Less of these
More of these!
Tomorrow will be the last day of the October Unprocessed 2012 Challenge. Andrew Wilder started this challenge, see his blog, www.eatingrules.com, for the background. Here is what I have learned or recalled over the last month:
- My diet has been primarily vegetarian for many years, but there are still processed foods that can trip me up, like sugary sweets.
- The more I eat sweets, the more I crave them, so paying attention to this dynamic over the last month really helped me to be more aware and make better choices.
- Reaching for fruit instead of a cookie helps tremendously. Over time, the sweetness of fruit becomes more appealing. That said, my homemade cookies still are better than much of what I can buy in the store.
- I have never been a big pop (or soda) drinker but have it on occasion. Since I cut pop out this month, when I had a sip the other day, it tasted strangely metallic, or like nothing I would find in nature. It tasted like a concoction developed in a lab, which it is, and I did not want anymore.
- Planning is everything. If you think about what you need to keep in the house or take with you as you plan your day or week, it is much easier to make good choices. Waiting until hunger strikes means you might eat anything.
- I feel better, and even though I had a cold this month, I believe healthier eating helps healing.
I don’t see any reason to stop eating “unprocessed” and will try to incorporate what I’ve learned into a healthier lifestyle. I’m looking forward to November, the holidays and trying new recipes. I have also planned a trip that will serve to reinforce eating unprocessed and give me a chance to learn even more about this way of eating.
Bon appetit!
Reblogged this on Hangry Hippo and commented:
I love this challenge. Hoping to embark on my own soon!
I hope it’s ok that I reblogged this post. I love this challenge and what you learned from it is so inspiring!
I’m glad you stopped by and liked it well enough to share with your readers, thanks!
Thank you! I was wondering if I could interview you about the challenge and do a post about that? Let me know what you think!
This post is great! I was diagnosed less than 2 weeks ago with Type II Diabetes and have had to change my diet completely. At the request of my doctors I’ve been told to cut both sugars and carbohydrates out of my diet completely. It’s been a constant struggle living in a household with five other people who do not have a care in the world about what they eat. Sometimes I struggle saying no to myself… what keeps your motivated?
I’m glad you found this post helpful, thank you. As far as motivation, I have a few ideas. I remind myself of how much better I feel when I don’t overdo the sugar. It keeps me up at night, makes it harder to relax, and I feel more energetic, less foggy when I stay away from the junk sugar.
I also find that when I eat it, I crave it even more and it because an endless loop. So a few days away from it and the ravings do start to subside. It is harder when others eat it, but I remind myself, and then them (if they are supportive), that this is about my health.
Finally, have you read the book The End of Overeating? I am not suggesting that overeating is your issue, but the author explains how the processed foods we eat are designed to make us crave them. The companies know that sugar, salt and fat, can create strong cravings that make us want them even more. Knowing this, I remind myself that if I stick with fruits for sweetness, I’m okay, but the processed food is going to reinforce my desire for more sugar. I think awareness, reminding myself why I avoid sugar and how much better I feel without it are the behaviors that work best for me. But it is a journey and takes time. Good luck and please let me know how it goes for you!