My Beef With Packaged Food - Part Two

Note: I've been using video/audio for some of my favorite tunes with each post lately. Today's song makes me want to surf my favorite spot on a glassy day. Yesterday's tune is good for listening to while you're cooking up some yummy food.

Yesterday I promised I would talk a little more about how I freed myself of packaged and processed food. Let me just warn you now that in my opinion:

IN ORDER TO "EAT RIGHT" OR "HEALTHY" YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE SACRIFICES AND HAVE DISCIPLINE. THERE IS NO QUICK FIX!

A longtime pal of mine is over 40 and has three children. She's in very good shape. She tells me that the other mothers in her play group always get angry when she tells them that she stays in shape with a simple commitment: eat right and exercise.

Yes, we are all impatient. Yes, it would be great to have a quick fix.

I don't believe there is one. If there was, it wouldn't come in a box from the freezer.

Don't you remember the cliche? If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is?

Seriously, I have disciplined myself over the years to stay healthy. A few family members inspired me to stay fit from the time I was very young. I watched their battles with weight and just how terribly unhappy it made them. I knew that I didn't want to be in that situation.

To me, it seemed like a no-brainer. If you eat too much or don't get enough exercise you will get out of shape, lose energy, and gain weight.

Trust me, you have to be committed and it isn't easy. For me, it's an easy choice to take a moment to put a fresh tomato, tomatillo, white pepper, and green onion in the food processor rather than open a jar of processed salsa. I feel a major difference in my energy level and overall happiness when I eat fresh food that I prepare myself.

So you have to ask yourself: would I rather hit snooze or watch television that extra hour or would I rather invest that time in my health? Look for time-wasters in your schedule and replace them with healthier habits such as taking a 30 minute walk with your spouse, kids, or companion animals. You can even use that time to shop for fresh ingredients that you can use to make your own sauces, soups, and juices.

Make the investment. You can do it.


Stay tuned next week for more specific examples and recipes. Have a great weekend!