I love trying out new things in the kitchen. Sometimes it works, like my crockpot creations; and sometimes it does NOT work, like my very first tuna casserole (just ask husband Ben).

A couple months ago, baby and I were ready for a new thing- transitioning from my baby food to table foods. We tried out a few packaged foods with names like puffs, sticks, and bites. What I found was the taste did not come close to real food and the ingredient list was shocking- I did not recognize half of the ingredients and couldn’t even pronounce some. In my mind, this new thing was a big fail!

I began looking online for healthy alternatives to the puffs, sticks, and bites. I found blog after blog attesting to the health benefits of saying “NO” to processed foods for both kids and adults. Better skin, fewer allergic reactions, emotional stability,  increased energy, weight loss (for adults), shinier hair, improved sleep, decrease or even disappearance of asthma… hold up! Could I really improve my breathing quality simply by eating differently? Now the idea of eating differently included not just baby, but hit home for me. The connection between what I put in my body and the results within my body is a fact I’ve always known but just ignored. Kinda like a fact I hear- it makes sense- but then forget it the next moment. I mean, doesn’t my health also depend on stress level, exercise, amount of sleep, all that other stuff? And do I have time for “all that other stuff”? In the end, though, the huge list of benefits outweighed my apathy. I wanted to try this new thing.

Thus began my reformation in the kitchen: no foods with ingredients that I do not recognize or cannot pronounce, no added sugar (especially “fake” sugar), and making the food myself when possible.

I’ve gotta say- I am blown away with the positive changes. Better skin, fewer allergic reactions, improved sleep- check check check! More energy and weight loss- 10 pounds in 6 weeks! (Yep, only 6. I just now counted. And I wasn’t even trying!) I’m not sure if eating differently will positively affect my asthma, but now noticing the other changes, I wouldn’t be surprised if it did.

I’ve shared this one-eighty change with some friends and the most asked question is: What do you eat if you don’t eat processed foods? The answer is both complex and simple. I read EVERY ingredient label and follow the rules. This was time consuming for me in the beginning since I had never really looked at the ingredients. It has forced me to be honest with myself when a food is not actually a food (like cottage cheese or doritos). I’ve found real alternatives with real ingredients (bread without sugar DOES exist!) The simple part- when a food isn’t real, I don’t eat it. No longer am I tied to my shaky will: “I shouldn’t eat that but it tastes so good and I’ll just have one…” *gobble gobble gobble*. If a food follows the rules, I eat is without guilt and without the dreaded calorie counting. Now I get to enjoy eating!

The following blog has been incredibly helpful for navigating what is real and what isn’t. The site also includes cooking substitutions, recipes, and plain old encouragement. http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/

I don’t look at this way of eating as a plan or a fad or a diet. What was a new thing has turned into a wonderful, lasting change. And my body thanks me!