Food For Thought

Butternut Squash French Fries

     My wife and I have embarked on a dangerous journey together – we're radically changing our diets to include exclusively healthy foods. The transition hasn't been easy, but it has been worth it. As people age, it is easy to add extra pounds as physical activity decreases. The longer a person waits to alter bad eating habits, the harder it becomes to change anything.
     Luckily my wife and I are both starting this new plan at the same time. Healthy eating is harder when only one half of a couple is committed to change and the other person has hesitations. Both of us are making a concentrated effort at the same time. We have each other for support which makes the process more manageable. After the first two weeks of altering our diets, we had a weight loss total of fourteen pounds between us.

      “We’ve lost the equivalent of two newborn babies!” my wife said proudly.

      “That’s just gross,” was my reaction. But walking around without that added weight makes a huge difference in the way a person looks and feels.     We started becoming extremely conscious about ingredients we use when preparing meals. We’re calculating fat content and substituting healthy ingredients wherever possible. Sure, it takes a bit longer to make dinner, but some of the changes we've made had a real impact on our weekly weigh-ins. Ground beef hamburgers have been replaced with Portobello mushroom burgers (or turkey burgers if we want to splurge). Hot fudge sundaes have been replaced by SmartOnes® dessert treats. Fruits and vegetables are now plentiful in our diet. We’ve said goodbye to french fries, and hello to french fries made from green bananas baked in the oven with Pam Cooking spray and a little salt and pepper. It sounded questionable to me too, but after eating them – with ketchup even – I never want to eat a fried french fry again. Surprisingly, I don't miss them (much).

     Things I never thought I’d try are now staples on our grocery list. I’m not a Soy Milk fan. I could never get past the grayish hue and icky aftertaste, but Almond Milk is fantastic. Who knew you could even produce milk from almonds? I gave it a try and I was impressed. At 40 calories a serving, I love it even more – and it has calcium to help strengthen my aging bones.

     Our grocery shopping routine has changed significantly. I've heard rumors that you can do all your weekly shopping from the outside edges of the supermarket without having to peruse every aisle (well almost). It takes longer to shop with a healthy lifestyle as your focus. It was faster and easier to mindlessly toss food into our cart without thinking of the consequences. However, once you start making health conscious decisions, you won’t want to go back to old routines.We pass by the bakery aisle without stopping and not feel like we're missing something. The produce aisle is now our favorite place to linger. There are always new things to try. Some recipes call for hard to find vegetables that have never been on our shopping list before. I’m hoping this new way to eat is not just a phase or an in-the-moment fad. It doesn’t feel temporary, it feels like this is the way it should have been all our lives. At home, I hardly recognize my refrigerator shelves. When I open the door it’s overflowing with leafy greens and low-fat alternatives.
     The results our bodies have shown in a few short weeks have proven we can achieve the goals we want if we’re willing to make some changes and endure some sacrifices. But is it really a sacrifice if you reap the benefits in the long run?