Fitness Friday – on “healthy” eating.

I was all set to write on personal progress today, but as there hasn’t been any (ahem, perhaps a blog entry on motivation?) I was inspired to write on the whole ‘clean eating’ trend that has been ALL UP on my Internets lately.

Don’t get me wrong, the concept on eating healthy or ‘clean’ is 80 percent of the baby weight loss battle, no? Any effort towards more greens (disgusting kale chips anyone?!) and leaner organic or more sustainable foods is a noble one. Monsanto has been blowing up the news lately and everyone is concerned about the GMO’s (what the hell is a GMO?) that lurk deep within the American diet; sending soccer mom’s and other well-meaning individuals to the pricey aisles of Whole Foods, for ironically boxed up unnatural foods to feed themselves and their offspring.

My lovely friend Frankie shared an amusing article on the Northwest Edible blog on the trials and tribulations of being a healthy eater. I identified with Erica and although I’ve never lived quite as ‘clean’ or been as environmentally concerned; there was a time I teetered frightfully on the cusp of a diet made up entirely of spinach, cashews and nutritional yeast.

The sad part of this time in my life was how much BRAIN SPACE this endeavor took up. Brain space that could have been spent enjoying the life I was trying to improve and prolong. Should I be vegan? Is gluten really killing me? Maybe I should buy my own chickens and raise them in my tiny backyard!

Everyone has an opinion and it seems they are all on a weird totally restrictive diet that takes up a third of the day to adhere to.

Short of it all is not only do I no longer have time to continue cultivating the perfect diet – I just honestly don’t have the desire. The 6 or 7 years I might add to my life will be spent sprouting my own grains or clipping coupons to afford creepy supplements, so thanks but no thanks!

My old holier than thou attitude will be replaced not only learning how to perfect an actually TASTY kale recipe, but also enjoying a new flavor of Pop Tart with my daughter when she is older! (or let’s be real, maybe sooner)

As I replied to Frankie: Eat veggies. Eat cake. Live.