what someone has to say about a topic without agreeing 100% with everything.
Sue says
Pretty sure what she meant is we shouldn't be hard on each other because we try to eat real food yet have a hard time giving up crackers. Instead of supporting each other on a journey to healthier eating, sometimes people get criticized for not taking a food philosophy far enough, soon enough, in the same way their neighbor did. She no doubt reads this blog not because she hates the judgement but because she wants to take the journey, on her terms, in a way that fits her family. Without the pigeon gallery making her feel bad about the choices she makes. I found your comment to be kind of mean. If it hurt your feeling that she said "all," you understand the judgement she is talking about because you have clearly gotten some from where you stand when it comes to your food. And if your feelings weren't hurt, there was no need to pose your question.
Cheryl S says
I am sorry, but I don't see how what I said was mean, except to pedophiles (whom I do actually hate). My feelings weren't hurt. I was curious. Why someone would come to a real food board and then state that they hate the very people who frequent it is a curiosity to me. And to state that they "hate the judgey" people is in fact a judgement, thereby turning the hater into what they say they hate. Perhaps my comment was read with unintended tone or inflection. It was a an honest question, and I didn't name call anyone or write anything mean. The reason I used pedophiles is that they are truly the only group of people that I hate. I save the H word for big things.
dawn says
We have also been on gradual change to reduce processed foods. I also was hooked on wheat thins and goldfish. I allow exceptions by making these at home instead with good ingredients. Try making your own wheat thins using King arthur wheat flour. So delicious - and much easier than I ever would have thought to make from scratch. Same for the goldfish - better quality cheeses - and make any shape you want. I have found easiest to whip up batch by cutting dough with pizza roller.
Nicole says
You are worried about being judged for buying crackers? Good night. Who are you hanging out with??? Most people I know are loading their kids up on French fries and hot dogs. I really hate how judgey all the Paleo-Organic-Real food people are. Now with that out of my system, congratulations on creating such a healthy lifestyles for your family. You've inspired me to put a vegetable on my kids' plates tonight.
Lisa says
Thanks for the post Kiran.
Every since I have been reading about 100 days of real food and been wishing it upon my family, I have felt very challenged. I try to cook healthy everyday. The reality however is that we are a family of 10 with children ranging in ages from 2 - 18. It seems impossible to please everyone and to cook for that many people on a daily basis with no processed foods. I bought a bread machine, but only half my kids will eat the bread I make in it unless it's white. I have cut out artificial sweeteners (we use organic sugar or maple syrup) and bake 99% of the time with whole wheat flour. I find myself buying products with as few ingredients as possible. But it is still so hard. I love to eat healthy, but cooking everything from scratch seems monumental at this point in my life.
Sarah says
I have to say that we are around 80-85% as well. My husband just can't seem to give up his breakfast cereal, and we eat out on occasion, but generally, things are made from scratch, we grow our own vegetables and fruit in the summer, do a lot of canning and preserving, and buy organic whenever possible. Homemade energy bars, homemade granola and granola bars, homemade dressings and vinaigrettes, homemade breads (thanks to my amazing baker husband). One MAJOR change for us was cutting out kraft dinner. This was a staple in our house for 5 years. In the past year, I slowly started buying less and less, and I can honestly say that we have not had any in our house since the start of 2014. This is a HUGE deal for us. Macaroni and cheese is now ALWAYS made from scratch and is so much better tasting and healthier. I sneak some butternut squash into the sauce - it gives an amazing orange colour and enhances the flavour.
Meghan says
Thank you. I also try to buy local, farmers markets, and organic, but being a military family we just can't afford it. I'd say we are about 80% as well. I try to pick the fewest ingredients and best restaurants but all those all more expensive and I just don't gave time to do everything myself. Thank you so much, I feel less guilty knowing I'm am trying my best.
Staci says
Thanks for sharing! I have a very picky 2 year old & a husband (the cook) who isn't fully on board, so I've been internally debating how to start. If it doesn't taste great (aka taste is too different), I fear I'll lose him. You helped me decide to slowly replace, eliminate & introduce things.
I just completed something different than this that Ws focused on getting all the body's hormones back in balance & identifying food sensitivities, & the first week was eliminating all added sugars(focusing on insulin levels.) I felt horrible detoxing (withdrawaling?)& shocked that EVERYTHING it seemed had some sort of sugar. By week 5 I was eating only organic meats, veggies, healthy fats & bone broth. I no longer craved sweets, lattes or grains (carbs like bread & crackers), no longer snored, had NO cramps- & kept forgetting it was happening (was medium to high & queasy on first day always before), was very regular (even just after sugars were out!, had few body aches & pains, where before I have had bad back & shoulder pain. I imagine it helped my PCOS but I don't know. Still hoping changing food helps my PCOS related fertility challenges.
We readded foods slowly to identify issues & it went well. Right after this I had a couple busy weeks that included lots of fast food, processed & some other sugary sweets.. Now I'm snoring again, tossing and turning, & my joints have been achy. It was a great lesson in awareness (the good & bad) to help me make the real food changes for myself & my family.
Sandra says
Thank you very much for sharing your story. I find it very hard to make the changes as we have 4 teenage boys and although we eat relatively healthy I know that we can make a lot of improvements. but with the boys not on board it can be challenging so at times I just give up. Having read your story it makes me realise that 50% is better than 0% so i am going to give it a go. Not sure were I will start but I am going to sit down and make a list of goals and starting points.
Once again thank you for sharing your story
Cynthia says
I haven't quite given up the "whites" white rice, pasta and bread, but for the bread, I have started making my own home-made white bread that does contain a bit of whole wheat, which I figure, since I am using all natural, sometimes organic when I can, that my white bread is TONS better than anything I could get in a grocery store (We don't have the brand in VA that you mention)This is basically my philosophy: If I make it from scratch, then it's definitely better than anything I can buy in a store, as I control the quality of ingredients plus control the levels of sugar and salt. I have to say Lisa has inspired me to make my own whole (white) wheat tortillas, use honey and maple syrup in place of sugar, switch to brown rice (yes I did it!) and I now cringe when I read a recipe that calls for more than a 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of sugar!
gayle casey says
I'm so glad to read that others aren't at 100%. I cook from scratch - homemade soup, broth, granola, bread, fruit roll ups (for the grandkids) using mostly organic ingredients. I had been feeling guilty that I bake with white or brown sugar, but have decided I'm not going to beat myself up over something like that. If I make it or bake it with ingredients my great grandma would recognize (credit to Michael Pollan there) I will call it real food.
Tracy says
I think that even if you reduce eating processed food by 10% you are a lot better off than not changing your diet at all!
Lindsey Shifley says
Awesome post Kiran!!! I just shared your story far and wide:) We too have settled into a 80-90% real food range week to week. I felt myself nodding my head and smiling so many times reading your words! Love your voice and am looking forward to celebrating the big upcoming Food Revolution Day with YOU ALL on May 16th!!! Super wide high 5's from Chicago xoxo Linds
Kiran Dodeja Smith says
LOL, thank you Lindsey! High-5'ing you right back!
amalia says
Hello Kiran- I enjoyed your post and appreciate your honesty and realism. Can I challenge you and other health food bloggers so begin to apply a scientific approach to your own food goals and advice in your blog? I was rather struck by your self-disappointment that your can't eat 100% organic. However, you will find with very little research that the term "organic" is a marketing one and offers zero heath benefits. Ask: what pesticides, etc. are used in organic farming? What evidence is there that these classes of pesticides, etc. offer any health benefits at all? Is it possibles that these are in fact WORSE for me, since they are so much less effective than conventional pesticides and must be applied so much more frequently? My family is also large and I would be doing them a huge disservice by remaining ignorant on this subject. I owe it to them to spend our food budget wisely and put the 20-50% I save by avoiding the huge scam that is organic food into their college savings. It would be awesome if you gave this some consideration and helped get the word out to other families:)
Laura says
It's great to hear from another perspective!
It really depends on the week for us. When grad school and work have me super busy, I'm much more tempted to grab something prepackaged or eat out. I'd say we're somewhere around 70% real food at home, less if you consider our meals out.
We have made a few consistent changes--90% of the time we eat whole wheat, we eat less but usually local meat, I serve more and a greater variety of vegetables with meals.
Areas we still need to work on--for our frequent sandwiches we haven't been able to find an organic deli meat option at our local stores, I still use refined, white sugar in my dessert baking, and we both love our condiments/sauces (BBQ sauce, alfredo sauce, ketchup, mayonnaise, etc.) and have had a hard time finding the time/a good recipe for a homemade alternative.
Kathleen says
Thanks so much for this, it's a more lenient way to look at real food. I think that when many people boast how they eat, they represent the best case scenario but I think you shared a more realistic story here. A good friend of mine also told me about her "80-20" rule, she eats really well from scratch whole foods 80% of the time so she can relax the other 20%. That's what I try to keep in mind too.
Preeti Sundaramurthi says
Hi Kiran and Lisa,
I moved here from India about 3 years ago. I have to admit, knowledge about GMO, processed food etc., is less there. But since I have lived in the US and our knowledge about these things has grown, we have tried to make changes. But I would say we are about 50% there. We have made quite a few changes...
We have tried to convert to cast iron and stainless steel cookware, avoiding nonstick. I also try to store all my cooked food in glass containers, and avoid using plastic in the microwave.
But as far as real food is concerned, it is a lot harder, because of time,but mostly because of cost constraints. I cook 3 meals a day at home, and we eat out maybe once in two weeks. Vegetables and fruits I stick to the dirty dozen list, but that's about it. And our chicken is organic too. But that's about where I draw the line. I have to admit that we have been trying hard to go ahead, but it's not easy. I'd love to grow my vegetables, but an apartment makes that kinda hard. I'd love to buy all my bread at Great Harvest, but I refuse to pay $6 per loaf. And so it goes.
But I know this, we are going to keep trying to get closer to 100%.
Thanks for the inspiration and guidance guys. Keep up the god work.
Rita says
I really appreciate this. Things like making my own bread or tortillas might be easy, but I don't have the counter/storage space for more appliances in this tiny house, and after work I really would rather spend time with my toddler or my guy and relax for an hour than more meal prep. This blog has been excellent to push me in the direction I want to go, but it is nice to recognize that I too might not move past 85%.
Thank you.
Bree says
Hello, I enjoyed and appreciate your post. It is nice for me to see that I'm not the only one taking a while on this journey. I must admit, I read the information, and for a time I make a few changes, but they don't stick. I can't say I'm striving for 100% at this point, I think I'd be excited if I could at least stick with 25%, and work my way up from there. My potential goal is to make a few changes each month that become life changes, not just a temporary ones. I suppose my first step will be to change my pantry, and my grocery list!! I have been and continue to be educated by what I read on the site. Thanks for sharing and encouraging.
Stefanie says
Haha I don't judge. I think all of this is a great effort, but it doesn't work for everyone. I am a mother of two and I work full time outside the house at 50-60 hours a week. There is no possible way that I can go 100% either. My family is probably more on the line of probably 65-75% but we continuously improve. We have always been 100% whole wheat from purchased breads! but now I am trying to bake when I can with it! And what I do have to buy that is processed, we do shop to try and reduce soy and processed ingredients and more conscientious on what we buy. My kids never noticed the peanut butter switch, but I couldn't take it. So now I just don't do PBJs for me :-(
Kiran Dodeja Smith says
Stefanie have you tried almond butter? If you are a PB girl, give it a shot - a few shots, that is. You may just convert!
Britt says
I wish I could say we are 90 to 95%...but since my son has a life threatening allergy to dairy, we have to substitute all dairy products with things like Tofutti and Earth Balance dairy free butters - the ingredients lists are shameful. I would say *I* am about 95% process free. My kiddos about 80% due to the dairy issue...still working on my husband. I LOVE this website and have learned so much here.
Lisa says
We also have dairy allergy and have been using almond butter, almond milk, almond yogurt and cheeses,coconut oil, coconut milk, and coconut yogurt. The ingredient lists on these tend to be organic and shorter than those involving soy.
Erin Kovach says
I am in the same boat! I feel great about some of thr changes we have made though I know we can't eat "real" food 100% of the time. I'm ok with it. I have always thought that you do the best that you can :)
Bonnie says
I love the honesty of this post! I think MANY people can relate to what you are saying...and I think it makes "real food" more accessible to many knowing that even those of us on the forefront of this movement have their moments. (..and their Jif, also my guilty pleasure :) ) Thanks for this one!
Sarah says
I would say we are any where from 75%-90% depending on the week. Sometimes I feel like I have major "relapses" where I just can't help but buy my favorite cookies and eat half the box lol.but for me this is ok. It's a special treat.( that usually makes me feel like crap). some weeks I do better than others, and winter is usually better than summer because In the summer I don't want my oven on as much, and we are always at BBQs and my in laws who live on a lake. They make most things homemade but in a white flour and pasta, meet and potatoes kind of way. Also the winters here are long and cold and boring so I have nothing better to do than find excuses to use the oven and warm up the house a little. Over all I think we do pretty well. But like you said, 100% just isn't realistic or affordable for us right now. But maybe one day. Thanks for your honesty.
Pattie says
Great article! Thank you Kiran for sharing your personal life with us. We do 85% real foods. Even with that I was able to lower my cholesterol 50 points. We love eating real foods. However, life happens and we get invited to dinner, have a lunch meetings, no time to make homemade tortillas, etc. I make homemade seasonings, salad dressings, sauces, cereal, etc What's great about eating real foods, is it's always there. So when we take a step back, all we have to do is make a good decision at the next meal. All of us are at different stages in life and the last thing we need to do is judge one another. Life is too short for that stuff. I love this site, as Lisa is always honest (I love that she is honest and tells us she uses sugar in her chocolate chip cookies). With Kiran’s article, it just confirms to me that Lisa and Kiran really are human and shows us to make the best decision for our own self (and family). I can't imagine having my life in front of a lot of people who might judge me. Lisa your blog was the reason why we started to eat clean almost 3 years ago. Thank you both for all you do and opening your lives to us.
Jolyn says
Hi! This is inspiring! Although we have been putting veggies on our young children's plates for years, they will not eat many vegetables. It's like pulling teeth and we've bribed them with money, even! Just to get them to try the basics like carrots! Did you experience this at first? Or, do you have any suggestions on how to get them to eat more veggies?
Jennifer says
If you have space, try having them grow some veggies. Mine were always more willing to try things they had 'made' themselves.
Caroline says
This is SO true!
My 7 year old hates tomatoes. It's a challenge to get her to try one when we have them in our dinner (we have a rule that everyone tries a bite of everything, even if they hate it - hubby even ate a mushroom last night and he loathes them!)
Anyway, she made a platter of 7 Layer Dip all on her own for Easter and was actually HAPPY to try it because she made it!
Betsy says
This is true for my children as well. We garden, and they are happy to do every part, from seeds to harvest. They cook alongside me. They pick out interesting looking things at the farmers' market or grocery store. But when it comes down to getting the vegetables in their mouth....not so much.
My oldest is 7, and he has been going through a massive growth spurt (as well as being very physically active). That makes him crazy hungry. That's been the only thing in his entire life that will make him even try a vegetable. And even now, he'd (often) rather be hungry than eat a vegetable. I figure he'll come around one day. I hope.
Jolyn says
Thank you all! I'm going to try both the gardening with the kids and help with cooking!
Heidi says
Thank you for your honesty... I see everything you said in our family. I love this blog and all the education I get from it but I sincerely relate to you.thanks.
Christina says
this is our blueprint for our family. The biggest change we have made recently was we switched to whole fat organic dairy. One reason was I was cold all the time after loosing 30 pounds. A dear friend suggested we switch to whole organic dairy. We were already drinking organic milk so going to whole was not problem. It is a day and night difference. All of us felt within a few days of the switch. We are all warmer, less cravings, we stay fuller longer (less snacking.) Please try and make the switch to a healthier life. It is so rewarding!! It took us 2.5 years to get where we are and we will continue!!
Janelle Marshall says
Thank you so much for this post. I really needed to hear that others are not completely 100%. I would say our family is at about 70-75%. Working on boosting that number, but also trying to be realistic in what works for our family. One huge accomplishment is that when we eat out, we really only go to Chipotle or a local chicken place. Hooray!
Beth says
Love your honesty! It makes me feel a whole better about my 75%. It has been over a year and I switched our family of 6 including 4 tweens & teens. This is still a battle I feel is important to fight, there are just certain instances that the battle is not worth fighting, for example my almost 6 foot 16 year old that barely weighs 110 pounds, he is a very picky eater, so I let him use his own money to eat fast food whenever he feels it is necessary. I do let the kids buy school lunches or pack, I leave that decision up to them & it's about 50/50. Breakfast, dinners & snacks are all whole foods or homemade, except for once a week we do eat out. Thanks for your support!
Leah Coleman says
I appreciate that everyone commenting here is so honest with their food efforts and experiences. Wouldn't it be so easy for us all to say, "oh yes, we are at 100 percent!" Not happening here, and I'm not sure if it ever will. I'm making a good effort though, and I'll keep trying! Cooking can be challenging, as my husband is on a low carb diet to get his weight and diabetes under control. I've cut out a lot of carbs to be supportive, but I'm not trying to be low carb per se. I will never give up my popcorn! (Real popcorn only, I never, ever eat that microwave stuff.) I just started the "real food" approach about a month ago, and already it's changing my tastes. In the supermarket, it's much easier than it used to be walk away from the overwhelming amount of processed food. I still fall back on some old standbys occasionally, but I find myself feeling guilty for eating a cracker. I've been buying whole grain bread for years, and am trying to make the switch to pasta, when I allow myself to have it. I do make some concessions, I still use bottled salad dressing, for example. It's just easier for me. One bad thing is, I use Stevia instead of more natural sweeteners. (It's supposed to be "natural", but it's still highly processed.) That's the concession I make in order to save calories on my weight loss journey. It's a good thing because I drink a lot of home brewed tea. After cutting out so much sugar from my diet, I recently had some orange juice, and it was gaggingly sweet. I'm pretty frustrated that despite my efforts, I haven't really lost any weight yet. A typical dinner for us is 4-6 ounces of protein, (beef, chicken, or pork) a low carb veggie and a big green salad, (or 2 hot veggies). Lunch at work is tuna or chicken over salad greens, and breakfast is a hard boiled egg. Hopefully in time the weight will start to come off. My goal is to lose 50-60 pounds. Regardless, my cleaner style of eating should make me healthier.
Kate says
This time last year, we were well on our way to 100% real food. I worked part time, and had two little kids, but still was able to bake our bread every week, make yogurt, grow a full garden or hit up the farm stands to get enough produce to preserve. Then we ended up relocating, and with having to ready a house to sell, leave for showings, and then move into a temporary home, search for a new home, fix it up, and move yet again (at the holidays!), we were lucky to be near 50%. Now I'm home with my kiddos full time, and I'm struggling to get my footing again where it comes to our food. Luckily, the girls love the food I cook and prefer real food to junk, but it's hard getting back on the band wagon when we've fallen into old habits again so easily. I did start making our yogurt again, and spring is finally showing up. I won't have much, if any produce growing in my gardens this year, but once June comes and the farmers markets are back open, I'm hoping it'll be easier to get closer to where we were, with the exception of keeping pizza Thursdays :)
Heidi says
I need help with flour! How can something so simple cause me so much confusion! What am I looking for on the ingredients label to tip me off if it's real flour? I struggle particularly with trusting white whole wheat. I would also like to say that I love this post! I live in the middle of no where, literally. A town with 800 people with the nearest grocery store with any organic selection being a hour away. The soil here is poor (I have been working on that) for growing my own veggies, and our growing season is 4 months at best. Did mention it's an island? I would say right now I'm hovering around the 50/50 mark for real food but would love to get better. Another issue I have is reducing meat intake as I train so I try to get no less than 120g of protein daily. I try to get local wild game when I can but since I don't hunt myself it's harder to come by. I have literally never seen organic meat in our grocery stores. Any and all suggestions are appreciated!
Sarah says
You are looking for the word "whole". Just remember you want the "whole" grain not just part of it. And as far as white whole wheat, it is just as good. The reason it's softer and lighter in color is because it's Milled from hard white spring wheat, rather than traditional red wheat. Hope that helps
Cecilia says
Hi I would like to commend you all for the efforts
you have made, it Is not easy to do with a large family.
I also had shifted towards what I thought was a
healthier diet.... Organic milk, organic meats, whole
wheat etc...only the best organic sour cream and cheese
for my family.... And on and on....
The something happened... I was watching PBS
Television and saw Dr. Joel Fuhrman discussing
his work "Eat to Live". It was December of 2011.
I learned that Dairy Protein molecules are very
large and are not easily metabolized by the body
and in the difficult process of metabolizing these
proteins, precious calcium is leached from the bones
and that any person who follows the recommended
daily allowance is actually guarantees that they are more
calcium deficient.
I learned the many green vegetables contain
the same amount of protein as found in beef.
Dr. Fuhrman promotes a Nutrient Dense eating
style...G BOMBS is the easy to remember
acronym that stands for Greens, Beans, Onions,
Mushrooms, Berries, Seeds and also Fruits and Nuts.
Until you read this important work it may be difficult to
grasp.... but when you see him on PBS or featured on the Dr. Oz
show and then read his book "Eat to Live",
you will understand... I eat 90% Eat To Live and I have last 42 lbs and decades
long health issues have resolved like magic.
http://www.drfuhrman.com/shop/ETLBook.aspx
It is simply lovely.
And you will actually scoff at and or shake your head in
wonder at the way you used to eat .
I urge you to at least check it out.
He has a great book for feeding children also called
"Disease Proof Your Child"
And if chocolate is your thing try this chocolate
Chia Pudding... Absolutely AMAZING and it is
Wheat, Dairy, Sugar and Oil FREE.
You can eat it all day and all it is is good for you.
http://ohsheglows.com/2014/04/07/almost-instant-chocolate-chia-pudding/
We are all evolving... Becoming Nutritarian... or a person
who eats only for nutrients without being overly fanatical
is simply an exceedingly elegant route.
To your wildest happiness.
Sarah says
What a great post! You should not feel so bad about trying. I live in an area that is horrible for organic foods. I have a local honey source which is great, but I can't go 100% organic. We have been trying to cut out as much as we could. I started gardening more, but it's a limited area. But each little step counts. Thank you for the inspiration of knowing that each step should be one that fits your family!
By the way, we only buy organic chicken now! I can't find grass fed beef, but only choose wild fish!
Becky says
This is an awesome post! I would love to eat 100% real food but I work 12 hour days with an hour commute. I do now cook most of the day Sunday to prepare meals when I am not traveling. I hard boil a dozen eggs, make a bread. Prep as much as I can for weekly dinners and make a soup every weekend for lunches. Even with all that work, I can't make the 100% goal, but I too have seen results. One is that I used to be starving come lunch, but now 8oz of homemade soup and a slice of homemade bread is all I need. And the 3pm snack attack? Gone. I don't do sugar at all and I don't miss it. But every now and then I am just too tired to not order take out.
Dawn Font says
i am slowly making the food journey.. started with a new years resolution to drink more water (i am a diet coke addict), never drank any before... then during Lent, i made a promise to myself to eat FRESH fruit or veggies everyday.... it is getting easier by the day.... my next step is to work on my sugar and gluten intake next month... in june i intend to make my own salad dressings etc etc etc... i am hoping by the end of the year to have made some permanent changes... baby steps...... like you said.. it works only if it works for you and your family.....