THE PLAN

Katie: Mom and I have taken the nutrition ideas and recipes we've collected over the last year, and bundled them together into what we're loosely calling "The Plan" (Like the name? We're pretty clever like that).

WHAT THE PLAN IS NOT:

• The Plan is not about eating everything organic or shopping exclusively at Whole Foods. We both get 90% of our groceries from Wal-Mart.
  
• It's not about selling your plasma to finance your eating habits.
  
• It's not about going raw, going vegan, or giving up all animals with a face.

THEN WHAT IS IT?

• In general, The Plan involves adding more fruits and veggies, whole grains and nuts, while limiting red meat, white flour, and sugar. (Nothing revolutionary...just good, clean, simple food).

• We also stress the importance of reading labels, and generally not eating anything you can't pronounce. (More coming soon on the blog).
• This is about real food for real people who shop at Walmart and Target. People (like me) who have twenty minutes to get something (that hopefully doesn't come in a bag with a side of fries) on the table between soccer and swimming. Check out our section on "Fast and Furious Weeknight Meals."

THE SKINNY ON NUTRITION
If you're interested in weight loss (an excellent side effect of healthy eating), it seems to work for that too. My mom lost 30 pounds in about five months, with VERY little exercise. Oops. Sorry Mom. 

For more on weight loss, check out our book reviews.

WE DON'T USE THE D-WORD
We have never thought about what we are doing as a "diet." We don't go around feeling deprived, nor do we sulk about our Whole Grain Banana Muffins when our girlfriends order Italian Cream Cake.

Personally, here's what comes to mind when I think about the word DIET: Deprived. Cranky. Hungry. Rice Cakes. When I think about about the words NUTRITION PLAN, something different comes to mind: Empowered. Discerning. Nourished. Healthy. Full. (Yes, full... we eat LOTS of snacks!)
 
When the basket of white rolls goes around the table at Christmas, there's a difference between saying to myself: 

"I can't eat this white roll like everyone else because I'm on this (insert favorite explicative) diet, and I'm not allowed to eat white flour. I guess I'll go out and eat worms." 

VERSUS:  

"I choose not to eat this white roll, because it doesn't nourish my body. Maybe next year I'll offer to bring whole grain rolls."

THE RECIPES
While I am a color-inside-the-lines, follow-the-recipe-or-disaster-will-ensue type person, my mom is a culinary genius. She has taken recipes for everyday foods (pizza, burgers, pastas, soups, wraps,  DESSERTS!!!) and thrown her pixie dust on them so they come out healthy AND delicious. (Now why couldn't I inherit that skill?)

SO WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?
We do not feel nutritionally superior, nor do we consider ourselves experts. Our goals are three-fold:

• To share with our family, friends, (and friends-to-be!) what we have learned through months of research and meetings with nutritionists.
  
• To create a dialogue about healthy foods, and bring it to the community through the use of our blog, Eat for Your Life.
  
• To highlight the connection between nutrition and diseases such as Cancer, Diabetes, and Heart Disease.

SO LET'S EAT!
We're glad you are here, and hope you enjoy the site!

-So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the Glory of God. -1 Cor. 10:31

GETTING STARTED

Here are some tips for getting started with The Plan. Above all, remember to go at your own pace. Add one new idea per week, or one per month...it's up to you!

1.  SNACK TIME!
We found it was much easier to start by ADDING new foods, rather than taking anything away. So let's start with some healthy and DELICIOUS snacks! (Try one snack mid-morning, and another mid-afternoon).

2. PANTRY INVENTORY
Consider taking an inventory of your pantry staples. Check out our recent blog post, Wal-Mart Pantry Stapes: Our Top 10 Picks.

3. WHAT'S FOR LUNCH?
Take a break from deli meat, and try some of these healthy and delicious lunch alternatives.

4. SKIP THE ICKY STUFF
Eat foods in their most natural form (meats, produce, dairy, whole grains, etc.). Avoid processed foods/frozen dinners with un-pronouncable ingredients. More about reading labels coming soon on our blog. (You can subscribe to the blog on the home page).

5. VEGGIE MANIA!
Eating veggies every hour helps mom and I stave off cravings for JUNK. Start with baby carrots or red bells, and dip in hummus.

6. SWEET CHECK
Start thinking about ways to reduce your sugar intake. For the occasional treat, try some of our low-in-sugar, high-in-delicious dessert recipes.

7. WHAT'S YOUR BEEF?
If beef is your main protein, try adding more healthy recipes with chicken to your weekly menu. 

For more resources see our book reviews.