What to eat?

For close to a year now I’ve been making conscious decisions about what I put in my body. Opting for whole foods - you know the ones that come from Mother Nature herself and not concocted in a factory in the United States or overseas - has made an immediate difference. If something comes in a box I go over the ingredient list with a fine tooth comb. It’s a task that’s quite tedious. For instance, no more high fructose corn syrup for this young lady. I’ve been told from more than one medical professional your body doesn’t process it well. That one ingredient is everywhere. Literally. It still amazes me where it pops up. 
After not buying any meat for a few months I decided to pick up some crab cakes. I ignored my own rule before I tossed it in the shopping cart. It wasn’t until I got home that I realized high fructose corn syrup was used. Really? In a crab cake? To say the least I was stunned.

It’s those types of instances where going against the grain takes effort. A LOT of effort. About 75% of the time I’m able to stay on the healthy path. It’s those other instances that I find myself having to make a difficult choice. Like when I oversleep and don’t pack dinner (I work nights), or when I’m hanging out with friends at a bar. I ask myself “Let’s see what’s on the happy hour menu? Hmmmmm, fried chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, and nachos.” So what does one do?

I’m still learning how to navigate those waters. It’s tough. I could opt for a salad but that’s just not fun sometimes. Or let’s say I’m at a friend’s house for a get together and there just aren’t anything healthy choices. You don’t want to be rude, but you also have to think about what “fuel” you’re putting in your body. Add to that, we’re bombarded with food commercials constantly. Everything looks soooooo good. But is it really what you should be eating?

I’ve since come up with some ways to safeguard myself from falling victim to the convenience of unhealthy foods. I keep a protein bar in my work bag, purse, and desk. That way if I get hungry I have a “high octane” snack to keep me going. Now I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not perfect. Even with all these new behaviors I still slip up. After completing a half marathon I kind of let some things fall by the wayside. But it’s about getting back up again and not blowing the whole day because of one decision.

So I’m looking for ways to spice up my beloved veggies and connecting with those who are making similar choices. Healthy eating needs support because we’re swimming upstream.