Ok, so by now I think I've documented quite a few legit (I think) reasons for why I eat a very clean diet that is free of MOST sugars and gluten. And really, this last reason isn't anything new.
I like myself and I like my life when I am eating healthy and taking care of my body.
It seems simple, but for so many of us taking care of ourselves is difficult. It shouldn't be, but it is. There is so much pressure to succeed...be the best mother, be the best employee, be the best friend, family member, whatever. If you're not doing something productive every moment of the day then you are lazy. If you're not taking advantage of every fun activity available to you than you are wasting your life. We all live by deadlines and expectations that make us feel rushed, drained and unfulfilled. Well I shouldn't say "all" because there are people out there who are extremely content and living well-nourished fulfilled lives but unfortunately I think the bulk of our society is feeling a little stressed out.
I watch TV and see all of the commercials for energy drinks and fast food chains or meals you can zap in a microwave or health claims on foods that can't even claim to be "food." I'm to assume that people are eating this stuff and can't help but think there is a link between what we put into our systems and how we live our lives. I saw something on Facebook the other day that resonated with me: "You are what you eat. So don't be fast, cheap, easy or fake."
Now believe me, I KNOW that telling people to make all of their food and eat 95% of their meals at home is unrealistic for a lot of you. I'm no dummy. I stay at home with my kids and I devote a lot of time to my food. It's a choice I have made, and I feel lucky every day that I can spend time doing something I love. I do wish I had time to do other things, but food and health are at the top of my list and always will be. My house doesn't look great, my kids aren't always clean, and most days I leave the house without deodorant, brushed teeth or clean hair while wearing a T-shirt from 2006 and ripped jeans. This is one of the prices I pay for spending so much time peeling vegetables and cooking porridge.
But a big benefit is how much better I feel about myself when I have good food going through my system. And I honestly feel joy when I see my kids eating healthy food. I love spending time writing this blog and sharing my thoughts about all of these subjects. And I'm excited to some day turn this into a career for myself. I'm still very nervous about how that will all turn out. Right now, my loose time line is to start up a health coaching business by January of 2015. I'm not sure what direction I will take, but I do know by then I will need to seriously consider taking the plunge into the very scary unknown.
I also find that when I am eating well, I put more energy into trying to improve myself in other areas. I watch a lot of Oprah - I'm a sucker for her Super Soul Sunday series! I read her magazines, I try to stop and take deep breaths. I engage in deeper conversations with my friends about life, dreams, goals and do a lot of reflecting. For the most part, my head feels like it's on straighter, my thoughts feel more centered, and my emotions are more in check. Food truly is medicine, not of just the body, but of our mind and spirit as well. And with that, I'll end this series before I start writing about my animal spirit or sacred contracts.
Now it's time to brainstorm a new series of posts for every Monday. My options are:
1) Eating Well on a Budget
2) Spice/Herb Profiles (adding spices to your cooking will really open up those taste buds and make you excited about different ingredients!)
3) Breakfast Ideas
I'll choose one by next week. Stay tuned!
Monday, March 25, 2013
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Beets
I was looking back at some old posts and realized that I never documented how things went with introducing new veggies to the household. I had worked on four recipes for the following vegetables:
Cabbage
Artichokes
Beets
Parsnips
Turnips
Rutabagas
The verdict? Two successes, one with potential, and one failure. Not bad. I really didn't have my hopes too high so I was pleased.
The big winner of the weekend, at least for me, were the beets! Absolutely delicious. My mom liked them, the Peanut loves them, and I can't get enough of them. The Hubs had a work dinner that night and hasn't tried them yet (I'm sure he's losing sleep over that one), and I haven't been able to get The Music Man to try them either.
Before I talk about how I prepared them, let me give you some nutritional background on the glorious beet:
Beets date back to the Middle Ages and are rich in calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorous. They also have plenty of carotene, B complex and Vitamin C. I'm attracted to them for the minerals. The more I read, the more I realize how much of our population is deficient in iron and magnesium. These are tough minerals to find in foods, and food is how you will absorb them the best. The beet is an all-star because it is so heavily concentrated with this good stuff, so much so that a lot of natural vitamins and supplements are derived from them. And all of these healthy minerals and vitamins are in the leaf tops as well, so be sure to buy them whole to get the most from this amazing superfood! My beginning goal is to have beets at least twice a month, but I want to eventually get to a place where I cook them once a week and use them sporadically throughout the week.
I looked to my book Nourishing Traditions for a starting point in preparation. I also went online for some cooking tips and this is what I ended up doing:
Take the beet and slice off the green leaves on the ends. Save them because you will wilt them later and toss them with the beets. I chopped off the hearty stalk and just saved the leaves but I actually think the stalks are probably good for you.
Chop off the long stems at the other end of the beet and discard. Then wash them pretty good. But don't go crazy because you'll peel off the skin anyway.
Drizzle olive oil over the beets and then wrap them up in aluminum foil. Place them on a baking sheet. This is for easy clean up. Beet juice stains and everything you use while preparing them (your knife, the baking sheet, the fork you use to pierce them) will get nice and red-purply.
Roast them in the oven.
Now time and temperature will vary. Food is best slow-cooked but sometimes you don't have the time for that. Sally Fallon suggests 2 hours in a 250 degree oven. I did 350 degrees and it took a little over an hour. When you can pierce them easily with a fork they are done. And like most root vegetables, the softer they feel when pierced, the more tender and delicious they will be.
Once done, use a fork or spoon and just push the skin off of them. It will slide right off. Slice up the beets and then sautee them with their greens, garlic, and some butter. Add salt and pepper to taste and you've got one great side dish!
Use the left-over beets in a salad. They taste great cold or warm. My Peanut eats them for breakfast with her egg yolk and some avocado.
Friday, March 22, 2013
Starting Habits Young
I recently came across an article on Facebook:
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2013/02/20/why-is-everyone-always-giving-my-kids-junk-food
The writer does an excellent job of conveying something that has been puzzling me every since my Music Man started entering the outside world that is our American society:
Why does everything we do with our kids have to be linked to food?!? And more importantly, why junk food??
Now I understand birthday parties. I realize that I'm a little extreme in that I didn't bake a cake for him for his 1st or 2nd birthday. I also have never taken him Trick or Treating, more so because he really didn't understand the concept. But I also never offered him candy during these times because quite frankly, he wouldn't have known if I had done it. Especially during his first year or two. I figured Halloween would be a tough enough battle for me once he was old enough to enjoy it, so why give his body crap now?
I understand that kids do a great job of negotiating and begging for sweets, and that controlling the amount of sugar my kids eat will be a battle for me at times. But when they are babies and toddlers, and we are truly molding the expectations and habits they will form for the rest of their childhood, why are we pushing the sweets on them? Who says that you "have" to give a 15 month old a chocolate bar because it's Halloween? Why does my 2 year old receive Valentines at school that have candy bags attached to them? And why does he come home with green frosting on his lips because it happens to be St. Patrick's Day?
I am not judging anyone who gives their kids sweets. I completely plan on giving my kids desserts and treats. But from my kitchen and cooked with the ingredients I select. And when we're out and about I will definitely allow the occassional treat (and I also know when they get old enough it's all out of my hands and I just hope I've given them enough knowledge to make mostly healthy choices). My beef is with the "public", as in his preschool or any other area with kids' activities, inundates him with sugary stuff just because that's what they feel they are supposed to know. And I am beyond perplexed when they offer it to kids who honestly wouldn't care one way or another if there was candy.
In our country, SO many people struggle with weight. And for a lot of us, it's an emotional connection to sweets that makes it difficult for us to resist them. Or sends us straight to the ice cream container when we're in a bad mood. I do believe there can be a positive emotional connection between us and our food - I actually agree with Michael Pollan when he says one of our problems is we have widdled food down too much to a science and forgotten what it meant to savor and enjoy it the way that other cultures do (but that is for another post). But we don't give our kids a shot in heck to create a positive relationship with food if we are constantly bombarding them with sweets during "celebrations." Again, I get it. Birthdays are a big deal. The holidays are a big deal. If in your house, Valentine's candy makes or breaks you, then go for it! Just stop assuming that I also want to do that with my own child.
Here's my perfect example of how something we do with our kids translates to the real world and then I'll stop this vent: My son's preschool does something called "Donuts with Daddy." I don't know the specifics because it is for the other kids, but I assume it is a special day once or twice a year where Dad actually comes to their schools. Now I'm sorry, but don't you think a 3 or 4 year old would be content enough to just have DAD be there?? His mere presence in their school, showing him the class, and sharing his/her favorite story with him would make the day unbelievably special for any child. Why must we pair an absolute piece of garbage food with this event? What does this remind me of? Donuts and bagels every Friday at the school I used to teach at! Donuts and coffee in the break room at the office I used to intern at! Sweets around every corner at any business in America! And we wonder why a report just came out that our obesity rate is still rising and that heart disease is taking more peoples' lives every single day?
It starts at the beginning folks!! You do not need sugar and treats to have fun! That doesn't mean it isn't fun to eat something sweet every once in awhile, but I hate that we look at it the reversed way. Kids are amazing beings in that they can find fun in a cardboard box, or with a leaf that's flying away, or a red crayon and a piece of paper. It's because we start them so early on this junk food/candy link to events that by the time they do reach grade school they are expecting it.
Once I get through these last 18-24 months of babies and diapers I really think the first thing I want to accomplish as a health coach is trying to get my voice heard in these preschools. There have got to be other mommies out there who agree with me on this. In the words of Barney Stinson, "Challenge accepted!"
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2013/02/20/why-is-everyone-always-giving-my-kids-junk-food
The writer does an excellent job of conveying something that has been puzzling me every since my Music Man started entering the outside world that is our American society:
Why does everything we do with our kids have to be linked to food?!? And more importantly, why junk food??
Now I understand birthday parties. I realize that I'm a little extreme in that I didn't bake a cake for him for his 1st or 2nd birthday. I also have never taken him Trick or Treating, more so because he really didn't understand the concept. But I also never offered him candy during these times because quite frankly, he wouldn't have known if I had done it. Especially during his first year or two. I figured Halloween would be a tough enough battle for me once he was old enough to enjoy it, so why give his body crap now?
I understand that kids do a great job of negotiating and begging for sweets, and that controlling the amount of sugar my kids eat will be a battle for me at times. But when they are babies and toddlers, and we are truly molding the expectations and habits they will form for the rest of their childhood, why are we pushing the sweets on them? Who says that you "have" to give a 15 month old a chocolate bar because it's Halloween? Why does my 2 year old receive Valentines at school that have candy bags attached to them? And why does he come home with green frosting on his lips because it happens to be St. Patrick's Day?
I am not judging anyone who gives their kids sweets. I completely plan on giving my kids desserts and treats. But from my kitchen and cooked with the ingredients I select. And when we're out and about I will definitely allow the occassional treat (and I also know when they get old enough it's all out of my hands and I just hope I've given them enough knowledge to make mostly healthy choices). My beef is with the "public", as in his preschool or any other area with kids' activities, inundates him with sugary stuff just because that's what they feel they are supposed to know. And I am beyond perplexed when they offer it to kids who honestly wouldn't care one way or another if there was candy.
In our country, SO many people struggle with weight. And for a lot of us, it's an emotional connection to sweets that makes it difficult for us to resist them. Or sends us straight to the ice cream container when we're in a bad mood. I do believe there can be a positive emotional connection between us and our food - I actually agree with Michael Pollan when he says one of our problems is we have widdled food down too much to a science and forgotten what it meant to savor and enjoy it the way that other cultures do (but that is for another post). But we don't give our kids a shot in heck to create a positive relationship with food if we are constantly bombarding them with sweets during "celebrations." Again, I get it. Birthdays are a big deal. The holidays are a big deal. If in your house, Valentine's candy makes or breaks you, then go for it! Just stop assuming that I also want to do that with my own child.
Here's my perfect example of how something we do with our kids translates to the real world and then I'll stop this vent: My son's preschool does something called "Donuts with Daddy." I don't know the specifics because it is for the other kids, but I assume it is a special day once or twice a year where Dad actually comes to their schools. Now I'm sorry, but don't you think a 3 or 4 year old would be content enough to just have DAD be there?? His mere presence in their school, showing him the class, and sharing his/her favorite story with him would make the day unbelievably special for any child. Why must we pair an absolute piece of garbage food with this event? What does this remind me of? Donuts and bagels every Friday at the school I used to teach at! Donuts and coffee in the break room at the office I used to intern at! Sweets around every corner at any business in America! And we wonder why a report just came out that our obesity rate is still rising and that heart disease is taking more peoples' lives every single day?
It starts at the beginning folks!! You do not need sugar and treats to have fun! That doesn't mean it isn't fun to eat something sweet every once in awhile, but I hate that we look at it the reversed way. Kids are amazing beings in that they can find fun in a cardboard box, or with a leaf that's flying away, or a red crayon and a piece of paper. It's because we start them so early on this junk food/candy link to events that by the time they do reach grade school they are expecting it.
Once I get through these last 18-24 months of babies and diapers I really think the first thing I want to accomplish as a health coach is trying to get my voice heard in these preschools. There have got to be other mommies out there who agree with me on this. In the words of Barney Stinson, "Challenge accepted!"
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Slow-Cooker Recipe #2
I've got something cooking away in the slow cooker right now and I just tasted it and am giving it my seal of approval! Yet another Mexican inspired dish. But you really can't go wrong with them:
Slow Cooker Tomatillo Chicken and Black Bean Tacos from The Perfect Pantry.
I didn't have any black beans, so I used one can of northern white beans and one pinto. Any combo would work. I also didn't use the 2 T of brown sugar. I used 1 T of Sucanat. I'm going to serve it with wheat tortilla for the Hubs and alongside rice for me and The Music Man. I'll let the Peanut eat some of the chicken, but right now I avoid legumes and grains with her. I want to wait as long as possible for her digestive system to develop before I give her anything tough for her tummy. At least 18 months and maybe 2 years depending on things are going.
Slow Cooker Tomatillo Chicken and Black Bean Tacos from The Perfect Pantry.
I didn't have any black beans, so I used one can of northern white beans and one pinto. Any combo would work. I also didn't use the 2 T of brown sugar. I used 1 T of Sucanat. I'm going to serve it with wheat tortilla for the Hubs and alongside rice for me and The Music Man. I'll let the Peanut eat some of the chicken, but right now I avoid legumes and grains with her. I want to wait as long as possible for her digestive system to develop before I give her anything tough for her tummy. At least 18 months and maybe 2 years depending on things are going.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Great Snacks for Kids
This past weekend my Music Man went on an eating frenzy. He ate all three of his meals and even asked for seconds on some of them. He ate oatmeal, home made pancakes, avocados, cheese quesadillas, chicken, meatballs, rice, sweet potatoes, hummus. strawberries, bananas, and kiwis. Still nothing green, but leaps and bounds above what he was eating less than two months ago. I had mentioned that we had laid down the hammer and told him he would be eating our food. The success has happened quicker than I thought it would. I finally have a few staples that he will eat and I'm going to move into the next phase of dishes (and preparing vegetables in a more tasty manner) over the next few months.
Something I did to make this transition smoother was to create some healthy snacks that I could use as "bait" to get him to eat my food. Once I found some that he liked, I could tell him he could have these snacks if he ate some avocado (or chicken, whatever). Sometimes he still needs the incentive, but in the beginning I really needed these to get the ball rolling. I know some parents don't believe in bribing a kid to eat food with other food, but I figured since I was bribing with items I thought were good for him (fruit or these snacks) that it wasn't too bad.
Here are the links to some snacks I have prepared (all can be made in big batches and frozen)
Energy Balls
He loves these. Will eat about anything to get them. They are basically nuts and dried fruit. All things I am fine with him eating. Super simple to make.
Super Bars
I actually haven't tried these in awhile. He liked them a lot in the beginning but then lost a little interest. But again, oats, dried fruit, nuts. I think I replaced the brown sugar with either honey or Sucanat (a sweetener made from whole cane sugar that still has all of the natural molasses. Nothing added, nothing taken out).
PB & J Bars
These are a grain-free version of a classic. He used to love these but I have to negotiate a little these days. Which I cannot understand for the life of me. They are delicious.
All of these snacks are grain-free and made with natural sweeteners. They do take a little time, but like I said, you can make big batches and freeze. And they all travel well and can be put in kids' lunch boxes.
Something I did to make this transition smoother was to create some healthy snacks that I could use as "bait" to get him to eat my food. Once I found some that he liked, I could tell him he could have these snacks if he ate some avocado (or chicken, whatever). Sometimes he still needs the incentive, but in the beginning I really needed these to get the ball rolling. I know some parents don't believe in bribing a kid to eat food with other food, but I figured since I was bribing with items I thought were good for him (fruit or these snacks) that it wasn't too bad.
Here are the links to some snacks I have prepared (all can be made in big batches and frozen)
Energy Balls
He loves these. Will eat about anything to get them. They are basically nuts and dried fruit. All things I am fine with him eating. Super simple to make.
Super Bars
I actually haven't tried these in awhile. He liked them a lot in the beginning but then lost a little interest. But again, oats, dried fruit, nuts. I think I replaced the brown sugar with either honey or Sucanat (a sweetener made from whole cane sugar that still has all of the natural molasses. Nothing added, nothing taken out).
PB & J Bars
These are a grain-free version of a classic. He used to love these but I have to negotiate a little these days. Which I cannot understand for the life of me. They are delicious.
All of these snacks are grain-free and made with natural sweeteners. They do take a little time, but like I said, you can make big batches and freeze. And they all travel well and can be put in kids' lunch boxes.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Reason #6 for a Whole Foods Diet: I LOVE FOOD!!
I realize I missed last week's Monday post about why I am doing this. And I'm going to change the "this" from sugar-free year to eating a whole food diet. And by this I mean, eating REAL food. Trying to eat very little processed food, cooking most of my food, and staying away from refined sugars, gluten and nasty vegetable oils.
When I tell people that I am cutting out processed foods from my diet (and sugar, which most read as - dessert) I am shocked when people say they couldn't do this because they "like food too much." I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that stuff you are eating is not food. I don't want to come across as preachy, because I think everyone has the right to put whatever they want into their mouth. I just ask that you don't fool yourself into thinking it is food. Like I have written before, if it can sit on a shelf for months (or years) at a time, it isn't food. If it is neon green or hot pink or turquoise, it most likely isn't food.
I love food. Love, love, love it. I think it's safe to assume that we all do since we need it to survive. I haven't met anyone who doesn't have foods that make them happy, or favorite foods, or doesn't comment on the smells of a kitchen with dishes warming in the oven.
But when you start eating real food, and getting your taste buds back in order after years of tricking them with artificially flavored things, you will fall in love with food all over again. I know I did. And to my surprise, I love making food. I love turning something simple, like a zucchini, into a delicious pancake with onions, garlic and seasonings. Or plain oats into a warm porridge with spices and fats to make a stick to your ribs type of breakfast.
Something I need to work on is just how much I'm loving my food. While I do believe a lot of my false hunger and cravings is due to the sugar going through my body, I also do admit that I have formed some pretty bad habits. Habits that are incredibly difficult for my to break. Three habits that I need to work on over the next few months are:
1) Eating my kids' food. I've said it before and I'll say it again, it's tough not to pick at left-overs on a tray. Or the few spoonfuls of something still sitting in my frying pan that they don't want to eat. Even though it's good food, too much food is not good for you. And since I'm not training for a half marathon or doing three sessions of yoga a week or entering a gym anytime this year I have to be more conscious of the amount of food I am eating. And I found even when I was feeling good with the absence of sugar a month ago, I was still eating my kids food because it was there and it looked good.
2) Eating while I cook. Similar issue. The food is there and I want to eat it. There's no need to "taste" to make sure a dish is good when I have made it 20 times before. I basically eat an entire mini-dinner while I am preparing it and then sit down to regular portion just 30 minutes later.
3) Snacking. Especially in front of the TV. Especially during nap time. I feel like a broken record writing this one. But it has been an issue since my son was born.
I don't have a game plan yet but I know there has to be a way to curb these habits. Because going off of sugar wasn't solving them.
When I tell people that I am cutting out processed foods from my diet (and sugar, which most read as - dessert) I am shocked when people say they couldn't do this because they "like food too much." I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that stuff you are eating is not food. I don't want to come across as preachy, because I think everyone has the right to put whatever they want into their mouth. I just ask that you don't fool yourself into thinking it is food. Like I have written before, if it can sit on a shelf for months (or years) at a time, it isn't food. If it is neon green or hot pink or turquoise, it most likely isn't food.
I love food. Love, love, love it. I think it's safe to assume that we all do since we need it to survive. I haven't met anyone who doesn't have foods that make them happy, or favorite foods, or doesn't comment on the smells of a kitchen with dishes warming in the oven.
But when you start eating real food, and getting your taste buds back in order after years of tricking them with artificially flavored things, you will fall in love with food all over again. I know I did. And to my surprise, I love making food. I love turning something simple, like a zucchini, into a delicious pancake with onions, garlic and seasonings. Or plain oats into a warm porridge with spices and fats to make a stick to your ribs type of breakfast.
Something I need to work on is just how much I'm loving my food. While I do believe a lot of my false hunger and cravings is due to the sugar going through my body, I also do admit that I have formed some pretty bad habits. Habits that are incredibly difficult for my to break. Three habits that I need to work on over the next few months are:
1) Eating my kids' food. I've said it before and I'll say it again, it's tough not to pick at left-overs on a tray. Or the few spoonfuls of something still sitting in my frying pan that they don't want to eat. Even though it's good food, too much food is not good for you. And since I'm not training for a half marathon or doing three sessions of yoga a week or entering a gym anytime this year I have to be more conscious of the amount of food I am eating. And I found even when I was feeling good with the absence of sugar a month ago, I was still eating my kids food because it was there and it looked good.
2) Eating while I cook. Similar issue. The food is there and I want to eat it. There's no need to "taste" to make sure a dish is good when I have made it 20 times before. I basically eat an entire mini-dinner while I am preparing it and then sit down to regular portion just 30 minutes later.
3) Snacking. Especially in front of the TV. Especially during nap time. I feel like a broken record writing this one. But it has been an issue since my son was born.
I don't have a game plan yet but I know there has to be a way to curb these habits. Because going off of sugar wasn't solving them.
Back in the Saddle
Back to blogging!
I had a bit of a set-back over the past 10 days or so. Without going into too much personal detail, I found myself overwhelmed. Two kids has really been a difficult transition for me. I feel as though I'm still working through the transition of just BEING a parent (even after nearly 3 years), but the two has just zapped me. Never having time to myself or a consistent schedule is something I find stressful. After my son got through his newborn phase and we had lived in Charlotte for a few months, I found I could get into a small routine. Music Man was a tremendous sleeper. He took long naps and always slept through the night. He used to sleep in until at least 7 almost every single morning. Two years ago I actually had the energy to wake up around 5 or 5:30, take the dog for a walk, do about 20 minutes of yoga, make my breakfast and watch a little news before my day with him began. I laugh thinking about that now! There is NO WAY that could happen with my life right now and that has been a tough pill to swallow. I have always known that my life would never return to what it was with just one kid, but like most things in life, you have to live it to really let it sink in.
Three things are keeping me from getting into any flow:
1) My daughter is not my son. I know, shocker, right?!? But I think most parents take a little time to fully realize this. After all, he's the only kid I knew right? So I had certain expectations and parenting methods in my brain. I am nursing her (I didn't make it very far with my son) and this requires me to be accessible to her three times a day. Don't get me wrong, this is nothing compared to the first six or seven months, but still, it's been ten months now and I have never spent more than 3 hours away from her. Until today though! My sitter came in the morning and I won't return to my house for 3 1/2 hours! Hence why I can finally devote a little attention to this blog. It also took her a long time to get into a nap schedule, and she doesn't sleep in large chunks like her brother did.
2) My son is no longer a 10 month old baby. He's an emotional, moody, unpredictable toddler. I never know what I'm going to wake up to in the morning. Now, he was also a moody baby, but with a baby there are so many less variables. First of all, they don't have a lot of choices. They can't express their opinions that clearly (which is a both a blessing and a curse) and you can easily pick them up and move them from point A to point B. They eat what is put in front of them, and with my son, he liked his routines. I was lucky in that he could entertain himself for a long time, and he loved doing the same sort of activities all of the time. My toddler...is a whole new can of worms. Anything sets him off. Going somewhere takes 20 minutes of strategically placed wording and tone and risk/reward choices that will somehow convince him that going out to the playground on a warm, sunny day is actually a GOOD idea. We are constantly arguing over how much TV he will watch, what he will eat for lunch, how close his sister can stand next to him (usually not within 10 feet), and when and where we can change his diaper. The overall day is absolutely stressful.
3) Two is more than one. Rocket science, I know. But the fact of the matter is, I am now juggling two balls instead of one. And although that is easier than juggling four (cannot even imagine that!), I do have to focus a lot more. And they tag team me. I swear, it's like little kid ESP or something. My daughter took months and months to start sleeping late in the morning. She doesn't wake before 7. Once she started doing that, my son (who rarely ever woke early) has been up by 6 almost every morning. Sometimes sooner. Luckily he stays in his room, but not all of the time. And he's also cranky in the morning most days. And now that my daughter is finally napping on a schedule, I should be getting a 90 minute break from the two of them in the afternoon. But nope, Music Man doesn't like to nap for me (will do anything when Daddy's home on the weekends!), so my weekday afternoons are spent negotiating how long he needs to stay in his room and telling him he can't walk through the hallways singing at the top of his lungs while his sister sleeps.
This is just one of the things on my mind these days, coping with this new role as a mother of two. I do try to remind myself that we have come a long way from the summer, where I never got more than 3 hours of consecutive sleep and my son cried all day long and I would flip out on him almost once a day and then feel guilty about it for a week. We are past those days and that is awesome, but the grind still gets to me.
Add to that me trying to eat sugar and gluten free and cooking all of our meals and I just couldn't cope. I found myself eating fruit and feeling guilty. Eating large portions of lunch and dinner and feeling guilty. Snacking through the day and feeling guilty. Gaining five pounds and feeling guilty.
And then I had some sugar.
Way to bury the lead, Brooke! Yup, off the band wagon. I have been eating some honey. I had some grain-free pumpkin bread last week that was sweetened with honey. Had it during a difficult moment where my head felt like it was going to implode and my patience with everything was razor thin. Then I started adding honey to my oatmeal in the morning and this was partially due to allergy season. Every year since I moved to Charlotte I have gotten allergies right as spring is moving in. And every year I eat some local honey and the pollen that those bees eat gets into my system and I build up an immunity and my allergies go away. I was on the fence as to what to do this year but I decided to just eat some honey.
Now the first thought that crossed my mind was:
FAILURE!
But thankfully, I was able to stifle that thought really quickly and actually show myself some much needed compassion. I started to feel so stupid (especially about this blog), thinking that all of my writing about how bad sugar is and how I absolutely cannot have any and about my addiction was going to seem like such a joke if I couldn't stick to my goal. Then I started thinking clearly. First of all, I only need to answer to myself in this world. This blog was meant to be a place where I could vent and share the ups and downs I have with healthy eating. Honestly, I don't know if I can go an entire year off of all sugar. I am proud that I have yet to eat any refined sugar or gluten. I do know that my body doesn't do as well when I have things like honey and maple syrup and fruit floating around in there, but I also know it's not doing nearly as much damage as white sugar and gluten. And avoiding these things is pretty difficult but I think I can do it. And if I don't, I'm not going to beat myself up.
This "Sugar-Free Year" is just as much about my own total health journey (mind, body and spirit) than simply not eating sugar. I always knew I had an emotional connection to food, and I want to spend the remainder of this year figuring out ways to curb this. I honestly think more of the problem is my connection to food (as in its relationship to my stress levels) than about what I am putting in my mouth at the time. I need to figure out a way to comfort myself and accept myself and be happy with how I am living my life. When I can find some coping skills that don't center around self-sabotage and guilt I really think my eating will just work itself out.
And as much as I preach about kale and organic meat, the true health threat to everyone is stress. You can have the cleanest diet on the planet, but if you're stressed out it won't do you any good. Stress attacks everything good going on in your body. They have actually found that people who eat clean but are stressed out are unhealthier than happy, content people who don't have the greenest stuff entering their system. And trying to keep up with this very demanding goal was starting to add stress to everything else that was already stressing me out. So I'm releasing my reins a little and allowing some natural sweeteners in my life. This is actually great news for my readers, because there will be more recipes that you would enjoy, ha!
So this is still technically "sugar-free" since most websites just count refined, white sugar as sugar. Many people do great with natural sweeteners (they do not spike your blood sugar the way refined sugar and artificial sweenteners do). And they actually have some health benefits, which I will post soon!
I am grateful that I was able to see that I needed a breath and could get my head on straight and work through this past week. Now I'm back on the horse and looking forward to sharing my healthy lifestyle with everyone again!
I had a bit of a set-back over the past 10 days or so. Without going into too much personal detail, I found myself overwhelmed. Two kids has really been a difficult transition for me. I feel as though I'm still working through the transition of just BEING a parent (even after nearly 3 years), but the two has just zapped me. Never having time to myself or a consistent schedule is something I find stressful. After my son got through his newborn phase and we had lived in Charlotte for a few months, I found I could get into a small routine. Music Man was a tremendous sleeper. He took long naps and always slept through the night. He used to sleep in until at least 7 almost every single morning. Two years ago I actually had the energy to wake up around 5 or 5:30, take the dog for a walk, do about 20 minutes of yoga, make my breakfast and watch a little news before my day with him began. I laugh thinking about that now! There is NO WAY that could happen with my life right now and that has been a tough pill to swallow. I have always known that my life would never return to what it was with just one kid, but like most things in life, you have to live it to really let it sink in.
Three things are keeping me from getting into any flow:
1) My daughter is not my son. I know, shocker, right?!? But I think most parents take a little time to fully realize this. After all, he's the only kid I knew right? So I had certain expectations and parenting methods in my brain. I am nursing her (I didn't make it very far with my son) and this requires me to be accessible to her three times a day. Don't get me wrong, this is nothing compared to the first six or seven months, but still, it's been ten months now and I have never spent more than 3 hours away from her. Until today though! My sitter came in the morning and I won't return to my house for 3 1/2 hours! Hence why I can finally devote a little attention to this blog. It also took her a long time to get into a nap schedule, and she doesn't sleep in large chunks like her brother did.
2) My son is no longer a 10 month old baby. He's an emotional, moody, unpredictable toddler. I never know what I'm going to wake up to in the morning. Now, he was also a moody baby, but with a baby there are so many less variables. First of all, they don't have a lot of choices. They can't express their opinions that clearly (which is a both a blessing and a curse) and you can easily pick them up and move them from point A to point B. They eat what is put in front of them, and with my son, he liked his routines. I was lucky in that he could entertain himself for a long time, and he loved doing the same sort of activities all of the time. My toddler...is a whole new can of worms. Anything sets him off. Going somewhere takes 20 minutes of strategically placed wording and tone and risk/reward choices that will somehow convince him that going out to the playground on a warm, sunny day is actually a GOOD idea. We are constantly arguing over how much TV he will watch, what he will eat for lunch, how close his sister can stand next to him (usually not within 10 feet), and when and where we can change his diaper. The overall day is absolutely stressful.
3) Two is more than one. Rocket science, I know. But the fact of the matter is, I am now juggling two balls instead of one. And although that is easier than juggling four (cannot even imagine that!), I do have to focus a lot more. And they tag team me. I swear, it's like little kid ESP or something. My daughter took months and months to start sleeping late in the morning. She doesn't wake before 7. Once she started doing that, my son (who rarely ever woke early) has been up by 6 almost every morning. Sometimes sooner. Luckily he stays in his room, but not all of the time. And he's also cranky in the morning most days. And now that my daughter is finally napping on a schedule, I should be getting a 90 minute break from the two of them in the afternoon. But nope, Music Man doesn't like to nap for me (will do anything when Daddy's home on the weekends!), so my weekday afternoons are spent negotiating how long he needs to stay in his room and telling him he can't walk through the hallways singing at the top of his lungs while his sister sleeps.
This is just one of the things on my mind these days, coping with this new role as a mother of two. I do try to remind myself that we have come a long way from the summer, where I never got more than 3 hours of consecutive sleep and my son cried all day long and I would flip out on him almost once a day and then feel guilty about it for a week. We are past those days and that is awesome, but the grind still gets to me.
Add to that me trying to eat sugar and gluten free and cooking all of our meals and I just couldn't cope. I found myself eating fruit and feeling guilty. Eating large portions of lunch and dinner and feeling guilty. Snacking through the day and feeling guilty. Gaining five pounds and feeling guilty.
And then I had some sugar.
Way to bury the lead, Brooke! Yup, off the band wagon. I have been eating some honey. I had some grain-free pumpkin bread last week that was sweetened with honey. Had it during a difficult moment where my head felt like it was going to implode and my patience with everything was razor thin. Then I started adding honey to my oatmeal in the morning and this was partially due to allergy season. Every year since I moved to Charlotte I have gotten allergies right as spring is moving in. And every year I eat some local honey and the pollen that those bees eat gets into my system and I build up an immunity and my allergies go away. I was on the fence as to what to do this year but I decided to just eat some honey.
Now the first thought that crossed my mind was:
FAILURE!
But thankfully, I was able to stifle that thought really quickly and actually show myself some much needed compassion. I started to feel so stupid (especially about this blog), thinking that all of my writing about how bad sugar is and how I absolutely cannot have any and about my addiction was going to seem like such a joke if I couldn't stick to my goal. Then I started thinking clearly. First of all, I only need to answer to myself in this world. This blog was meant to be a place where I could vent and share the ups and downs I have with healthy eating. Honestly, I don't know if I can go an entire year off of all sugar. I am proud that I have yet to eat any refined sugar or gluten. I do know that my body doesn't do as well when I have things like honey and maple syrup and fruit floating around in there, but I also know it's not doing nearly as much damage as white sugar and gluten. And avoiding these things is pretty difficult but I think I can do it. And if I don't, I'm not going to beat myself up.
This "Sugar-Free Year" is just as much about my own total health journey (mind, body and spirit) than simply not eating sugar. I always knew I had an emotional connection to food, and I want to spend the remainder of this year figuring out ways to curb this. I honestly think more of the problem is my connection to food (as in its relationship to my stress levels) than about what I am putting in my mouth at the time. I need to figure out a way to comfort myself and accept myself and be happy with how I am living my life. When I can find some coping skills that don't center around self-sabotage and guilt I really think my eating will just work itself out.
And as much as I preach about kale and organic meat, the true health threat to everyone is stress. You can have the cleanest diet on the planet, but if you're stressed out it won't do you any good. Stress attacks everything good going on in your body. They have actually found that people who eat clean but are stressed out are unhealthier than happy, content people who don't have the greenest stuff entering their system. And trying to keep up with this very demanding goal was starting to add stress to everything else that was already stressing me out. So I'm releasing my reins a little and allowing some natural sweeteners in my life. This is actually great news for my readers, because there will be more recipes that you would enjoy, ha!
So this is still technically "sugar-free" since most websites just count refined, white sugar as sugar. Many people do great with natural sweeteners (they do not spike your blood sugar the way refined sugar and artificial sweenteners do). And they actually have some health benefits, which I will post soon!
I am grateful that I was able to see that I needed a breath and could get my head on straight and work through this past week. Now I'm back on the horse and looking forward to sharing my healthy lifestyle with everyone again!
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