Getting the truth out there.

I've been contemplating starting a blog with a particular topic in mind for a while. All of my friends have been so encouraging me especially in this journey. I admit though, I had been putting it off. Mostly because I am not sure I can keep up with being married with two kids (daughter 2 and son 17 months), full-time student and actively involved in my community and keep a blog. Seems like a tall order. On top of that, feeding a growing family under a household budget is tricky in this world. Especially if part of that requirement is making sure my family gets the nutrition and health needed to meet this crazy world's demands of energy. Every time I  go to the store, I'm met with pretty expensive packages of nutritionally-sound based foods. However, I have a budget of 75 bucks a week to feed myself, a husband, two toddlers, a mother-in-law and now a 15 year old nephew. I have to feed these folks and still make time to study and go to class. It's also difficult because I do have to be sensitive to family members not wanting to give up certain flavors. My husband likes his occasional dr pepper and we do have arguments about that. No amount of information really makes a difference. He likes it and that's about it. my sweet mom loves her evening desserts and frankly I don't blame her because I enjoy those too.  I can't do those crazy veggen diets or raw food only stuff. I can't give up meat. My husband would divorce me over this. He has to have meat at every meal. And frankly who can realistically afford those organically-raised hormone-free no-pesticides steaks? I've seen all those films like "food inc." and "supersize me." They show some scary truths. I want my family to be able to function in a world that literally is set up to rob us of our health and happiness.
Reasons why I want my family to eat healthy:
1) I want to have a better body image. I'm shallow; I admit that. Or my excuse could be that I want more clothing options when I go shopping. Goodwill gets some fantastic clothes in but they are always in the small sizes. Apparently our society grows out of clothes faster than wears out of clothes. My budget for clothes is relatively small too, in case you haven't picked that up.

2) I want my kids to grow up not having to overcome an unhealthy body image in addition to pimples and all these awful things that teenagers deal with. Being overweight is something that we parents can help with before the kids reach their teens. And we can teach our kids healthy choices, even if they choose later different choices. At least I can impart to my kids a realistic powerful tool to fight against unhealthy body image and behavior. (I know anorexia and bulimia are issues too, but here I am addressing obesity because that's what I fight with. I encourage eating )

3) I don't want to deal with constant colds, flues, sickness in my family. I know that some stuff just can't be avoided. Being sick is going to happen. But if my immune system is happy and my body is happy, I bet a lot of sickness will be avoided.

4) I want my husband around a long time. Ladies, if this is NOT your goal, don't feed your husband healthy. Although the studies are overwhelming, if a couple is healthy, their sex life is fabulous. I do know that if a person is in the over-weight category of the American fitness standard, the health risks go up by like 60%.

5) I need the energy only a healthy style can give me. I'm not 18 anymore. I can't keep going for 12 hours straight. Especially my toddlers drain so much out of me. And then there all these expectations on wife and mothers whether we work out of home or not, We are expected to help provide income, care for our kids, keep a neat and tidy house, feed everybody who walks in the door (and it has to taste good), look amazing and fresh while doing it, and be ready for any evening marital activities. And we are to do everything well.  I recognize this stereotype is changing and men are wonderful nurturers and great at doing all these things too.  However the same standard applies for men. They need the energy to care for their families, provide, honey-do lists, etc etc... Regardless what your family looks like, everybody needs healthy energy to take on their challenges.

So these were the motivations why I wanted to and have changed my family life style. The results so far: I have gone from a size 16 to 10 and hopefully still losing. My kids are easier to deal with, mostly because we stopped frequenting McDonald's as much. The quick fix doesn't make up for the long term crankiness and problematic digestive issues. Yes believably my kid's attitudes are affected by what they eat. My husband sleeps better and has lost weight and our private life has really sprung anew! My nephew who unfortunately deals with weight problems at 15 has also lost weight in the month that he has lived with us. He is totally excited and motivated for more. And the beauty of all of this is that my grocery bill has gone down to 50 dollars a week roughly. How's that you ask? I will share the secrets. This news has got to get out. I'm so frustrated by unrealistic and expensive healthy lifestyles that I had wondered if there was happy medium out there that still produced results. And it all started with how I shopped. And please if anyone out there has any great ideas and found encouraging results as well, please share! I am constantly looking for new receipes and ingredients that are affordable, easy to make, and healthy.