Healthiest Of All My Family

djemberhythm

After a year and a half of change, I realized something monumental today.

I have built my endurance.
I have increased my strength.
I have cleansed my body.
I have strengthened my mind.
I have reached my weight loss goals.
But most importantly, I have broken out from a dangerous lifestyle that had been passed down to me from both sides of my family!

I was raised by a family obsessed with eating. Anytime my family ever got together, it was a guarantee that some sort of food would be involved. This tradition was not only in my immediate family, but also distant extended family. Family reunions were a force to be reckoned with just because of the amount of food we all consumed. To make matters worse, this food was not healthy. My grandmother loves to bake; she was practically made out of sugar and butter. My other grandmother loves to make bread and casseroles and meat. My mother loves to make burgers, stew, pasta pasta more pasta, and potatoes. My uncles love their beef and brats. My aunts love dressing-drenched 'healthy' salads. And most of all, everyone loves those frozen quick eats, and boxed products, ice cream included. With the exception of an aunt on either side of the family, and one uncle, all of my family members are above a healthy weight, and very few have ever set out on health expeditions. If it were not for my high activity level as a child, teen, and young adult, I fear I would have been an obese individual.

I now look at their carb, sugar, and fat saturated holiday meals with disgust. I can't even watch my obese relatives eat, because they unconsciously stuff their faces with burgers, fries, ice cream, brats, steak, rolls, cake, brownies, Twinkies, subs, crackers, butter and hot pockets. The list of bad goes on, and now I am happy to say I can't even think about myself eating even %10 of what their diets consist of.

I LOVE fresh fruit, and veggies, and lean meats, and oil free cooking, and no-sugar-added. I love using what nature gives me, to keep me healthy and ALIVE. My body is so happy, and my mind is even better! I view food as a beautiful thing that should nourish my body, not damage it!

I just want to celebrate! I am officially the healthiest person out of MY ENTIRE FAMILY! and with over 150 relatives, that is saying a lot! After looking very critically at my current habits of eating, exercising and mental health, I have realized that who I was at this time two years ago, is an entirely new person now, and I couldn't be more proud of myself. I have broke away from a lifestyle of unhealthy habits, and now view food from a whole new perspective.

So here is to health! And overcoming those obstacles you never knew were there, like your family and the way they raised you.

Cheers!

mermaidme23

Awesome progress! Congrats!!

SbetaK

I am at the same place! Recently visited my family and stepped in to cook for them while I was there. Made tasty food they really liked (they didn't know it was healthy cooking) and left recipes for the things they really liked.
Was kind of funny/sad when I first got there, we went out to eat at an all you can eat buffet. They seemed upset that I was "not getting my money's worth" because I only had one plate, heavy on salad and vegatables!
Kudos to you for finding and applying healthy rules to your life!!

emilyasdf

Awesome! Cool read, thanks!

vonnegutnut

I love how you're able to take pleasure in the poor health of your entire family