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We’ve all heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” I like this as an add-on to that, “So don’t be easy, cheap, fast or fake.”
Like most people my age, I grew up in a meat-and-potatoes-for-dinner-every-night family. My mother was a fabulous cook… one of those people who made everything taste great. She also rarely used a recipe (only when she was baking!) Her meals centered on what meat we were eating (fried, baked), add in a potato (fried, baked, boiled) and a veggie or salad and that was dinner. Once in a while, we would have one of the other meals that dad tolerated…. Like spaghetti, chop suey, cabbage rolls (hello golumpkes!)…. but those were not the rule.
We lived in a small town without any fast-food restaurants. Trips to Wendy’s or McDonalds were reserved when we went to Saginaw to go shopping, which wasn’t often.
Fast forward to today.
We live in the era of convenience. Drive-thru burgers and fries has become the standard in the Standard American Diet (SAD, literally).
Quick and easy is definitely the name of the game. That usually means cheap and fake come along for the ride.
According to the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025
60% or more of adults have 1 or more diet related chronic disease
74% of adults are overweight or have obesity (ages 40-59 have highest percentage-43%)
About 40% of children and adolescents are overweight or have obesity
45% of adults have hypertension
35% of adults have pre-diabetes
11% of Americans have Type 1 or 2 diabetes
90% of adults with diabetes are overweight or have obesity
Heart disease is the leading cause of death. 18.2 million adults have coronary artery disease. It’s obvious the SAD is truly sad indeed. According to the new guidelines, and the advancement in research on nutrition and health, it’s obvious that plants are key to reversing this trend. And the new recommendations are a good start. Focus on fruits and veggies to keep the ticker in tip top shape!
Note that THREE QUARTERS of the plate is fruits and veggies, and only ONE QUARTER of the plate is PROTEIN. The low carb diets need to be put in their place. Healthy carbs are where it’s at! There is no longer any doubt that our diet plays a direct role in our health (or lack thereof). But HOW do we make a transition to a more plant filled diet?
STEP 1 - MAKE A PLAN
You heard the saying, “Fail to plan, plan to fail.” Well, this goes for your meals too.
Whether you are a slow-and-steady Betty or a jump-all-in Lynn, you will need a plan that contains a few specific items How slow (or fast) will you go?
Determine how much you want to incorporate and plan from there. Maybe it’s a one day a week Meatless Monday, or 5 days veggie focused and 2 not. You determine what’s right for YOU and go from there. Veg with friends
You can totally go it alone, but success and excitement go up when you partner with a friend. Seek out your like-minded friends, join a group on social media, like Faith, Fitness & Fellowship, where there’s always plenty of support and encouragement. Recipes are key. Not necessarily written out recipes, but at least things you know how to make, or want to make. Do you have recipes you love right now that you could kick up by adding more veggies to them (think tacos with beans instead of meat). What do you make now that could be changed up? Pinterest is a gold-mine for easy plant-filled recipes. Create a board and pin a few. Don’t make a new recipe every night (unless you really want to.) I found it can feel like a lot of work to make something new and can also make you revert to your old ways. Incorporate 1 or 2 new dishes to try, and make them on days when you aren’t busy and have more time to enjoy the process. Working with NO-GO Joes.
You know who they are… those people you love and adore and can’t imagine living without, but that will no-way no-how jump on board with this idea…. Those people.
You have to take them into consideration when making your plan, unless you want absolute rebellion. If so, skip ahead. Here are a few tips:
Make your main dish, his side dish. Grill up some meat to go with it for him.
Make your main dish without the dairy or meat and add them to his plate or after you’ve taken your serving out.
Serve a side salad as often as possible. It’s great for you, and it usually doesn’t get weird looks.
Don’t force him to conform. It’ll make life miserable, and well, it won’t work anyway. Love him into healthier eating. You just never know… he might be sneaking bites of your healthy food when you’re not looking.
Write it down
Creating a simple plan outlining what you will be eating every day is KEY to making lasting transitions.
This could be as simple as taking a piece of paper and writing down the days of the week across the top. Then under each day write out what you will be eating. Again, it doesn’t have to be all high-tech and fancy. Keep it simple sister. Go with what works!
Create your grocery list based on your plan
Try to make your list out based on the layout of your store. If your items are all mixed up, it wastes time in the store when you have to back track to another area because you forgot something, and it also increases the chance you’ll once again walk by that delicious Hudsonville mint chocolate chip ice cream you love so much and not resist it this time. Ok, that’s probably more for me than you.
STEP 2 - WORK THE PLAN
If you are a busy person, prepping things ahead of time will be a lifesaver for you, and it will eliminate the ‘I don’t have time to make this for dinner tonight’ excuse.
What recipes can you prep ahead of time?
Can you roast veggies to warm up later?
Can you cut up all your veggies and put them in a divided container (think for veggies & dip) and have ready for instant salads?
Can you precut veggies for other recipes you will be making?
How about cooking up those whole grains like quinoa and brown rice ahead of time to just warm up?
What about making something totally in advance and using it as leftovers… some things taste better when they are warmed up… think soups!
Taking some time when you get home from the store, or the following day, to make sure you set yourself up for success will make a huge difference in your attitude and confidence for the week ahead. So, there you have it. You will feel empowered as you begin to take control of what you are feeding in your body… health or sickness. You really do have the power! Well, next to the power of the plants who are really the superstars here!
But I think you are awesome! Shine on super woman! YOU GOT THIS!
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