Thursday 10 October 2013

Food For Thought.....

Hi guys, I hope you have enjoyed my blogs so far and they are somewhat achieving what I set out to do!

So today I wanted to discuss *FOOD* the sometimes trickier aspect of healthy living.


Fast Food Addict.....Convenience Food Lover.....Meat and Potato Scoffer.....Vegetarian.....Vegan.....Paleo Enthusiast .....Fad Diet Follower.....Slimming Pill Taker.....





The list could go on... But do you fall into any of the categories above? Chances are you do, and, quite within your right, you would argue that your preferred nutrition choice is the better option. But is this because it is what you have always known, or through tried and tested attempts to be healthier that have proved to work for you?

I'll be the first to admit that I was both a Fast Food Addict and a Convenience Food Lover, predominately when I was in my teens, with the attitude being, I wasn't get fat, so why should I stop...Oh but I was....as you have all seen a fair few times over this blog!

I just want you to take a second and think about what food / nutrition group you fall into...and why that is? Are you happy with your current nutritional lifestyle? If not, why not? What do you wish you could do differently?




Convenience....Time....Cost....

These are usually the biggest culprits in making our lifestyles harder.

I can fully appreciate choosing to live a healthier lifestyle can be a pricey decision, but lets put it in perspective....





On a yearly average, we Brits spend;
  • £1,320 on Take Aways*,
  • £1,432 on Cigarettes* and
  • £1,144 on Alcohol*,
That's nearly £4000 a year on 'unhealthy non essentials'....shocking!

Compare this to the average yearly food shopping spend of £2,766, I think it's fair to say, food shopping is not the main expense here!

And yes, you can argue that this does not apply to everyone, I am merely using the above as three most relevant oppositions - this is a blog about healthy living, so I won't go into the average household bills too...especially as more rises have just been announced..!)

Due to the cost of healthy food, many people opt for quick fixes such as meal replacement shakes and 'diet pills', options that are considered acceptable and healthy....

  A quick look at the news this week will only tell you of how far some people will go to lose weight - so far as to take substances that are not meant for human consumption, resulting in the loss of their life. I feel saddened to hear such awful things, made worse by the fact products are readily available to the hungry consumer.

I know that these recent cases refer to substances that you can't buy over the counter, but after hearing a story of a woman a few years ago waking up in a pool of ''fat'' that had leaked from her body while she slept when taking a specific slimming aid, it was enough to put me off the idea very quickly!


                                               
When I first started Paleo, yes, I did complain it was expensive. After all, I had gone from buying
microwave meals and sandwiches to fresh meat and veg - there was always going to be a significant difference!

But it turned out to not be as big a problem as I had thought - because I was eating better, not spending money on burgers and fizzy drinks, my funds were balancing out; what I was saving on bad food, I could spend on good food...which is Win Win surely?!

My Saving Grace this year has been using a cookbook. Well, it is a little bit more than a cookbook - as well as recipe ideas, it is full of information on how to better your lifestyle and gives great information on Paleo. Which book do you ask? Well, it is of course.....




This has become like a Bible to me! Lots of ideas from snacks to desserts to big hearty meals...and for less than £20, I would say it is well worth the purchase!

I also like to use this website...

http://eatdrinkpaleo.com.au/

What is great about this site, is that on the homepage, there is a function to input a food into a search bar - and it will tell you if it is considered a 'paleo food' - great for beginners or those wanting to be more adventurous with their meals! I used a recipe featured on this site for something called a 'meaque' - a quiche made with mince instead of pastry! Personally, I think it needed more seasoning when I had it hot from the oven last night - but eating it cold this morning as a snack, it was delicious!












I love a foodie pic - I know a lot of people hate them! But I think if something looks good, why not share it to inspire others?! So here are a few of foods and meals that I love :)

These include Paleo Friendly Full English Breakfast, A Nice hot cup of Organic Percolated Coffee - Brought to me in bed...! :) Chimichurri Olives - a great addition to a salad for some extra flavour, or a few as a snack and Homemade Smoothie - Yummy!!






                                   














                              



What is your favourite meal? I'd love to hear from people who share different views on food and nutrition! And any recipes and pictures of yummy dishes to inspire me! Honestly, living independently has done wonders for my cooking skills :)


Franki x


* Average figures taken from these sources