1.14.2011

Monumental Expierences

The past few days have been very interesting. I have vowed never to eat fast food again. And after tonight, I am pretty sure I am going on an ALL organic lifestyle. My dad and I have been watching documentaries on Netflix lately and I am blown away by how much I've learned and how I've been inspired to make some personal changes in my eating and my health.




First we watched Super Size Me. Which I will now call OHMIGODISMCDONALDSKILLINGMESLOWLY. We eat out, alot. Okay, more than alot. Probably about 50% or more of our meals. Hey, don't grab out the pitchfork, I can explain! We are busy, more busy than I would like to be. Even though I'm a part time employee, we live in a completely different city than where we work, shop, do business and socalize. Our "home" is 30 minutes away from our "city". We are involved in our Church a great deal, so we are there about 3 days out of the week. (Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday..) We get out of church late... we grab a bite to eat with friends, then go home. We like to indulge ourselves on the weekends too... Friday date night, Saturday outings. That only leaves Monday and Thursday... and if you know us, you know that those are our "free stay at home nights to watch movies and be generally awesome" and you also know that I always stay up really late to get things done. So, needless to say our lifestyle is not very condusive to eating meals at home or being at home for the most part. We kinda live out of the car. It's a shrine to where we've been in the past week (or even more.). You know, soda cups sitting in the cup holder by the dozen; forgotten receipes sprinkled across the floorboard.. this is all sad, but this is all true. (I did warn you that I was going to be personal on this blog...)

After watching Super Size Me (read:OHMYGODISMCDONALDSKILLINGMESLOWLY) I was disgusted. Absolutely sick to my stomach and I really wanted to cry. I kinda still want to cry just thinking about the horrible things I have subjected myself too.. the countless dollars I have given over just to eat something cheap and fast. Not to mention at how sick it has probably made me. I am over weight. I am depressed a lot. I am at risk for being a dibetic and having heart problems. So, McDonalds is something that I should stay away from at all costs. WHY? Because not only does it use genetically altered food, the caloric and fat intake in ONE hamburger is what I should be eating in A WHOLE FREAKING DAY! NO wonder I'm over weight! I eat there at least four times a week (not just McDonald's, but other fast food places too.)

I think the most shocking thing for me in the Super Size Me film was to see him become addicted to McDonalds. Morgan was starting to get headaches and started experiencing severe mood swings... if he ate McDonalds he felt better. Unfortunetly, about 30 minutes later he was back to feeling like crap. I know exactly what that feels like. I can see where that has happened to me COUNTless times. I would not be suprised to find out that I am addicted to fast food. But how can I change that?

It's a simple question really.. and the solution is simple too. Quit. One word. Just stop eating fast food. I've been wanting to loose weight and I've been wanting to cut back the amount of fast food that we eat for a long time, but finiancial and social situations have kept me from doing that. I've also kept me from quitting. But now I am resolved. IF I eat fast food.. I will pick the HEALTHIEST thing possible and I will drink WATER. I'm not going to say no fast food period (although I would like to, I am that extreme!) because I know a situation will arise and I will have to eat fast food.. (long trips, blah blah blah) . So there is Monumental Expierence #1. On to #2

Tonight my Dad and I watched Food Inc, after we each talked to different people about watching Super Size Me and they said we needed to see Food Inc too. We were blown away. I can't believe the politics that are involved with the foods that we eat. The cut throat way that laws and "law makers" make farmers and other organizations bide by their ways. I really am so deeply saddned by this movie. What have I been eating? They mix ammonia treated ground beef with regular ground beef to kill samonila. AMMONIA! Our grocery stores are packed full of meats from animals who are mutant lab creations. Those animals live in the nastiest environments and are killed in processed covered in mud and feces. Yea. That! And this is what I support with my money? This is the future that I am paving for Autumn? A world where the fastest, biggest way to make money will kill everything in its path to have its way? Just so it can make more and more money? Hell. No. No. No. NO!. This isn't right. You seriously need to go watch both of these movies if you haven't seen them... I... I just can't believe it.
Needless to say I am spending tonight and tomorrow to research really good organic labels and where I can shop local produces and how to shop what's in "season". I've got a ton of things that I need to re-learn. The first thing I need to re-learn is how to live. Cause the way that is now can't be right. I'm not healthy, I'm not happy and I'm sure not wealthy. But I've got a God who cares about me enough that gave me the sense to not be robbed of the simple joys in life.. eating well and taking care of myself and my family.
So, I don't know how far this new knowledge is going to take me, but I took my lunch to work today and I cooked a meal at home. With store bought chicken :(. I will promise and commit myself to one thing.. what ever I do, I am going to document it here on my blog. Hopefully, from changing my food lifestyle, I will see an improvement in all the areas in my life that I need work. I want to be healthy, happy and fit.. I really do.
What are your thoughts? Have you seen either of these films? What is your Food Lifestyle like and are you happy with it?
I guess I'm on some sort of life mission now to be healthy and earth friendly... I can't believe it's taken me this long.


5 comments:

Courtney said...

Oh man! I can't believe you've never seen those before! You should also read 'Fast Food Nation' and 'Chew on This'
Veganism is starting to look pretty good right now huh! hehe...
If you ever want to chat about home made food (Did you know I bake my own bread ever other day?)you just let me know!

heather dawn said...

Courtney you are super woman! DID YOU KNOW THAT!? It's quite sad that it has taken me this long to see both of them and veganism is looking quite REfreshing for sure! A lot of people I know are going on the Daniel fast right now, which is pretty much vegan eating habits and I've been thinking about looking in to it! And I would love to chat homemade food!

Nicole said...

Now that I read what you said about the guy becoming addicted to McD's, I really have to watch that movie!

Depending on what grocery store you shop at, they may have an organic branch of their store brand that's cheaper than the "brand name" organic stuff. I know Lowe's Foods has Full Circle.

The thing that amazed me most is when we switched to organic milk the expiration date was weeks later than conventional milk. It has way more flavor, too. :)

I second Courtney on reading "Fast Food Nation". I didn't eat meat for over a year after reading that book (and I LOVE steak).

With Love, Jamie said...

Go you!!
I havn't actually seen these movies (im a bit scared!) but I did start going organic as much as we possibly can once my kiddo started eating real food. It made me think alot about what we put in our bodies! It's scary what's out there that they call "food"!

Jennifer said...

Ick.... i did watch super size me and decided NEVER To eat there again... {okay it lasted almost a year...} We don't eat out alot but once in a while i crave some of their fries... i am working on that! lol