Health Not-Nut

I recently read a blog post from a homeschooling mommy about the importance of diet. Among other things, she mentioned how important it is to serve protein at breakfast. When she doesn't do this, when she lets her kids eat sugary cereals and such, there's a huge difference in their day. The kids crash after a couple hours, and the day goes downhill from there.

So interesting.

I grew up in a very good home. My parents were always very very health-conscious. At the same time, I think they (particularly my dad, who is wonderful) took it to an unpleasant extreme. Among other things, I was not allowed to have much dairy as a child. No milk. Little yogurt. Little cheese. We had fruit for breakfast. I didn't like fruit, and so I usually skipped breakfast.

As an adult, I have revised my diet philosophies a few times. When I first got to college, I was absolutely thrilled to eat ice cream whenever I wanted. I microwaved a box of mac and cheese almost every night for dinner. I almost never ate vegetables. I knew it was the novelty of having the freedom to do these things that let me do them mostly without guilt, and I completely indulged myself. It was great.

Eventually that phase passed, and I began to incorporate more healthy stuff into every week. I wasn't at the point of eating healthy food every day, yet. Still, I was making progress.

Kitchen experimentation also became a weekly pastime for me. I love to cook. The act of creating yummy food sends tingles all the way to my toes. Cinnamon rolls were my specialty, although I also made cookies, and cakes, and candies... you know, the good stuff.

Then, I decided it was time to lose weight. My weight had crept up every day since I can remember, and I was finally sick enough of it to make changes. I read Dr. Phil's Ultimate Weight Solution and lost 20 pounds. I kept it off, even when my work schedule prevented me from eating quite the way I should. It probably helped that my job had me on my feet, mucking out stables, and riding horses for 30 hours every week. That kind of exercise is bound to have an effect.

When I lost 20 pounds, I was single. I could buy and eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I was able to keep myself on a good schedule because I was the only one I worried about.

Now, I have a husband who doesn't like tomatoes, mushrooms, or pineapple. He does, however, love most vegetables. I have a daughter who enjoys most fruits, doesn't particularly care for vegetables, and needs snacks almost constantly. She also likes to feed me her snacks, which I sometimes eat because it encourages her to eat.

I want to be more health-conscious. I want to incorporate vegetables, fruits, proteins, and grains into our diet in yummy ways. I really don't want to be nutty about it. I still hold this ingrained belief that the only healthy foods are fresh fruits and vegetables. I feel a little guilty for eating crackers, or occasional french fries. I want a well-rounded diet that is enjoyable for me and for my family. I fully intend to serve sugarful desserts and milk to my children. I want them to enjoy eating good food for the sake of eating good food. I don't want them to fixate on food the way that I always have. I want that for myself, as well. How blessed would it be to be able to really focus on the other aspects of life? I believe it would be fantastic.

I don't have much of a driving point to this post, and I'm sorry it's so long. At the same time, I'm curious: what is your relationship with food? Do you struggle with misshapen ideas/ideals? How do you deal with food in general?