What's on my mind...

 I am reading  "Why We Get Fat", and my mind is blown.

I only have a little time to read (usually the evening before bed) so I am not finished reading it yet (although I have been listening to constant debates, webinars, podcasts, etc. about the theories in the book since I started it), and I am sure I will continue to be dumbfounded by the revelations but I just can't help wanting to talk about it NOW.  If you are interested, this video is long, but enlightening. 

I mentioned earlier that I would share my opinion on what an optimal human diet is after the past 5 years of independent recreational research I have put in to it. Since I had my first child, Autumn, I have been unable to lose weight, and not through lack of willpower, determination, or effort. Because of this I have been reading as much about nutrition, fitness and weight-loss as I have time for between my children and husband, my business and playing roller derby. I am so obsessed and fascinated with it that I occasionally daydream about becoming a nutritionist.

Before reading this book, I felt that the best possible human diet consisted only of raw organic produce (as local as possible) and lean, grass-fed and free range meat (basically animals that eat the diet they are intended to eat) and the portion should be ¾ live food to ¼ lean protein. I enjoy being active and felt this was necessary to be fit and healthy. I thought grains of all kinds should be avoided all together and think that sugar and white flour are poison.  I also thought that occasionally treating oneself to thinks like sugar and white bread was ok.  “Everything in moderation” as we have been told so many times before.  I have been eating a lean low calorie diet for the past 5 years and getting plenty of exercise so I know there is more to being overweight than eating less and exercising more, and I started this blog to prove to drs, nutritionists, etc that I was doing what  conventional wisdom tells us to do to lose weight. I still think organic greens, and animals that eat their natural diet are great, and more than ever I think that refined sugar and white flour are poison, to the point that even though I have always loved these things, the idea of eating them is currently revolting.  I will wait until I finish “Why We Get Fat” to explain the actual changes in what I think is an optimal human diet, what changed my mind, and how Gary Taubes put the nail in the coffin for me when it comes to refined sugar, and flour, and most carbohydrates. 

Harvest Box

    We Have been juicing for over a year. We are on our third juicer, a masticating Omega brand juicer (LOVE IT).  Adam and I drink green juice for breakfast. Recently I started having two additional glasses of green juice.

    I have a lot of thoughts on juicing, and if my thoughts were less random and more organized surely I would start with the basic reasons I juice and how to juice. Today, however, my thoughts are on the economics of juicing. Adding two additional juices to my diet is an undeniable health BUENO but it has been a bit of a kick in the pants in other areas... specifically our grocery bill.

   We have a family of four, and we have been spending about $400 a week on groceries lately. It hadn't really been a big deal, but my husband's car is failing and we may be financing a new one soon. In order to afford that we need to trim some fat from our budget  (Almost literally) . We spend so much on groceries, so that seems like a pretty good place to start.

    There are areas I am not willing to compromise on. I feel food should be fresh, organic (certified or just in practice), and as local as possible. Chicken  should be free range, eggs should have omega-3's and beef should be grass fed. These things cost money, but they can surely be done for less... ?

    One way that we will be saving money is by ordering a harvest box from a local farm:

http://www.skarsgardfarms.com/harvest-boxes.php

I am not sure what we will be getting, but I am excited to be trying it out! We will be getting a large produce box and a juicing box. Our first delivery will be Tuesday 2/11/14. I will try to get some photos when they get in!

I need to do some research so I can try to save more on our food, but this is an exciting start!

Veggies, WOOT!

♥ Erica