Going Meatless..well, sort of (this is going to be long)

Apparently, my child of five has downloaded something on my computer which caused all the lovely green underlined words...M is suppose to fix it sometime....

On to the reason for this post....And disclaimer...I have not written this post to offend anyone, or to hurt anyone's feelings. These are simply MY thoughts and do not reflect on any other person.

I have tried writing this post four times now. I have been trying to get my thoughts across in a cohesive manner, and so far have come out sounding like a fruit case...I don't want to sound like that, because I'm not. Just suddenly very passionate about this topic. So, please bare with me! While I try and write this post this one last time...it might take me a while to get all my thoughts across...so sit down, grab a snack and indulge me for a few minutes...

I have been trying to loose weight. Trying, but not succeeding as well as I had hoped. And then some thoughts have come slowly to the surface and I had to finally be honest with myself. I haven't really been trying...well, I have been exercising more, but I haven't been doing that great at the whole diet thing...let's face it, I haven't gained a total of 18 pounds in the past seven months by eating a healthy diet. So, I have been trying to get my mind to process what I know, and what I need to do. I have been searching for an answer. My answer has been coming in a very loud rush. I have tried ignoring this rush...more like a tsunami than a gentle stream. M put it out there a few weeks ago...the Word of Wisdom. he wanted to start following it more. And that got me thinking a lot. So, having been in Sunday School numerous times, and having to sit in on the Word of Wisdom lessons, it occurred to me that I have never really read, or understood the main points of this guidance. This started the gears in my little brain to hum... what if I were to follow the word of wisdom? Some things have occurred the past few months that have really brought the points of the Word of Wisdom out to me...(like gaining weight in seven months, and my kids getting sick, our budget getting tighter and my body bulging..oh wait, i already put that!)

Here are some things I have realized the past couple of months. I watched Food Inc, a documentary on the food industry. They focused mainly on meat products and soy beans. I don't know how much of the film was edited to make their point more valid, but what I learned in that film made me decide some things. First, my kids will no longer be eating at fast food, or chain restaurants that have processed, frozen foods served. Mom and Pop places all the way, and Subway..although the sandwich meat is processed, I feel that it is much more healthier to eat there than say, Mcdonalds..which by the way, their chicken nugget has 38 ingredients, and that most of those ingredients are corn products And that most fast food products are sprayed with a flammable chemical to "retain freshness". I have given my kids plenty of happy meals, and kid's meals. I am actually grossed out by fast food now. Not only that, but meat is more fatty and unhealthy than when my grandparents were kids. Scary. So, I have decided that we are going some what meatless in my house hold. My kids ate tofu for the first time last week. it wasn't a huge hit, but they ate it, and I actually liked it a lot....so, less meat which is part of the Word of Wisdom...and side note, in the WW the Lord even warns us of "conspiring men" which in this case, I believe is the food Industry as a whole. Look at our country. We are FAT, and getting FATTER. We even have tv shows of FAT people trying to loose weight...and some fail. Because they believe they are being deprived of yummy foods...HUM. When I posted on Facebook that I was going some what meatless, did anyone say, "good for you" no, most people told me I was crazy, or that meat was good and why would I want to take that out of my diet?? I was actually surprised by the responses. We aren't suppose to eat a lot of meat. Our diet is suppose to be made up mostly of grains, vegetables, fruit, and form of protein ...so, I felt a little down, but not much, because like I said, this sudden passion has come in one huge wave. and this decision was for me and my family..it's not going to affect anyone else outside of my home.

I have also learned that what I put into my body affects the way I act, emotionally and physically. When I am eating the foods that are healthy and for the most part, homemade, I feel better all around. My body is able to do more, I feel happier...but when I am eating unhealthy foods, I start to become weary, I am more sluggish, I have less of a desire to do things...I believe that what we feed our bodies does actually feed our souls. So, my focus has become, eating more of the things Heavenly Father has provided for us, and less of what man has provided. Does this mean that i will stop buying all processed foods? I'm not sure yet. My kids love certain foods...but there are healthier ways for them to eat it. I made homemade Mac and Cheese last week, and it tasted infinitely more delicious than the boxed stuff...will I stop buying the boxed stuff? NO, probably not. Luke loves hot dogs, they are processed meats..but I have been buying the Oscar Meyer brand, they have some that are nitrate free..and are seasoned and preserved by natural means, not chemical. Sariah loves Ramen noodles. Will I stop letting her eat them? No, but i will make sure that it isn't every day! Ethan loves chicken nuggets, but how easy is it to make home made ones? So easy, so simple,I found a recipe for home made chicken nuggets that taste great and are easy to prepare! (recipe coming soon) if I make most of the meals we have, then I can control what is in our food. Think about it, a Hostess Ding Dong has 48 ingredients, my homemade chocolate cupcakes have about seven. I believe that part of the problem with our country is people stopped making homemade, healthy meals. People even claim that it is cheaper to eat fast food than to eat healthy..which has been very interesting to me, when you think about it, because if you buy a meal for every one in your house hold, it ends up being at least 15.00 dollars, but I can feed my family at least two meals for that price...We have become of nation of MORE. I was truly mortified when i went to the Cheese Cake Factory in September. Their serving sizes were out of control huge...I was shocked by the size of it. It actually made me a little sick. (and I know a lot of people love that place) I didn't eat much there. But go to any restaurant and the servings could feed at least two very hungry people!. Is there anything wrong with eating out and enjoying our food? No, I don't think there is. But I also think we have become so use to over indulgences that we feel deprived when we can't have the foods that are processed. Another example. I made a new kind of bread, Babka bread. It is a Jewish sweet bread. You can add chocolate, or cinnamon, or any filling you want, the bread is sweet. Not overly sweet, but still delightful.(another recipe coming soon) I gave some to friends, and they both asked if the next time I make it, if I would add frosting to the already sweet laden bread!

I have been thinking a lot about what I put in my body. I haven't been the greatest at it, but the flood of desire to treat my body more like a temple and less like a sieve has been pushing me towards this passion. I am not a fanatic. I know there will be times when i will slip,..I know that. But I have also come to realize that if I follow the Lord's way, if I actually listen to his words, and follow his outline towards health, than my family will blessed.

I believe that if I feed my body healthy, minimally processed or unprocessed foods, the Lord will grant my body the strength it needs. Why wouldn't I want to feed my family healthy foods when I am promised those blessings? The Word of Wisdom is more than just about food to avoid..it is more than trying to decide if hot chocolate is considered a hot drink...(seriously, sat in a class that argued over this point for the entire hour..and did anyone agree? My whole point, hot chocolate won't keep you out of the temple..therefore, good!)it's a promise, that in the end, if we choose to follow it, than we will be blessed. Will we be kept out of the temple for not eating healthy foods? No, but have you ever been to a Sunday School lesson that addresses the food part of the lesson? It has been my experience that everyone glosses over that part, and skips to the parts of the word of wisdom most members don't have a problem with, like drug abuse, drinking coffee, or drinking alcohol. I think it's because we all have some problems with the food aspect of the word of wisdom. The Word of Wisdom is a choice. It even stats.."to be sent greeting, not by commandment or constraint" see, we don't have to follow the word of wisdom but if we do, this is what he promises us "and all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings walking in obedience to the commandments shall receive health in their navel and marrow in their bones and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge even hidden treasures and shall run and not be weary and shall walk and not faint"

So this is why, I have chosen, along with my family, that we will be going some what meatless. Most of our daily meals will consist of healthy, home made fair, and will be based on grains and vegetables. I have been blessed with children who like to eat vegetables and fruit. I want what is best for MY family. And part of that is following the guidelines of the WW. I have felt that if I do this for myself and my family, we will be blessed. And heck, maybe I'll get rid of my bulge while doing so! :)