Um yeah, it's been well over a year since my last update on this blog.  Probably no one has noticed because I'm not that great of a blogger.  Really I use it as an online diary of sorts.  A way I can write down what's going on in my life at the time and have others hold me accountable to it.  You don't get feedback when you write in a book and hide it under your mattress. 

Anyway, it's time for me to re-open my blog for a very specific purpose and I do hope to bring others along in the journey with me.  Eating Whole.  Or eating clean as others like to state it.  I am not an expert on this subject, and my body could attest to that. 

For years now I have been dealing with inflammation.  Mostly in my neck, but lately it has intensified and spread to other areas as well.  What does inflammation feel like?  Well, it's painful, it makes whatever area it's affecting feel swollen and stiff.  I can't turn my head as far as I once was able to.  I'm only 31, I shouldn't be feeling these things yet.

And then I realize that I have been ignoring this nagging in the back of my mind, it's kinda like my body is saying, "Whoa! What are you eating?  Do you know what that is doing to me??" And then my mouth answers back, "But it's tastes sooooo goooood!" Hmm...short term enjoyment vs. long term health.

Let's go back to Adam and Eve.  When they were walking through the beautiful, sinless, bountiful garden, what did they notice growing on the trees?  French fries, corn oil, and chocolate cake, right?  NO!  God put fruits on those trees, the perfect food for a body to digest.  Can I just state a strong opinion of mine?  It hasn't really stopped me from eating yucky foods for long periods of time, thus I feel rotten a good chunk of the time.  But the opinion is this: God did not design our bodies to digest processed foods.  God put Adam and Eve in a garden, vegetation all around, no pestisides, no added colors and preservatives, just good ol' produce.  The body knows what to do with that, don't you think?

Honestly evaluate your health for a minute.  Any aches and pains?  Any medicine?  Any headaches?  back pain, tiredness, crankiness, etc, etc, etc. Hmm...I'm not saying ALL health issues go back to the diet (and when I say diet I mean lifestyle eating, not losing weight) but I'm willing to bet many things that bother us could be dismissed if we'd simply eat better.

So let's get back to this whole "eating whole" thing.  I've done this once before.  A friend of mine challenged me to go through a devotional book with her that showed you how to eat whole and exercise, all the while helping you spend time with God each day.  I have to say I wasn't all that impressed with the devotional part, but I do think she was on the right path of eating right, and I have to say that I felt REALLY great during that time.  And slowly, over time, I slipped back into my old habits and now here I am saying, "Wow, where did I get off?"

Okay, so if you're still reading this, now is the time for me to tell you what my goals are.  I am going to do a 30 day challenge with myself and evaluate each day how I am feeling. But I won't stop at 30 days, I'm going to keep going and make this a lifestyle. I just want to see what I notice in 30 days time. THIS IS NOT A WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM!  I weighed in this morning at 126, I am not interested in losing weight.  I AM interested in feeling healthier and giving my body the proper nutrition so I can be around for my kids longer. 

Now, I've been around long enough to know that you can go way overboard with this whole thing.  I've done this once before, remember?  My plan is to eat as whole as possible. I'm not going to stress over each and every thing, but just get back to as clean as I can.  Fruits, veggies, lean meats, nuts, etc.  I'm still going to eat mashed potatoes, but maybe be smarter about the gravy I put on. I am going to enjoy all the flavors of a delicious salad without man made dressing. Stuff like that.  Anyway, I hope to be able to daily log how I feel each day, starting on Monday, to see what a difference it makes in how I feel. I'd love to be able to get rid of this inflammation!!

I expect to learn a lot over the next 30 days, and I eventually want to bring my 4 kiddos along on the ride too, so I really have my work cut out for me!  Anyone want to join me? 

Alright, here I stand, a month of clean eating ahead of me, and no idea where to start. I'm guessing the first thing is to not eat cookies for breakfast.  This isn't going to be easy.  Scrambled eggs it is.  And I'm thankful I have a wealth of information and recipes right at my fingertips.  I'm excited, this is going to be great for my health!  I just wish I had been doing this all along....