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Want to Get Healthy for Your Kids But Keep Putting It Off?

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If you have kids but still haven’t quite gotten a handle on a healthier lifestyle, there’s no better time than today.  In fact, you really don’t have any time to waste.

I’m 28 years old, a wife, but most importantly – a mother of two little boys.  They rely on my husband and I to show them how to grow into strong, responsible, smart people who make good choices.  One of the most important things we can teach them is how to live a healthy lifestyle so that they can enjoy the bright futures they both deserve.

I can honestly say that I have absolutely no idea how to live the healthy lifestyle that I want for my kids.  I’m trying to figure it out, I read every article about healthy living that I can get my hands on, I love to grow my own veggies – but still, my kitchen had way more packaged foods than I care to admit.

Does this make me a bad parent?  I don’t think so.  My kids are both safe, happy, and are living healthy lifestyles because of the changes I forced myself to make.

My Unhealthy Living Story

Growing up, my mom honestly thought macaroni and cheese was pretty healthy and almost all of our meals came from a box or bag.  Everything else came out of a can or at least involved some combination of those ingredients.

I don’t remember ever seeing a fresh vegetable in my parents’ house.

As a result, I have no idea how to lead a healthy lifestyle.  Sure, I can go to the store and buy healthy ingredients just like anyone else.  My problem is once I get home, I have no idea how to put those things together into a meal.  I don’t know what a balanced meal is.

The thing I want people who already know how to be healthy to understand is that so much of our lifestyles revolve around habit.  Sure you can follow a Pinterest recipe once or twice, but if you have a stressful busy lifestyle, you’re much more likely to fall back into your old habits or make accidentally unhealthy choices in your attempts to do better.

As my good friend Carly put it in this amazing article for people like me – making better choices even if it isn’t the best option, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bother.

If you’re reading this, chances are you already know you need to make some changes.  I know I did.  The problem is, no one ever taught me how to make healthy choices, so the ones that come naturally to me are definitely not what’s best for me or my family.  I could use that as an excuse to continue to live an unhealthy lifestyle, or I can love my little boys enough to make better choices for them.

Since I found out I was pregnant with my first son, I have been on a quest to figure out how to make healthier choices.  Have you ever researched that?  You’ll find a million answers – some of them even contradict each other.

Stop eating meat – now.  No, eat meat, but only grass-fed, organic meat.  No beef.  Okay, if it’s grass-fed, it’s fine.  Eliminate dairy from your diet.  No don’t, calcium from dairy is best and you only absorb it until you’re in your 30s.  Cut out all sugar!  Well, some sugar in moderation is okay.  Stop eating fruit, it contains way too much sugar.  No, sugar from fruit is okay because there’s also fiber in fruit so your body absorbs the sugars more slowly.  Saturated fat is the real enemy, don’t worry so much about the other stuff until you’ve cut that out.

Holy crap!  Can someone just give me some straight answers?

Maybe you’re reading this and you think I must be completely braindead to not realize it’s as simple as buying healthy food at the grocery store.  Oh, I do that.  I buy tons of fruits and vegetables, lentils, beans, etc.  I bring them home and am so proud of my healthy purchases.  Then it comes time to make dinner and I have no clue how to combine these things into a reasonable meal.

Sure, I can find recipes (thanks Pinterest!) but even when I come out with a pretty meal for my family, it tastes so bland to me.

Why?  Because I’m a sugar and sodium addict.  Years (28 of them to be exact) of eating nothing but packaged foods high in sugar, sodium, and saturated fats have convinced my taste buds that unless it’s sickeningly sweet or extremely salty, the food I’m eating doesn’t even taste good.

Without coke and caffeine, I have crazy migraines that can ruin a whole day (or two or three).  Sometimes I wondered if quitting my sugar habit was even worth it.

Is it really worth losing days with my kids to suffer through the withdrawal of sugar addiction (which has been shown in studies to be 8 times as addictive as cocaine) or should I just try to cut back and hope to eventually be eating the daily recommended dose of sugar (did you know there isn’t one?  Check a food label).

My solution was to try to find a nutritionist.  Unfortunately, I either couldn’t find one who accepted our insurance or was only open when we couldn’t get there.

The Solution

I found the answer to my issues online of course – but in the unlikeliest of places.  I’d heard of Ultimate Bundles before, but I didn’t pay enough attention to realize what I was actually getting.  When I heard the next Ultimate Bundle being released was about Healthy Living, my ears perked up.

For me, eBooks are the way to go.  My issue has always come down to cost.  Sure it’s a small price to pay to be able to live healthier, but am I really getting the whole story?  This one book might tell me one aspect of healthy living while another book has a completely different take.  By the time I buy all of these books, I might as well just fork out the money for a nutritionist and try to get as much out of one meeting as I can.

While I still might do that, I finally decided to just buy the Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle, comb through it, and see if there was anything I could offer to you guys that I thought might actually make a difference in your lives.

After just reading the titles of what’s offered, I knew I could recommend almost everything.  Then I saw the eCourse about essential oils and wondered if the Ultimate Bundles people had hacked my phone and created this bundle just for me.

If you want to be healthier, absolutely consider purchasing the Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle.  It’s only available until September 26th at 11:59 pm EST.  I promise I would never ever suggest you buy something that I haven’t already purchased and fallen in love with myself.

Even with my crazy toddler and infant, I’m making time to get through all of the ebooks and courses that pertain to our situation.  It’s helping me immensely, especially with making healthier decisions in our everyday lives.  I really hope it helps you too.

 

Have you struggled to change the lifestyle you grew up with?  What finally convinced you to make the change?  What would you recommend to people like me who are still in the process?  Let me know in the comments!

Kristal

Tuesday 27th of September 2016

I know how you feel. I remember being overwhelmed like that when I first started seeking to eat healthier. I grew up with mac and cheese and boxed meals as well. But, baby steps one day at a time and do what is right for YOUR family.

Jamie

Monday 17th of October 2016

Hi Kristal - I'm glad I'm not the only one who grew up on boxed meals. I'd go to my friends' houses and think their parents were horrible cooks because the food tasted so bland. It turns out it just wasn't processed. We're doing really well on our journey and are making drastic changes. It's working for us so far, but it's hard!

Carly

Friday 23rd of September 2016

Fantastic post lady :) It's so important for me to be reminded that healthy choices don't come easily to everyone - and I've never considered before how overwhelming all the "advice" out there might be. (I still feel compelled to encourage you to use real sea salt or Himalayan pink salt so you don't feel like you are eating food that tastes like nothing! I can't help it...haha). And thanks for sharing my post!

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