I'm a big believer that knowledge is power. I understand that ignorance is bliss. Let's be real. How many of us have looked in the mirror and been unhappy with the image staring back at us? I've been there. When you've been unhappy, how many times have you thought, "I eat healthy but nothing works!"? I've been there too. Here's the thing: are you really eating healthy? If you think you are, are you reading food labels? Most people aren't. Do you know what a serving size is? If not, do you know where to find it? What if it doesn't have a food label? I know, I know. Ignorance is bliss. But, knowledge is power. If you don't know that two double stuffed Oreos are a serving size and that it is 140 calories, then you can eat a whole row and not feel guilty, right? Sadly, no. Somewhere, you will feel guilty because you do know better. But, now you know that a serving size is two cookies. Now you can decide if eating four is worth it. Maybe it is. Maybe you thought twice and decided you'd stick with two. Now you're empowered. You made an informed decision.
This is what I'm talking about. You're trying to decide if you should eat a banana with your lunch or strawberries. How do you decide? You only want to eat about 50 calories. Strawberries. About a cup of sliced strawberries is a serving and it's about 40-50 calories. How did I know that? I remember things like that but I also know where to find that information. We live in the age of information. A simple Google search will turn up a serving size and it's nutritional content. Maybe you are trying to increase your vitamin C consumption. Google it. What fruits and vegetables are high in vitamin C? Oranges, apples, sweet potatoes, carrots, etc. It is super tedious in the beginning and it can seem overwhelming but it is so worth it. And, with time, it gets easier. You get so you know the things you eat regularly.
Now that you know how to find the information, it's time to implement it. So a serving of Cheerios is one cup. Do you just pour it into your cereal bowl and just eyeball it? You can after some time but initially, I'd pull out your trusting measuring cup. Don't guess. It's too easy to over estimate and then you've eaten more than you thought you did. Again, over time, you get better at it and you may not need to measure every time. I still measure my cereal though. And I've taught my kids to too.
Reading nutrition labels can be tedious. When you're in a hurry to get the kids out the door to school or whatever your crazy life looks like, it can be frustrating to stop and read the label and then pull a measuring cup out but the reward may be that as you look in the mirror, you may start to like what you see. Now when you say that you eat healthy, you know that you really are.
As a side note, please don't let yourself get caught up in the trap that a number on a scale can be. You are so much more than just a number. You are a mind and a heart and a soul and a mother and a sister and a friend and you have so much to give.
Thanks for checking in with me. I hope you're moving forward with your goals and dreams. Let me know is you have questions or comments and check back again soon!
No comments:
Post a Comment