Being healthy has always been important for me, for Mauro, and our family. But in today's world it is so easy to veer off course and get into bad habits of unhealthy food. Without thinking about it! This past week I have been talking to a friend a lot about sugar, and realized that I am very addicted to the sweet, delicious stuff. This is not good for me, or our baby I am carrying. It puts weight on me that I don't need to carry, gives me ups and downs, and I have cravings for it that seem uncontrollable. So I am taking back control! I am resolving to not eat sweets for at least the next 2 weeks. After that I will re-evaluate. I am not a fan of radical behavior, and fully believe in moderation in all things. But I realize that sugar has slowly crept its way into my body, I have needed more and more of it, and I have gotten to a point of too much consumption. Sugar acts like a drug in your body, and can elicit drug-like symptoms and behaviors. Scary! I make a conscious effort to not have an addiction to drugs, alcohol, tobacco, etc, but didn't realize how addicting sugar can be as well. Now, even with all of this being said, sugar is not my enemy. But it can be if I let it. There are several articles I have read that are good sources of information on how sugar effects the body. Now, I do realize that you can find anything to prove any point on the internet. I think it is up to each of us to read and learn, and then decide for ourselves what is correct and real information. These articles I feel have some valid points and good information, all backed by research and education.
Good reference for sugar and it's process
How sugar effects our bodies
NY Times article- Sugar as a Toxin
Health is so important to each of us, it determines our happiness, our livelihood, and our relationships. We can not have control of every aspect of our health, but oh the importance of making the best decisions to control what we can! I am very blessed to have a husband who encourages us to eat raw vegetables, and shop from the farmers market or outside isles of the grocery store. Even when I am tired and dinner is simple, we throw some fresh carrots, tomatoes, or whatever is in season on our dinner plate. I recently read a quote that has guided many of my decisions as to what feeds our family - "Food can either be the greatest medicine, or the worst poison we put into our bodies." How true! When we think of each bite as a decision to be healthy or not, we are acknowledging food as important in our lives. And as a mom, I am even more responsible for what I feed my entire family!
With all this being said, I do realize I am not the picture of health and fitness! I have never been a thin girl, and putting on weight is way to easy for me. I realize that it has so much to do with portion size for me, and that I do not work out as much as I once did. But that is a different struggle for another day! Gaining weight has always been sort of mysterious to me, because as a child my biggest influence, my mom, was so perfect! She never worried about what she ate, never complained about feeling fat, never once ate diet foods or held herself back from enjoying a life of delicious cooking and baking. Except in pregnancy (where she gained a whopping 12 lbs) she has never fluctuated in weight more then a few pounds. So I have in my mind that it should be that easy! What I am now realizing in my adult life, is that she is a constant exerciser. She eats everything in the utmost moderation. She never rewards herself with food. She does not eat emotionally. She keeps herself busy all day, every day. Food is for nourishment to her, and she enjoys it as such, nothing more nothing less. So why is it emotional for me? Why do I feel I 'deserve' a bowl of ice cream after a long day of being so pregnant? Why do I love baking and eating so many cookies? This mystery has not been solved for me yet. My mom and I are very different, we think very differently about so many things. But one thing I wish so much I was more like her on (besides housework of course, that woman is a genius) is her eating habits and relationship with food. Yes, each of us has a relationship with food. It sustains our lives! And as a homemaker, I think about food and feeding then any other entity I could possibly think about. We spend more on food each month then our mortgage! It defines if we will grow old together and be able to keep working in the garden. It is reflected in our skin, in our weight, in our attitude on life (ever talk to a coffee drinker before they had their morning cup? perfect example.) So my blog today is dedicated to food, along with my resolution to break the habit of sugar.
Last point. We as members of the LDS church, follow a Word of Wisdom. We know it says not to drink alcohol and consume tobacco. But there is much more to the Word of Wisdom then what not to do. It outlines what we should do to be healthy, to be fulfilled in life. Together Mauro and I have decided to try and really live the spirit of this law God has given us for our benefit. It is a process, and not something that has been quick for us to change. But we enjoy the blessings of progress!
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3 comments:
I've been seriously contemplating some radical action in our homefront as well. I hope it goes well for you and I can't wait to hear what you think when you're on the other side of the 2 weeks! By the way, your paragraph on emotional eating had me laughing. Not because I have a sick sense of humor, but because it hit home here! Good luck, I think you're amazing!
Almost one week down- 2 cookies yesterday and that's it! I'm not cutting completely out on sugars that are in breads, cereals, yogurt, etc (but only eat healthy, organic and/or homemade, and check that the sugar content isn't super high, and eat them less then usual) And I'm eating all fruits, natural sugars. It has been suprisingly easy for the most part. Some evenings are hard, but I drink a glass of milk and that helps. Glad I'm not the only emotional eater!
LOVED this post. Ditto X 2! Sugar is a sneaky little thing.
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