"If you ask the hungry man how much is two and two, he replies four loaves." - Hindu Proverb
I love this quote because it reminds me that if food is on the mind, we struggle to move forward with any other part of life. Angry hunger is behind my many handfuls of goldfish crackers, "mini" snickers bars at work, and the "fourth meal." Depending on where we fall on the hunger scale, we may or may not care what the food label says, where the food came from, or frivolous subjects of portion control. At some point our bodies will prioritize feeding ourselves over good food choices. You can only ignore hunger for so long until you end up at the nearest drive thru. It will eventually hunt you down and corner you when you are least expecting or most vulnerable. You've been down this road, I've been down this road. So our choices are to respect our hunger or spend a lifetime in a cycle of starving, overeating, and disappointment.
To satisfy this beast, we need to eat at least three meals a day and eat what we feel like eating (within reason of course). Why three meals? Because we can't drive ourselves through everyday life on one tank of gas. One or two enormous meals per day inevitably leads us to poor choices, food comas, subsequent guilt and skipped meals, only to start the cycle all over again. Next, eat what we feel like eating. Eating food we don't feel like eating just leaves us unsatisfied and resentful and let's be honest, don't we usually end up eating what we feel like in the long run? There are ways to include all foods, even the "bad" ones within healthy nutrition (I have to believe a good burger fits somewhere...seriously). So lets give ourselves the best possible chance to make good choices by starting with a good, healthy eating platform. Three meals a day and eat what you sounds good...easy as two and two.
What does "two and two" mean to you?
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Hello Thirties
It happened. I have officially entered a new decade and I thought I'd kick off this blog with a little self reflection.
The past decade...first came love, then came marriage, then came...well you know the rest. Finished college, started living in the "real world," bought our first house and started my nutrition career. More recently, I became certified as a diabetes educator and embarked on my newest hobby of running - completing my first 5K in December, 2010. The journey from age 20 to 30 is tremendous for many people and I am no exception. I have become more comfortable in my skin, loved others in ways I did not think were possible, and overall learned just as much about myself as the rest of the world. It has been a fantastic decade...goodbye 20's.
So now what? Well...I'm 30 and am healthier and happier than I've ever been. I attribute a healthier lifestyle to one person...my daughter. Since the day I met her (and the ten months before) I have taken better care of myself (with the exception of daily prenatal blizzards) to set a good example and empower her to do the same. I have never prescribed to the common belief that having kids condemns you to a steady diet of chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese (although both are difficult for me to turn down). I have offered her whole, fresh food from the beginning which is great until I realized she was eating better than her parents. This is not to say she doesn't get french fries and potato chips, but she loves all food (is it genetic?) and especially fresh fruit and vegetables. If there is any hope she will preserve her love for produce, I have to eat it too and she has to see me eat it during family meals. She eats better, I eat better, we eat better.
"Success isn't a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire." Arnold H.Glasow
Cheers to the 30's!
The past decade...first came love, then came marriage, then came...well you know the rest. Finished college, started living in the "real world," bought our first house and started my nutrition career. More recently, I became certified as a diabetes educator and embarked on my newest hobby of running - completing my first 5K in December, 2010. The journey from age 20 to 30 is tremendous for many people and I am no exception. I have become more comfortable in my skin, loved others in ways I did not think were possible, and overall learned just as much about myself as the rest of the world. It has been a fantastic decade...goodbye 20's.
So now what? Well...I'm 30 and am healthier and happier than I've ever been. I attribute a healthier lifestyle to one person...my daughter. Since the day I met her (and the ten months before) I have taken better care of myself (with the exception of daily prenatal blizzards) to set a good example and empower her to do the same. I have never prescribed to the common belief that having kids condemns you to a steady diet of chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese (although both are difficult for me to turn down). I have offered her whole, fresh food from the beginning which is great until I realized she was eating better than her parents. This is not to say she doesn't get french fries and potato chips, but she loves all food (is it genetic?) and especially fresh fruit and vegetables. If there is any hope she will preserve her love for produce, I have to eat it too and she has to see me eat it during family meals. She eats better, I eat better, we eat better.
"Success isn't a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire." Arnold H.Glasow
Cheers to the 30's!
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