The “why” behind becoming a Nutritarian

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photo by fussyfoods on Instagram

 

Day 25
(I have been following the Nutritarian lifestyle based on Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman for 25 days)

 

This is like a diary entry so please bear with me…
My husband and I have always been pretty “healthy” as in gym, eating “well” etc. We are 37 and have had 3 babies in 4 years. We don’t eat out often but I do find myself taking the kids to “those” places as they have indoor kiddie play areas.
I stumbled upon eat to live as I was trying to lose 20lbs of baby weight and thought cutting out gluten, sugar and dairy would do it for me. But I was really struggling as it was in my home. I wanted a quick fix. I will admit, I tried some company’s shakes, and another’s patches and another’s wraps. And I didn’t understand or think about the “why.”

My husband is the kind of guy that as soon as he understands why something is bad for him he can easily just stop eating it. He believes his body, our bodies need to be kept as healthy as possible as they are truly what controls and determines our future. We want to be around for our kids and grandkids.

So, I began eating Eat to Live 4 weeks ago, while on our 3 month road trip. He still made eggs, protein shakes and ate tuna for his protein. I was still making my kids the foods they ate normally like grilled cheese, turkey cold cuts and trying to sneak meat protein into their food. I did drive thrus for them, while still making fruit salads for breakfast and hummus dips etc for snacks, and I did my best to resist the urge to order myself a cheeseburger (because they really do taste so good)

Then I read more and watched documentaries. I read out loud to my husband and you know what…neither of us have any desire to eat or cook any of this SAD (Standard American Diet) food any more. I have no desire to get it for my kids and am almost angry at myself that I did. Granted they are 4,2 and 8 months but I want them to have the best start at disease prevention and eventually understanding the “why.”

Eating clean isn’t a bad thing. It isn’t only what the strict and nutty and athletes and skinny people do. And this “eating clean” has no animal products unlike other programs or lifestyles. I would imagine it is what you do once you completely understand what you are putting in your body and the why.

My advice is this…for anyone interested in this lifestyle…read the books, watch the documentaries, and take notes. Understand the why plant protein instead of animal protein. Understand the empty calories versus nutrient rich food. Understand why we eat the whole fruit or vegetable. Truly learn about processed food and how it digests in your system. Understand and learn why the sugars and salt and oils are not the best for human consumption and then this may work for you…and you will want it for you and your family too.
My weakness has always been spicy nachos…last night I tried to make makeshift ones…soy cheese, baked tortilla, vegan sour cream and sugar free habanero sauce…it was honestly less then fulfilling and I couldn’t even get it down without disappointment… I believe this was my breakthrough. ..and juicy cantaloupe actually sounded way better.
I don’t know what to say to people when they ask about my “diet” I hate that word. It isn’t a diet…it’s just how we now all eat. I don’t want to insult anyone by saying “I care what I put in my body,” “I am doing this for my future and my kids future.” because I know everyone cares… More so that this is the choice we have made to help prevent other things. My Mom was diagnosed with cancer at 44. Only 7 years older than I am now. I am not saying that this will guarantee I don’t get sick, but I have to do what I can. I have to teach my kids how to stay healthy and prevent disease in a society where so much of what we see and have easily accessible is just not good for you.

I have bought a few vegan and soy based items for the kids…the hot dogs, cheese, cream cheese etc….but in all honesty, it still feels and tastes processed compared to the straight from the earth yummies that I have been making, so I do see myself cutting those out as well. Last night I made delicious bean burgers and homemade fries and fruit salad and everyone gobbled them up. I made smoothies for breakfast and Ezekiel sunflower seed butter and homemade jelly (frozen strawberries defrosted and blended) sandwiches for lunch. Yes, it takes some time and prep, but I am enjoying it as I know why I am doing it.

We are not doing the die hard 6 week plan, I do use coconut cream and coconut milk to make ice cream and coffee creamer and for a little sweetener over some of the fruit sometimes. We probably have a little more nuts and avocado oil. But we have made the transition into a lifestyle we definitely can make work.

Yes, I have to go to the grocery store more often because we are going through fruit and veggies like I have never imagined, but is that such a bad thing? I am finding it a little more expensive, but in all honesty, way worth it and in actuality because we aren’t buying all of the “other stuff” it actually evens out.

The point of all of this…

This is why we changed. This is what has now shaped us and the way we eat. This is what we, as a family of 5 are doing to better our minds and future. In only 25 days, we “get” it.

I’m finding it difficult when I see children overweight so young. I wish everyone had this knowledge to see how easy it really is when you think about it and educate yourself.
It is all a mental game and the ease of other things being readily available that begin to make this hard…but yesterday….at 5pm I was driving home from the city….in traffic….with no snacks for the kids (whereas usually I have ) I was starving and the kids screaming. We had an hour and 3 minutes to go on the gps. My 4 year old was yelling for the take away window at old Mcdonald’s. A cheeseburger, only ketchup. Im not even kidding that the thought of it made me so sad that this was so desperately what he wanted. So, instead….we went into a grocery store and grabbed some precut cantaloupe for a billion dollars and a bag of red grapes and guess ….they ate it and so did I.

I hear people say, “my kids won’t eat a vegetable.” Well, to be completely blunt, if it is the only option they have, then yes, they will. My 8 month old munches on a full carrot, My 2 year old walked around the aquarium with a whole container of grape tomatoes and my 4 year old ate an entire melon today. These are the snacks they find in the house, everything is already cut up and easy to grab (it is the first thing I do when I get home from the store).

Once you get the “why,” I promise you will feel the need to change, and you will change…. Not for weight loss (although that part is nice) it is solely for you. Your kids. Your family. Your future. Because you are in control of what you put in your body, when really, what else can we really control in life?

 

Here are some resources for you:
Food is beautiful. Check out some of these instagram accounts that I have been following
• Allysongesch
• delphremy
• emojeefood
• fussyfoods

loni jane
• Plant_basedpower
• the_sunkissed_kitchen
• Thrivemags
Join the Eat to Live support group on Facebook.
•

https://www.facebook.com/groups/295846977134126/Read these books for information

• Arthritis Begone by John Irwin, MD
• Bright Line Eating by Susan Peirce Thomphson
• Clean by Alejandro Junger
• Disease Proof Your Child: feeding kids right by Dr. Joel Fuhrman
• Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman
• Forks over Knives by Gene Stone
• How not to Die by Michael Greger
• Oh she glows by Angela Liddon
• Raw and Beyond by Victoria Boutenko
• Super Immunity by Dr. Joel Fuhrman
• The End of Dieting by Dr. Joel Fuhrman
• The Protien Myth by David Gerow Irving
• The Whole Heart Solution by Dr. Joel K. Kahn

Cookbooks
• Eat Like You Give a Damn by Michelle Schwegmann
• Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman
• Forks over Knives by Gene Stone
• Isa Does I It & Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
• The Nutritarian notebook by Elane DiRico

Check out these bloggers for info, recipes, and facts

• amysnutritariankitchen.blogspot.com
• Eattolivedaily.com
• esteemdynamics.org
• healthygirlskitchen.comhealthyniece.com
• HelloNutritarian.org
• livingbetterlifestyle.com
• lovechard.com
• Nutritinfacts.org
• Thewateringmouth.com
• zerowastechef.com

Here are some pinterest boards
• Hello Nutritarian
• Joel Fuhrman
• The Naked Nutritarian
• Vegan Nutritarian
Watch these videos on Netflix
• Cowspiracy
• Engine 2 Rescue
• Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead 1 & 2
• Fed Up
• FOK
• Food Choices
• Food Matters
• Food, Inc
• Forks over Knives
• Hungry for Change
• In Defense of Food
• Supersize Me
• The Kids Menu
• Vegucated
• What the Health

People to Follow for Info

• Chef Aj
• Chef Jeff Novick
• Diane Olson
• Dr Colin Campbell
• Dr. Garth Davis
• Dr Goldhammer
• Dr Greger
• Dr Neal Barnard
• Dr Rip Esselstyn
• Dr. Furhman
• Dr. John McDougall
• Happy Hervibore
• Rich Roll

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