The struggle with vegetables is not foreign to me. Last week you could find me sneakily infusing my daughter’s food with juiced carrots and spinach. I have also used bribery (let’s call it a “rewards system” for now.) And as for me…just read why this blog is called “Green Drink Diaries.”
Increasing the amount of quality, nutrient-dense foods in our diets is a MUST in 2012. Your nutritional efforts matter this year. If you haven’t read my cancer story, you will see why nutrition is so important to me. What you fuel your body with matters. Don’t take your current health for granted. Start making small changes now towards optimum health and powering your body with the food intended for it.
My Nutritional Commitments for 2012:
- I will continue to eat the Budwig Protocol/CCFO for breakfast, green veggie smoothies for lunch, and a whole-foods dinner.
- I will increase my juicing to 2-3 glasses of juice per week.
Since my biggest commitments this year are focused on my physical, bodily fitness, I am realistic with my nutritional commitments. I have also worked really hard on these in the past three years and they have become habits, so I will work on maintaining these.
There is one biggie I am adding, and that is the juicing aspect. It has intimidated me for years, mainly because of my pet-peeve of throwing away perfectly good fiber and only drinking the juice. I also hate cleaning my juicer after one glass of juice, but I recognize the benefits and importance of vegetable juices such as carrots, cucumber, and beet juice which does not mix well in the Vitamix.
Nutritional Commitment Ideas for YOU!
- Commit to my 14 Day Cleanse. It has everything you will need including a daily devotional and grocery list! Pick and choose if there’s something you absolutely dread, but no excuses to avoid it altogether!
- Commit to BUYING a Vitamix. You can purchase these from a local health foods store or if you would like to support Green Drink Diaries, email me for special offers including a 7-year-warranty, one of the cheapest price on the web and free shipping! One of my neighbors asked me today, “What’s the hype about the Vitamix?” My answer (although not enlightening): “It has allowed us to blend vegetables I normally wouldn’t have eaten into smoothies that taste pretty good. It takes all the grit out of blended veggies into an ice creamy consistency! It’s the best investment you can make towards your health, and since it’s a pretty big investment, you can’t not use it!” Perhaps I should take class on how to sell things because I’m too honest, but if you’re interested in purchasing a Vitamix this year, go ahead and message me. (:
- Once purchasing a Vitamix, replace your lunch 2-3 times a week with a green veggie lunch replacement smoothie.
- Commit to becoming a Weekday Vegetarian.
- Buy the Dirty Dozen fruits and veggies organically.
- Eat a BIG salad 2-3 times a week and reward yourself with a small, cooked side-dish or soup.
These are great proactive commitments, but what bad habits do you have to break? Remember what does NOT nourish your body: white breads, pastas, conventional meats and packaged foods, sodas, and beer and alcohol. Replace these with foods that will provide your body with what it needs to THRIVE, not just SURVIVE!
When you’re ready, make sure to let all of us know your commitments PUBLICLY and stay tuned to our “Commitment Roll-Call” each month!
Cortney, I too felt bad about throwing away left over fruit & veggie cuttings & coffee grounds etc. Then I got the idea to start a compost bin! I know you are super busy, so maybe you can enlist your husband’s help on this one. I use a large, opaque tuperware container – with a lid – on my countertop to put the stuff in as I prepare food. Then I transfer it outside about 2x a week to the compost bin. I’ve been doing this about a month and am starting to see the results. There are plenty of vids on You Tube with instructions to get you started. I used an old 30 gal trash bin with wheels and drilled holes in it myself. Every time you add to it with the “greens” add a layer of dried leaves on top and a little water. No odor problems and it feels great to give back to the earth. Best wishes, Karen
Karen, what a blessing your comment was! I just recently have been getting around to composting research for my outdoor container garden. I know what you’re saying- you really can learn anything off of You Tube. I will use all of your suggestions. (: Thank you!
I bought a vitamix (wonderful) and am using 3 to 4 days a week at Lunch
mostly. At first struggled buying and cleaning all the vegetables I wanted to eat and using recipes.
I couldn’t use all of the vegetables before they went bad. To solve
my problem, I use mixture of fresh and frozen organic vegetables, make
up my own recipes (read that I just mix things together) throw in some
fruit (seems to make the ground vegetable fiber stay in suspension) and
“wella” a nutritious lunch. Vitamix is a great product, now eating
(drinking) more vegetables then ever. Thought this might help.
Kasii- I am so GLAD that you like the green tea! I am border-line addicted lately, drinking up to 5 cups a day on the weekends. The Japanese have been doing it for years and they live LOOONG lives!
The headache is temporary. Don’t sacrifice what is important for what is immediate! (A.S.)
In the next couple of months, my commitment is to give up two things that have OWNED me for the past few years…sweets(cookies, candy, cake, chocolates) and coffee.
I’m replacing them with honey and green tea. I’m starting each morning with 2 cups of green tea and the celery/blueberry smoothie from the 14 day cleanse. I’ve been successful the past two days…but the head ache is starting to take affect…grr.
I have a question about juicing, wouldn’t it be morenutritionally beneficial to just throw everything in the Vitamix? I am not understanding the benefits when you can have it all in the Vitamix (which I absolutely love).
Is there something I am missing?
Hey Jennifer, I get this question a lot. I am NOT a doctor or scientist, but from what I gather, there is not an EXTREME difference. When you remove the fiber by juicing, your body more quickly assimilates the juice and it is less filling. As I said in my post, I have never been a big fan of THROWING AWAY fiber so juicing has been tough for me. Many proponents of juicing say by using a juicer you can drink more juice getting equal nutrition as if you were to blend in a Vitamix, you are just able to drink more of it since the fiber is removed. That’s why so many people treating their cancer holistically juice like crazy- it allows for more nutrients- QUICKER. I personally want to juice more for my daughter’s nutrition and for me to consume more beets, a powerful anti-cancer root. I don’t really want to drink blended beets- even in a Vitamix. LoL. Hope this helps!
Cortney, I have been sneaking veges into meals for soooo long. For my kids (& thier dad). Glad to see I am not an evil mother!! What ever it takes to get them healthy! Love your blogs. I always felt you were special and love seeing you help so many people with your positive attitude & hard work. You are one truely special girl. Love you!
Nancy, you mean the world to me! Hopefully you snuck veggies into the food I ate while over at your house, too!
Not quite sure what my nutritional committment will be yet, but I did start the New Year off with a run along the beach! 🙂