Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Re-evaluation

It has been seven months since I decided to change my life. We have focused on financial changes, health changes, and changes in our relationship with god. It seems for me, that a lot of these changes have come to a head over the past two months.

After working at our finances on our own, we decided to start one of Dave Ramsey's financial peace university classes. The class officially finished last weekend and I feel like we gained so much from it. Even though we had already made a lot of changes, it pushed us even more. It got us both on the same page, helped us to create a really good budget, and gave me more hope for our financial future. We feel fortunate to have jobs we enjoy, and even though we aren't debt free yet, I am excited about the idea of it. As the year comes to a close we will focus on our last debt (student loan). It's so easy to get discouraged and think it is taking forever, but when I look back and see our progress and how we have come to better understand finances and our financial future, I'm happy with all we have learned. Yes I wish we took this class in high school, or at least before we got married, but we didn't and we can't dwell on that "if only's". I'm just happy to have all this knowledge now.

After about six months of working with my doctor on my health, I was re-evaluated a few weeks ago. It was great to see the progress I have made in my health. Changing my diet was huge, until now I had never really realized how miserable food was making me. I love food, and I had a diet heavy on cow's milk dairy (cheese, ice cream, milk) bread, chips, boxes and cans. I never really realized that I was eating so poorly. I would eat salads, fruit, and veggies. I thought i was healthy, but I was just fooling myself. I felt bad on a regular basis, my digestion was poor, I was tired all of the time. But I didn't link this to my diet or really think much about it. When I decided to change my diet and incorporate whole foods, load up on fruits and veggies, and good meats I was hesitant and skeptical. I cut out traditional flours, most gluten, grains, traditional dairy, processed food, sugar and a lot more. People thought I was crazy and assumed I couldn't eat anything. But the thing is, I have more freedom, I am more creative with my meals. Now that I have fully detoxed I have added by in some grains (brown rice, and occasionally oats and sprouted grain, or sourdough bread). I don't feel deprived, I'm not starving. For breakfast I usually have eggs with greens or some kind of veggie, whatever is on hand. Lunches are salads, or leftovers from dinner. Dinners vary all the time from grass-fed beef and chicken, to soups, chili, wild caught fish, greens, beans, quinoa, curry, sweet potatoes, squash, peppers, pretty much anything we can think of or any creations inspired by our CSA produce. I also juice fruits and veggies a few times a week. My doctor took me off all of my digestive enzyme and some of my other supplements, and I feel great. A year ago if someone told me I would be drastically changing my diet, cutting out the foods I did, I would have laughed. Now, I can't imagine it any other way. Yes I have cheat meals but honestly I don't crave the things I used to. I don't feel like a slave to food, I eat the foods I want to eat when I want to eat them. I can't believe as I look back how much our diets completely impact our lives, out bodies, everything.

My spiritual life has also really come into focus for me. It's a constant journey. Sometimes I feel lost in it and distanced from it, and other times I feel connected. Through out all these changes I was learning how God really helps create a balance in our lives. Biblically it is important and necessary to take care of our bodies and our finances, but it is an area that is often neglected. I've been reading great books like the Purpose Driven Life, that have helped show me areas in my life I need to be focusing on. God has been teaching me a lot through this journey and I know I still have so much to learn. But I am pleased with the progress I have made in this life change.

1 comment:

  1. this is adorable. I am actually inspired to work on my budget tonight! thanks S.I.L.

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