Diet After Lent

I'm proud to say that my husband and I have survived 46 days of no flour and no added sugar during Lent. I'm very glad we stuck with the diet during the time span, and we plan to continue our healthier lifestyle. And why not? The meals we ate during Lent were wholesome and never lacked taste. Plus, we felt good about what we were eating and had more energy which we carried throughout the day.

The experience was eye opening. Through the dietary restrictions, I learned a lot about what I feed my family and what is in the food we eat. I experimented with many new ingredients and found nutritious alternatives to products we ate on a regular basis. I now feel confident that I will continue to be more conscience about what I cook and eat. It really makes me feel good that I am able to cook healthy delicious meals using fresh, whole ingredients and feed my family well.

Although now I am free to eat whatever I please, I don't plan to dive back into the cookie jar. I feel so much better after eating a healthier diet and upping my exercise plan, and I want to continue the feelings of good health. However, I am happy I don't have to be so restrictive about what I buy at the grocery store. For example, sliced turkey deli meats with less than 1 gram of sugar and cereals like raisin bran with very little added sugar are perfectly acceptable in my book. What is important to me is eating food that is as minimally processed as possible, made with fewer ingredients, and less controversial additives and preservatives. I want to eat food that is homemade or as close to homemade as possible and less cheaply made products from factories. To be a more conscience eater is a lot more effort, but I'm prepared to take on the extra work because it's worth it to me and my family to live a healthier life.

New poll up at Curious Cloud: When it comes to what you eat, is price or nutritional value more important to you?