It really is a lifestyle change! Thanks MFP!

merguson

Everyday, I read through the MFP posts and learn something new! The longer I'm a member of MFP the more I learn. I've been making a lot of changes over the months and surely hasn't been easy. I've become much more aware of what I put into my body than ever before! First thing I did was cut out the diet soda. I do not buy it with groceries any more! Truth be told, I'm quite afraid of apartame. I don't think we've discovered all the harmful effects of this chemical so i'm very wary of eating or drinking it. As for processed foods, i truly think there is just something wrong with eating food with all those preservatives, I will however admit that I still buy them because of the time and ease of those products but more and more I'm resorting to more natural and healthy foods. For myself I've been trying to fill my menu from meats and produce, but it is so hard to do that with my children. I'm even more slowly, pulling the "crap" from their lunches and trying to replace it with more organic, natural foods. Not easy considering that my son does not like any fruit or veggies except berries and corn! But I won't give I keep making him try them almost everyday!
I also can't believe how huge my sodium intake was before MFP!!! Holy crap, no wonder why I was always so bloated!!
All of these changes are still a work in progress for me, but reading all the advice through out the message boards has really helped me on my journey.

Soooo...Thanks MFP and to all of the message board contributors. You certainly have helped me make some great healthy choices.

One of the big challenges I face is finding healthy foods and snacks without peanuts or nuts or sesame seeds. My son is anaphylactic to these so I can not have them in the house. So if anyone wants to share some ideas in that regard, it would be much appreciated!

Steelytop

Yes, it truly is a way-of-life change, for sure! I just re-trained my brain as many of you have done. I'm totally phase out commercials across the board now, especially Fast Food or things that are high in "empty" calories. I finally decided to treat me nicely and it's paying off big time!! I know many others feel the exact same way. Instead of doing what the television tells me to do 30,000 times a year I march to the beat of my own drummer now.

And if you look how many calories are in the average meal that I used to eat ALL THE TIME it's mind boggling! There are times when I will eat just one small meal of something and I've already used up all my calories for the day! In one or two meals. So, imagine all those meals before.......!!!???!

I gave up diet sodas and sodas too. I don't miss them one little bit. I'm a bit of a die-hard right now drinking only water. (Unless you count smoothies and they seem like a drink-meal to me) Leaving all the fried stuff behind becomes easier and easier day by day. I can barely get into fried chicken anymore. Breading stuff just doesn't seem like something I want to do unless it can't be avoided. (For example, I love fried catfish and they serve it southern style down here so I just have some when the mood strikes me, not often.) And if my body craves something? I give it. It never asks for ice cream either. It asks for something to eat that's good for me right now! (If you work out a lot your body won't wait for food anymore)

Yeah, everything is monitored now...sugar.....sodium.....etc. All labels are read now. We're constantly creating new recipes and plugging them into MFP. It's fun and easy! And then I can use it again and again with less effort the next time.