Surviving Summer BBQs

It's that time of year! Everyone is planning out their summer BBQ parties! It's arguably the best time of the year! The weather is warm, and people want to party outdoors and cook some good food on the grill. Given that I have only been eating organic and grass fed/finished meats for about 6 months, the BBQ dilemma never really crossed my mind; that is until Memorial Day came around. 

Lucky for me, my first experience was one in which we were the ones responsible for cooking. We even had a brand spanking new grill! The possibilities were endless! We ended up cooking delicious organic chicken wings, grass fed/finished hamburgers, organic and gluten free hot sausage, and some amazing vegetables. Perfection. This was a picture perfect scenario, but it won't always be this easy. I have already been invited to a few BBQs looking into the summer, and I will not be in control of the food choices. I won't be able to prepare the menu, or check the kinds of meats my friends have bought.....I don't want to be that preachy friend! So what to do? I have a few ideas that I think will get me through those fun parties without a hungry, rumbly tummy. 

My first approach: I will buy my own meat and turn the party into a BYOM party. I mean, we all BYOB already, why not BYOM? Of course, in order to not look entirely weird or rude, I will have to have a conversation with the host before I show up with a package of meat. Lucky for me, my friends are all supportive of my food sensitivities and how I have to eat. I am confident that they will be completely understanding of my request to throw my own meat onto the grill and cook myself up a yummy meal that will agree with me, and essentially keep me at the party longer. Now if I really plan things out right, I can try to get there a little early, and get my meat cooked up first so mine isn't touching any left over marinades or sauces. Sounds a little extreme, but over time, I have become more sensitive to small exposures to things like that. If I can't seem to make it early, I can always throw down a small little piece of tin foil or something of that nature. I'll find a way to make it work! You can also bring your own veggies to throw on the grill too! So many options of things to bring and enjoy! You could even get real fancy and make some amazing skewers to bring with you. You'll be the envy of the party! Grill on my friends! I'll have my safe food, be full and happy, and be able to spend more time with the people I love. Now, what if you are going to a party where you don't know the host that well? Here's what I do.

If I have been invited to a BBQ where I do not know the hosts, or they are just acquaintances, it does throw a little wrench into the BYOM mindset. I generally take one of two approaches in this situation. I either a) eat before I go or, b) bring already cooked food with me. It depends on the BBQ party and how well you know the people that will be there. If you're going there to socialize, I suggest just eating before you go. It's so much easier. You can always munch on some veggies and sip your beverage politely. I have taken this path a billion times. It is more relaxing, and you don't have to stress about what there will be to eat if you go with a full tummy.

If you know the people that are hosting a little better, or you are comfortable, bringing your own cooked meat in your cooler is also a great choice. You can always wrap it in tin foil and toss it on the back of the grill to warm it up. This way, you can sit, eat, and chat with the group and still be completely in the crowd when they sit down to enjoy their food; if that's your preference.

No matter which option is best for you and your party, get out there and enjoy grilling season! Grilled foods are healthy, and oh so delicious! Eating with food sensitivities can seem a little frightening when you have to venture to someone else's house and entrust them with your food. However, you should always be the one in control of the food you put in your mouth. Take the reins, get out there and spend a ton of time with those most important to you (and even with those who you are just meeting.) Together, we'll all survive, and really enjoy BBQ season. Grill on my friends, grill on!

Food Prep Queen...Well, I Am On My Way

Since I have changed so many things about the way that I eat, it is not an option for me to grab something quick on the go, eat processed foods, OR be unprepared for a meal. The days of flying by the seat of my pants with dinners, lunches, and even breakfast are over. It was a big adjustment at first, but looking forward at the week ahead and planning things out actually has proven to be so helpful in many ways. 

By planning out the week, I am setting myself up for food and health success. I am making sure that the food I put in my body is safe, after all, I've cut it all up and separated it all out! I am also not spending as much money running back and forth to the grocery store. If I already know exactly what I'll need for the week, I can now avoid that annoying mid-week trip to the store. 

No one has the same routine, eats the same foods, or does food prep the same way. I take a super duper basic approach and plan to add to it as I continue on my food prep journey. Here are links to a couple other people's ideas of how to do food prep:

For you beginners, CLICK HERE

For more tips of the trade, CLICK HERE

Of course, there are always lots of great food prep insight on Pinterest as well, so check that outlet out also.

Here's what I do.
Sunday is my shopping day. I know, it's stressful to make Sunday the day you venture into the store, but I've found that if I can make it in there before the after church crowd, I'm not playing bumper carts with quite as many people. I also go to the Farmer's Market on Saturdays so going to get the remainder of what I need on Sunday makes the most sense for me. Tip: Some stores have discounted, and still healthy meats on Tuesdays or Thursdays because that's when they get their shipments in, so it is always worth it to scout out your favorite grocery store to see when you can save some money here and there. I know Whole Foods here has cheaper meats on Tuesdays. Do a little homework and it could help you in the wallet!

Ok, so when I go into the grocery store, I stay on the perimeter. I know that you've probably heard that before, but it's worth listening. Notice what is in the middle isles? Junk. Processed, sugar-filled yucky stuff. I will be physically ill if I even look at those foods these days, but for all of you non-gluten free/grain-free friends, my advice is to steer clear of those scary middle isles....unless you're searching for rice, or something else that isn't actually that scary.

I get my eggs, and then loop around to the meats. I still get excited to see that grass-fed/finished meat on the shelf. Now I do try to get the meats from the Farmer's market, but the prices do vary there, so if it happens to be a week where the ground beef prices at the market were up, I grab some from the store. I'm on a budget after all! After the meats, I head to the produce. This is a tricky area. Everything looks so yummy. I also try to get as much produce as I can from the Farmer's market, but do sometimes need some from the store.
I make sure to get the items that are on the "dirty dozen" list from the organic section. It can get a little pricey if you try to buy everything organic, but chances are, you aren't going to be buying everything on the dirty list in the same week. You can start off organic on those things that you are going to be eating a lot of. For me, it's the bell peppers. I eat those almost daily in my salads, so I need to have those organic. I'll go into more depth on the "dirty dozen" and "clean fifteen" in an upcoming post!
After I get all of the things I need, it's back to the house to begin chopping up veggies and fruits. The picture at the top of the post were some of the things I cut up and prepped last week. Knowing that I had to pack 2 meals instead of one because I wouldn't be home until later was something I needed to plan for on Thursday. I made sure to have two things made for that day. Knowing that I needed to adjust  my shopping for the week because of that doubled up Thursday helped to keep the process seamless, and helped me get ready for the week ahead. Here is another amazing resource from Jen. She has put together a GROCERY GUIDE that was super helpful to me during my food journey. It's worth the look! Very helpful!

The bottom line is, being prepared will keep you healthy and on track. I know it's not easy, but the time put in is beyond worth it. I never have to worry about what I am going to eat, or if the food I am eating will make me sick. I have taken the time to ensure my health, my body reaps the benefits daily. Invest the time in your own health. No week will be the same, but that is part of the fun. Get creative! Try new things, and remember that feeding your body the right foods is vital to your health. Take care of yourselves, and happy prepping!

What's Been Happening?

I've been on this better health journey for about 4 months now, and people have started to notice a change in me. Not only physically but in other little aspects of my life. I've been asked by a few people in the last couple weeks what I am doing that is different because I look like I've lost weight, and I look like I feel good. My answer has been threefold. 

First and foremost, I have educated myself on the things that were making me so very sick. I took the information that Jen gave me, and continued to research things on my own. I want to understand the body better, but more specifically, my body. I have learned a lot so far about what I should be putting in my body and what I definitely should not be putting in my mouth. I've realized through research that food is medicine, and should be treated as such.

The second change was the food I have been eating. I have made some big changes with both meat and produce. Processed anything is out of the picture for me. I have become better at food prep, but am still mastering it. (Look for a post on food prep coming soon!) I understand better what my triggers are and what I need to avoid. I know now that meats with antibiotics and hormones injected in them make me very sick. This has made eating out virtually impossible, and makes date night that much harder, but the benefits of eating better meat has outweighed the inconvenience of not being able to grab something fast on the run. I eat fresh, wild fish, organic chicken, and grass fed/finished beef. I do my best to buy organic veggies, especially the ones on the dirty dozen list (more on that in a future post.) It's not always easy, but the farmer's market has been a life saver in that department. The veggies are so much cheaper there! I am still learning about food, but I would say I am well on my way to understanding. 

My third puzzle piece has been Isagenix products. The products have supplemented my body with the nutrients that I never was getting in the food I was eating, and still wouldn't get no matter what I put in my body. The products have made me feel better, given my body vital probiotics to heal my gut, energy to get through the days that I used to struggle through, and even helped me build lean muscle. So, those people who have been asking how much weight I've lost, or commented on how I am getting smaller......little secret.....I'm not! I actually haven't lost more than about 2-3 pounds. The reason I look different is because I have more lean muscle now. My body is transforming due to the food, exercise, and for sure the Isa products. The products feed your body what it needs. Many people go on the system and lose a lot of weight, but that's not what my body needed to do. My body is healing. My gut is under construction. The holes I created are being patched up, and I am on the mend. I couldn't do this without the Isa family I have inherited, or the Isa products I put in my body each day. This third puzzle piece has been imperative to my healing process.

All in all, I am definitely on the up and up. My body had some rough times with the probiotics because the bad bacteria was in a battle with the good, but I am happy to say that most days lately, the good guys have prevailed! I am feeling less and less sick. My bad days are fewer and farther between. I am feeling better. I know that I still have a long way to go on my journey to ultimate health, but I couldn't be more grateful for the steps I have taken in the right direction. I have had the support of friends, family, and even you wonderful readers. A journey this complicated isn't easy, but reinforcement makes it tolerable, and gets you through those hard days. Thank you for filling the role you play in my journey!

The Slight Edge

We all live busy lives. Work, cook, clean, take care of the kids, run errands, soccer practice, car pool, birthday parties, etc. We all run around living life, taking care of what needs to get done, but most of us are not really planning for the big goals we have set in our minds. "Someday I will get that", "One day I'll accomplish that goal. I just don't have the time right now", "It is too much to take on". Sound familiar?

I recently was told to read "The Slight Edge" by Jeff Olson. Like many of us, my inside voice said, "I'll try to find the time to read that book". Well, I am proud to say, I stuck to that goal, and I did indeed read the book! I am so very glad that I did! I didn't put it in the "someday" pile as we all tend to do. I made the choice to read it, and it was such a great book, As I learned in this book, choices determine our path; good or bad. This seems so elementary, but it is so very true at the base of the concept. 

"The Slight Edge" is a "way of thinking, a way of processing information that enables you to make the daily choices that will lead you to the success and happiness you desire." You will "learn why some people make dream after dream come true, while others just continue dreaming and spend their lives building dreams for someone else. The Slight Edge is not just another self-help tool for traveling the path to success. It is the doorway to creating powerful results in any area of your life, by using tools  you already hold within you."

Looking at those words on the inside cover of the book left me a bit skeptical. Was this really going to be the magical information I needed to get the house I dream about? The secret facts I need to help me save for retirement? Turns out, it was a reminder and an eye-opening reality; not a quick highway to success that I found in this book. 

When it comes down to it, every choice you make puts you on an upward trajectory or a downward one. We all want to be on that up and up, but we don't all make the consistent and constant choices to get us to where we want to go. We all put things off because it's easy to. It's easy to make the choice to not go to the gym because we are tired (I would rather lay on the couch too!) It's easy to say I will put money in savings next week. When we make these seemingly simple choices everyday, they add up to big consequences. We've all heard "it's the little things." This book takes that and magnifies the reality behind those four little words.

This book doesn't just touch on finances and business, as I thought it would. It really relates to all aspects of your life. I have seen the advantages of taking those steps and making those hard to make consistent and constant choices daily. I've seen my daily workouts change my body. I've seen the small and big changes in my diet alter the way I feel each day. The decisions and choices you make each and everyday determine your future. The amazing part that we seem to forget, is that the choices (the hard and easy ones) lie in our hands. WE determine which way our lives go! I am striving to be in that 5% that Jeff Olson talks about in this book. 

If you are unclear about how to refocus on that goal you have, I highly suggest you pick up this book and give it a good read. Baby steps. Read 10 pages a day. You can do that! It has given me a refreshed outlook on the future and the choices I make each and every day. It's not only making those choices, but sticking with them. In today's in-an-instant society of always wanting the quick fix, and the fast results, this book reminds us that all good things come to those who wait and put in the work. It's not an accident when success comes. No matter what facet of life it comes in, daily work was put in to accomplish the goals. You won't see immediate results, but don't let that discourage you, or let that be your reason to quit.  I can see the changes slowly happening, and it is looking like an exciting future! Join in on my ride, and start your own!

For more information on The Slight Edge, check out the site: http://slightedge.org/