The Food Revolution Update

Dear Amy,

So, the food revolution. I’m not known far and wide for my remarkable self-control, so I’m sure you’re dying for an update. If not in a supportive manner, then at least for a good laugh. The plan was to begin Tuesday with trying to eat better—more whole foods, fewer processed foods, fresh when possible and no sugar. The plan was to forgo caffeine as well, however there has been a development on that front.

Tuesday morning arrived and I found that I still had a case and a half of Diet Coke sitting in the basement. A CASE AND A HALF. That won’t work. It just won’t. For those of us who struggle with self control, who OCCASSIONALLY may give in to our vices, we cannot be confronted on a daily basis by the object of our affection. It taunts us. It calls to us. It sends us sweet, frilly love letters bordered in lace and covered with heart stickers. Are you beginning to see my dilemma?

Sugar. More of the same. I thought I was going to have to inhale all of the boys’ Easter candy on Monday in preparation for the great sugar-free zone commencing on Tuesday. i was doing it for them…for the family…for the greater good…taking one for the team (or dozens, as the case may be). But I didn’t. I repeat, I DID NOT EAT THE BOYS’ EASTER CANDY…tempted though I was. I hid it instead. I put some in the freezer and some in the back of the cupboard. They really didn’t get a lot of candy to begin with, but still. It is theirs and they can have it later…in a few months, I guess. Or never. I’ll most likely forget about it until I pull the frost-laden Ziploc bag from the freezer when I clean it out in four years. Oh well.

But I digress. We did commence with the sugar-free zone on Tuesday, except for one small hiccup Tuesday night. We did polish off the mock éclair dessert I made for after Easter dinner. One piece for me and one for Rit. But that’s all. It’s been sugar-free the rest of the week. I have to say that I’m surprised that it hasn’t been harder. Today is the first day I find my eyes darting around searching for some sweet sustenance. But so far, so good. I’ve been biking and walking/running on the treadmill this week as well. Now that the weather is a little nicer, I’ll start going outside. YEAH!

As for the caffeine, as soon as the rest of the Diet Coke in my basement has been gleefully savored, caffeine will also be a thing of the past. That will be painful…very, very painful. And I still maintain that I will probably die from my sheer want of it…and headaches. Ugh, the headaches.

We will eventually start adding sugar back into our diet. After all, I do truly believe that moderation is key. But both Rit and I feel that we have to break ourselves of the overwhelming desire for sugar before we feel good about consuming it again. The caffeine is a different story. After this point, I really don’t want to will not keep caffeine in the house. I may still allow myself to drink Diet Coke when we go out to eat, etc., but not at home. And not on a regular basis. It just isn’t good for me.

Food will no longer hold power. It will be for sustenance and enjoyment. Period. LONG LIVE THE REVOLUTION!

Have a great weekend!

love, Kate

My Personal Food Revolution

Dear Amy,

I’m disturbed. Let me clarify that statement…yes, I am disturbed in general (wink), but I am particularly disturbed about the eating trends of the general public. And although I’m vigilant about what we eat in my own house, I need to do better.

There’s a new show on TV called Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. I’ve seen Chef Jamie Oliver on the Food Network before. He’s entertaining to watch and makes everything look simple and fun…and he’s not big on exact measuring, which I love because I’m not either.

A couple of weeks ago, this new show aired. The premise of the show is this: Jamie goes to the most unhealthy city in America (based on government statistics, death rates, etc.), which happens to be a city in West Virginia, for a few months to start a food revolution. He wants to teach the public how to eat healthier. He wants to change the school lunch program to freshly made whole foods. He works with a family one on one. He offers cooking classes to the public. IT’S. RIVETING. You can watch the first two episodes online here.

In watching the first couple of episodes, I’m struck by how completely unhealthy most of us are and how resistant to change people are. On his first day in town, Jamie walks into a local elementary school and sees the kids eating breakfast…a breakfast of pizza—cheese-laden, pepperoni-topped pizza. FOR. BREAKFAST.

My kids are not yet school age, so I’m not super aware of what is now served as hot meals at school. We ate school lunch growing up, and it probably wasn’t the most healthy, but I don’t remember it being particularly unhealthy. I was shocked to see over the course of this episode what we feed our children at school. And when Jamie offered to prepare healthy, fresh meals, he was met with such resistance and so much red tape, it made me shudder.

I understand the need to keep costs down and to create a streamlined system for food preparation. A school is a business and needs to account for cost and follow certain guidelines. I understand all of that. It just seems that we are focusing on all the wrong things. That’s all I’ll say because I want you to watch the episodes online.

Remember that we spent some time at the big indoor water park this week? We weren’t allowed to take in any food or drink to gently encourage us to eat at the one snack bar in the park. We did eat lunch in the park and were forced to look to the snack bar for sustenance. Very disappointing. We had to choose between hotdogs, hamburgers and a variety of fried foods. We rarely eat out and even more rarely eat fast food…practically never, in fact. I don’t want that in my body or in the sweet bodies of my boys. I so wish that snack bar had some other options…perhaps some yogurt, fresh fruit, granola bars, maybe some wraps. This snack bar, like any other, is a business. And their bottom line is making money. It would seem that if the demand were there for healthier options, they would be provided. I vow to make my desire for healthier food known the next time I’m there.

Starting next Tuesday, our family food revolution begins. We do eat relatively healthy. I’m vowing to do better. Starting on Tuesday, we are going sugar and caffeine free.OUCH! Let me repeat that. OUCH! I. LOVE. SUGAR. I. LOVE. CAFFEINE. This will be extremely difficult to say the least. I know my body is dependent on these substances and I don’t want that anymore. I want to be free of unhealthy dependencies. This will most likely kill me. DEAD. I have already warned everyone I know that I will be a completely different beast next week and to please steer clear for their own safety. Headaches and a full-body rebellion are expected.

We are also going to eat more whole foods and fewer processed foods. I would like to go processed-food free, but I need to look more closely at the logistics of that before I commit.

In watching Jamie Oliver’s show, I was struck by how most elementary school kids could not identify basic fruits and veggies. I want my kids to be very hands-on in our garden this summer and every summer. I want it to be an integral part of their lives. I want them to know where food comes from, how it grows, how to harvest it, how to preserve it and how to prepare it. They are sponges and now is the time to instill good values and habits.

I’m stepping down now. I have been thinking about this a lot lately and I feel super strongly about it. Wish us luck. I am so going to need it.

So, peeps, anyone want to create their own food revolution?

Have a great weekend!

Love, Kate

A Fresh Start

Dear Amy,
Birthdays and New Year’s, they both do it to me. I take a step back, I become more introspective. I once again take a look around at my life, at myself. I take stock. Am I where I want to be at this time in my life? Am I living the life I want to live? Am I the person I want to be?
I’m so easily caught up in the riff-raff of life, of things…the superfluousness, the excess. My target for this year is to live more simply. To make time for things that really matter. I admit that in some ways, this seems a very attainable pursuit; yet in other ways, I have no idea how to reach it. Explanation to follow.
We both know that I am a creative gypsy of sorts. I love to try many things, to explore, to discover, to dip into any and all creative pursuits I come across. Yet, my attention tends to stray rather quickly. I am surrounded by the results of my gluttonous appetite for pretty fuel to forever feed my creative soul. My eyes delight in the scores of tasty fabrics, mouthwatering skeins of yarn, delectable papers and adornments, savory sheets and rods of glass and yummy woolen goodies. As if this collection wasn’t enough, I also save. That big blanket I made of felted old wool sweaters? Well, I saved all of the parts of the sweaters that did not go into the blanket. I’m convinced I can find a project for them. (Guess what? I already have several projects in mind for these bits and pieces!!)
So I guess it doesn’t come as a big surprise that part of my goal this year is to use up what I have in lieu of buying more. This will require some major self control on my part, a trait which I look forward to strengthening.
And I want to spend less on groceries each month. This is the tricky part. I don’t know exactly how to go about this. It’s one thing to be a coupon shopper; however, most coupons save you money on processed food—canned soups, etc. I can use coupons on household items, but I want to continue down the path of wholesome eating while cutting our grocery bill. Part of this will require expanding our garden, and I think I may want to get into food dehydrating as a means to preserve some of our summer and fall bounty. This will be more of a journey rather than a destination—an exploration and discovery in terms of low-cost, wholesome eating. We may be sharing a lot of recipes and food prep ideas. I’m so excited to become more self-sufficient this year!
It’s been an interesting year and I feel like I’m still trying to get the hang of being a mother of two very young ones. So, part of my plan for simple living will include taking better care of myself. I struggle with this. As most mothers, I’m so caught up with making sure everyone else has what they need, that I rarely take the time to make sure my cup is filled. I want to spread this over three areas: 30 minutes daily time to engage in something I choose to do (reading, bath, sewing, writing, nap, etc.); morning yoga and daily exercise; and weekly time away from home by myself or with a friend.
I’m looking forward to this year and this exchange of ideas, successes and failures. What a great way to keep in touch over the miles and to keep us motivated to continue to improve and find better ways of doing things.
Love, Kate