Impact on the family peeps

Image by gastia.com via Flickr

Ive been on the diet for two months now, and youre probably asking what the impact has been on my family?

I must admit, I do the majority of the cooking in the house. I openly admit to talking my husband away from the stove, but I do encourage my kids to learn how to cook.

The first few weeks was really difficult on me - Id prepare a separate meal for them (pasta, rice, meat with sauces that I couldnt have) and wait until they were served before Id get my meal done. Silliness of course...

While there are many foods that are restricted on the diet that my family eats routinely, such as carrots, potatoes, rice, etc., Ive continued to make those as side dishes for the family so they have some carbs. However, I focus on the proteins, fruits and breads/crackers that I am allowed to have and stick to my portions, while they have their amounts.

My son and daughter and slim, healthy and energetic kids anyway, and have no need to diet. Instead, they eat their required caloric intake required for their height/age/energy levels. Now, instead of even buying any chips or cookies that were usually a staple, they dip into the vegetables, jello and other foods that are in the fridge in abundance.

We do still have ice cream, peanut butter and bread (albeit now 14 grain) for them - they are not stripped completely of their childhood fun - but the pantry is really shifting the brands and foods that used to be bought.

If Bernstein has showed me anything, its the amount of sugar, fats and sodium that our food is riddled with.

The food lists really show you what "clean" food is - and how our grocery stores are chock-full of foods that we can do without.

My husband? Well since starting my diet, he stopped driving to work and now cycles an hour each day to and from work. He was 50 lbs overweight and was diagnosed two years ago as having high blood pressure and high cholesterol. He was on daily medication for his ailments. He also had two bouts of kidney stones, caused by too much calcium intake.

With his new cycling routine, and my diet (he agrees!) he feels much better. The diet removes all milk - save 1 tablespoon per day.

Good news! As a police officer, he just had his annual medical in June and his physician reported that he no longer has high blood pressure; his cholesterol has dropped to normal levels; hes had no kidney pains; and has lost 23 lbs since April! He just needs to increase his iron levels. That we can work on. Think its a coincidence? Check out this article that I found after writing this!

Hes being just as strict as I am to change his lifestyle and watch his food. He still has the odd cookie or handful of chips, but hes doing very well.

Baby steps for everyone.

I wanted to be a better food role model for my two children (ages 9 and 4.) Im learning to question what were eating - what its made of - and what it means to my health and my familys health. Heres a good article if youre also interested.

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