Well, first of all, it's been almost a week since I blogged! I was out of town last week for work and always got back to the hotel so late each night, but that's no excuse. So here's to getting back to a regular blog and getting these thoughts out there for the world to read :)
Tonight, I want to talk about healthy eating. It's something that has really become more of a conscious thing for me the past few years. About three years ago, I did become a vegetarian for almost a year. That was one of my goals for that year - and I stuck with it and actually enjoyed it. My goal was to do it for a year and after that was over, I went back to eating meat - but still enjoy vegetarian meals whenever I can.
With my new job, I travel a lot and dinner time is usually late at night so it has become very convenient to eat more fast food than I normally would. I also seemed to pick up the habit of drinking more cokes as well. Of course I know this isn't good for me, but like I said - it was easier while traveling and then it seems to become more of a habit. Don't get me wrong, I still ate healthy when I could but fast food at 10pm every night for a week just makes you feel gross after awhile!
I know most of my conversations start this way (and it drives one of my friends crazy ha), but I was watching an Oprah show from the other day and it talked about becoming a more conscious eater. Robert Kenner, who made the documentary, Food Inc. was on as well as Kathy Freston who is a well-known veganist. I watched Food, Inc. about a year ago and highly recommend it. It will definitely change the way you grocery shop and think about the food you eat. Kathy Freston talked about the vegan lifestyle and how it's becoming more popular as people educate themselves. I can say that the idea of eating vegan (which is no animal products of any kind) sounds appealing to me, but I do not believe that I could fully commit to it because I like chocolate too much! I really do not eat much red meat but I do enjoy chicken and fish. However, I do want to try and lean into a more vegetarian / vegan lifestyle whenever possible.
I decided to incorporate Meatless Mondays into my schedule. I also made the decision to go off coke products for a week. I started today and it went great! I had a veggie sandwich from Subway for lunch as well as apples and a bottled water. For dinner tonight, I made whole grain pasta with lots of fresh vegetables and it was delicious!
For me, being more conscious of what I eat is all about living a better life. It's not about trying to lose weight (although I'm starting to see a little extra from those french fries) but it's about being healthier, having more energy, feeling better, and caring about the long term consequences of what I eat now. So many health problems in later years can be traced back to poor eating choices. Although I don't think that I could be a full vegan, I can make smart choices whenever possible and feel the good results that will come from that. I love Cherry Coke and Dr Pepper but maybe they will be more of a treat for me rather than a daily need (yes, I might have been a borderline addict ha!) I think that we can enjoy some of the "junk foods" but just in moderation. I do not believe that meat is necessarily bad for us, but again - in moderation. The idea that every meal has to include a meat is really not necessary.
If you have any thoughts, experiences, or suggestions- feel free to leave them! I'm sure I will have more to say on how all of this goes as days go by... especially when I'm craving a Dr Pepper in a couple of days :)
Today I am grateful for: 1. A great week working in North Carolina 2. My best work day so far last week 3. A day off today to get things done 4. Really good eating choices today 5. Being out in the snow for a little while
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