.jpg)
So let me tell you all a little story.....
We've been on what I call our "food journey" for approximately seven years now. It has been a VERY long journey filled with struggles and uncertainty. But I knew that this was a path worth taking because I wanted my family healthy and happy.
So without really discussing what I was doing, I set out to transform not only our diets but our lives. Get rid of most the meats, eat more fruits and veggies, take regular supplements, use homeopathic remedies, eat less fast food, get rid of all the processed junk- yeah, it was quite the undertaking and my meat and potatoes loving husband was NOT impressed.
If I can tell you anything about this transformation- it's that it simply must be done in baby steps.
Ok, back to the story. So I decided to make these changes, slowly. For the most part, the husband put up with it. He didn't really understand my desires to make these changes but he humored me. At least at home. He still ate junk in his lunches and would go out to eat at his favorite place, Taco Bell, on the regular. He probably thought I would eventually lose interest....BWHAHAHA, silly husband.
And I won't even go into the resistance I faced with the kiddo. No more Happy Meals? Oh the horror!!!
So last night when I got home from work, I was pretty damn proud of the following conversation.
Husband- I have to work at a Taco Bell tomorrow.
Me- Yuck. Are you going to be tempted to eat it?
Husband- Course not! I've gone this long without it, no way in hell am I giving in now. I even tried to give the call away so I wouldn't have to walk in the doors.
Me- Wow. Good job Babe.
Umm....wait. What? It was a surreal moment you guys. Seven years of struggle. And this moment happened.
Here's what I learned- you can make the changes in your house. You can stop buying the potato chips and soda. You can feed your family healthy meals filled with fruits and veggies. But you can't control the choices they make outside your home. You just can't.
So in these last seven years, I've not only made these changes at home, but I've also set about educating my family along the way. Why are we making these changes? What's the benefit to doing this? What's happening to the environment, our world, our children's future? You get the idea here. You need to have an understanding of why you're doing this or it will never work.
It took the husband about five years to get serious about giving up Taco Bell. I didn't push him. I gave him the facts, made healthy meals at home and let him reach his own conclusion. And then one day, he just gave it up- cold turkey. He got it. He finally understood and was compelled enough to make the changes all on his own. He was ready.
My lesson to you all is this-
Don't ever give up hope. Seriously, just don't. I never in a million years thought that the husband would freely pass up the Taco Bell. It was his drug of choice and he ate it every chance he got. But one day, he was finally ready to make the change and so he did.
If you're getting resistance from your family, trust me when I say that I understand. Take baby steps, remember why you're doing this in the first place and educate your family along the way.
And you can always share with them our success story.
My child has never had the flu. He's never had a high temperature. He's never battled a real cold for longer then 24 hours. He's never had an ear infection or any other sort of illness so common with children nowadays. He also used to have eczema and get horrible rashes- not anymore!
And the husband- well, he was at risk for diabetes and was diagnosed with high blood pressure and put on medication. He was taking a few other doctor prescribed medications and was actually contemplating surgery for his sinus issues. Every single one of these issues is gone. Gone.
Me? Well I used to have to take medications because my menstrual cycle was SO bad- seriously, debilitating. I know- sorry, TMI! But it's important to know that I no longer take any pain medications for this issue that many women suffer from. In addition, I always hit the mid day slump and could never seem to get a good night's rest. I am healthier now at 33 then I was at 23. It's amazing.
It works you guys, it really works.
Want to read more?
No comments:
Post a Comment