Nutrition Goals-Jan. 6

We want to honor God by being good stewards of our bodies.  This means fueling them with nutritious foods that optimize health and make us strong. In Luke, Jesus reminds us to

“love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind” (v.10:27 NKJ)

Strong bodies provide greater opportunities to witness and work for the Lord.

The primary source of improving our physical and, in some cases mental, health will be to transition into a diet complete with Whole Foods. That means eliminating processed foods. I am not naïve enough to think we can do this “cold turkey”, nor do I intend to jump all the way on the whole foods wagon.  For example, I will attempt to decrease our refined sugar intake significantly by saying goodbye to my long time friend, Little Debbie.  I am not cutting out sugar in baking nor am I tossing out our beloved sweet tea. We are also not prepared to go all organic or gluten-free. We do have a budget and I want to see how healthy we can be without paying out the ear just because it is “labeled” healthy.  Perhaps it would be better for me to list what I am going to do.

My Nutrition Rules: 

Can buy packaged/canned foods so long as they have no more than 5 ingredients and I can comfortably pronounce those ingredients.

Avoid the “ose” filled foods. You know, like fructOSE.

Fresh and frozen fruit and veggies.  Canned is a last resort (unless I canned or home preserved it myself) and only when rule number one applies.

Bye-bye processed and overly preserved frozen foods such as microwavable meals and (our favorite) Hot Pockets Snackers! Uggh! This one is going to be HARD!!

Lots of good ol’ H2O

Real butter, not margarine

Plain yogurt, which we’ll sweeten with fresh fruit and/or honey, and not the presweetened sugar tubes my kids have grown to love.  They’ll get used to it.

Whole wheat. We gave up white bread years ago, but this also means buying whole wheat flour instead of the standard. This also means I need to make homemade biscuits instead of relying on Pillsbury.  I’ll sure miss that giggle.

Although some might disagree, we need more nuts! and sunflower seeds.

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I have derived much of my inspiration and information from Lisa at 100 Days of Real Food. Although I am not yet brave enough to take her up on her challenge, I find her recipes and tips very helpful.

Tomorrow is shopping day….so I’ll have to report how my first day of shopping for “real food” goes.