For the majority of my life, I have been what many would consider a healthy eater. Co-workers and friends would offer frequent comment about what a healthy eater I was. I prided myself on living what I thought was basically a healthy lifestyle. Little did I know, I was not a healthy eater! I knew about the importance of eating fruits and vegetables, yet they were not a staple of my diet. Of course, I ate them, but I rarely met the standards for recommended daily intake.
Frozen and processed foods were the most prevalent part of my diet. I ate these foods because they were quick and easy. I ate for convenience rather than taste. I was also on a budget and mistakenly believed that the foods I was eating were both a cheap and a healthy option. Looking back, I now see that an apple is less expensive than most pre-packaged granola bars! I think that I must have always known that the foods I was eating weren’t the best for my body, but internally I justified my habits because 1) I have never had a weight problem and 2) I thought that cooked meals and good produce were luxuries of having money in your wallet. As a student living on a meager income, I bought into the mentality of living off of prepackaged, expedient food.
I have recently re-evaluated my old habits, mainly because I have become a lurker on healthy living blogs for the past few months. Reading these blogs has made a significant impact on what I now consider to be healthy. My newly formed eating goals are to:
1) Eat less pre-packaged foods that contain chemicals and preservatives. This is not to say I will be completely wiping these foods out of my diet! I still have some frozen meals in my freezer and crackers in my cupboard that I will not be letting go to waste. I have never been able to let myself waste food. Even after the stash from my “old lifestyle” has been consumed, I know that I will still purchase some of these products. Everything in moderation!
2) Eat more fruits and vegetables! Experiment with new produce!
3) Try more healthy grains, nuts, and legumes! I used to think that these items were expensive! This is not so, especially when bought in bulk. (Ok, I will give you that some nuts can be a bit pricey, but I think, justifiably so.)
4) Eat less refined sugars. Instead of consistently eating over-processed candy, I am going to try to bake more of my treats using substitutes such as agave nectar and turbinado sugar. Will candy still sneak into my diet? Yes! Like I said, everything in moderation!
I hope that you stick around and enjoy my blog as I modify my eating habits, continue to exercise, and have fun along the way!
I enjoy your style of writing and your down -to-earth approach to a lifestyle change.
I just discovered your blog and I like it-already I feel healthier. Goji berries will not be on my list, thanks to you!!
I enjoy your style of writing and your practical approach to your new lifestyle. There is little to gain in being wasteful.
[...] my diet shift that began in August, I’ve been making a conscious effort to decrease my processed food intake [...]