Cheater, Stealer, Bad Food Eater!!!!

Cheating...

Such an ugly word.  It conjures us visions of philandering spouses, moving one space more on a board game on the sly, and eating something we KNOW shouldn't be eaten.  But wait... is eating a bad food really CHEATING? Who is getting CHEATED?   Is it maybe STEALING?   I mean... Bernie Madoff... MADE OFF with billions of dollars of other people's money... that's called STEALING... but some say he CHEATED them out of it... yeah... they are probably right...

So... for eating's sake... CHEATING  and STEALING are the same thing... Agree or disagree?

We are grown ups.  WE can make choices for ourselves.  We know how to read.  We have mirrors.  We feel guilt.  We know the difference between right... and wrong.  We know that eating Twinkie is bad... and eating an apple is good.  We know we should be drinking water and green tea, and not Mountain Dew and Iced Caramel Frappacino's.

Sooooo... why do we do it?  Why... do we undermine ourselves?  WHY DO WE CHEAT AND STEAL from ourselves?  What?  How can I say such things as we are CHEATING AND STEALING from ourselves?

Simple. 

When we make bad food choices... for whatever reason... "I was at Bunco, and the only food there was junk food" or "All my friends wanted to go to lunch, and they were all having nachos... and I did too" or "My son ordered fried chicken fingers... and I just couldn't let them go to waste... and I only ate 3 fries... so I was "good"."
we are cheating ourselves of nourishment.  We are cheating ourselves of being able to wear that smaller size.  We are cheating ourselves of feeling good all the time.

When we make bad food choices... we are STEALING time from our lives.  We are making SURE that we won't live as long or as well as we possibly could.  THE WORST PART?  In my book... the absolute WORST thing we can do?... is MAKE BAD FOOD CHOICES AND SERVE THOSE CHOICES TO OUR KIDS... to me... that's CRIMINAL.  When we know better, and choose to serve the "convenience" foods anyway... we are STEALING and CHEATING our children of their lives too.  Once we know better... we need to DO better.

My kids are finally getting used to it... but in the last 9 months... I've sort of been a little "fanatical" about what goes into my kids mouths... After shopping for the Snack Shack initial food stores for the baseball season... and after READING the ingredients (science experiment) of the Nacho "cheese" box (that by the way... NEVER has to be refrigerated... hmmmmm)... I've become even MORE crazy controlling about the food they eat...

I've begun to see fast food and canned, boxed and processed food as poison... REAL POISON.  I liken that junk to Crack Cocaine... I really do.

At first... my kids balked...and kicked and screamed foul... but now... if they do happen to eat the junk... they get SUCH horrible stomach pains and indigestion.  They feel lethargic, and sleepy.  They have begun to FEEL their food, instead of just eating it... and when they CHEAT... and they do... they don't like it.  The CHEATING has been less frequent these days... their bodies have LOVED the fuel from fresh and homemade foods, and have begun rejecting and purging the bad food.  HALLEUJAH!!!

I have cooked homemade for them for the past 16 years... We eat IN waaaaaaaay more than we eat OUT... but I wasn't as vigilant about the types of food and drinks allowed in my home as I am now.  The Food Police on ANY show can come in my home and I wouldn't bat on eye...Bring it on! BBBBUT!... my kids are still rebeling a bit...

It's REALLY, REALLY hard to be a kid, and have been allowed to eat bad food in the past...and to completely change now... especially with the kids at school eating junk on a daily basis... BUT... it makes kids stronger in the end.  When my kids share their good food, especially to the kids making the most noise about "eating healthy"... and the kid LOVES the healthy food, and WANTS TO BUY IT OFF YOUR CHILD... it gets easier for my kids.

I preach to them that the food I pack for them is fuel for the day and for practice... Slim Jims, pizza, and soda ARE NOT fuel... it's drugs. Plain and simple. Doritos, Cheetos, Ding Dongs, Fruit Roll Ups, etc... ARE DRUGS...  Just like Pot and Crack and Alcohol.  They are addictive... and they are hard to quit (okay, not as hard as some... I'll grant you that)... but when the CDC says THIS generation is the FIRST generation that WILL NOT live longer than MY generation...WE HAVE A BIG PROBLEM!!!  When kids are getting Type 2 Diabetes at 3 and 4... THERE IS A PROBLEM...

Just because kids are thin... DOES NOT mean they are healthy.  WE are the keepers of the food.  WE are responsible to feeding and caring for our kids... IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO STOP THE CYCLE OF processed, easy, boxed, squeeze cheese foods...

Let's not CHEAT our children out of the best health they can have.  Let's feed their bodies, minds and spirit... with an abundance of natural foods... I know, Mom, it'll take a little longer in the kitchen... and it'll INconvenience you... but aren't your kids worth it?