Intentionally Healthy

So I was debating writing a blog about this.  I am in  no way an expert, nor a licensed nutrionist:)  Although I do hope to be be certified in nutrition and fitness in the next couple of years.  But I felt the Lord's leading to write about this from my perspective as a mom and share the health journey we have begun as a family.

I grew up with a health concious Mom and I'm so grateful for that.  We ate mostly cheerios, homemade breakfasts, sugar free treats and definately no soda:)  So, I have remained somewhat true to that with my kiddos through the years.

Over the last couple of years I have become sort or a fitness obsessed person, some people might say:)  As a result of that I started doing some research online the last few months on nutrition as well.  And I have been seriously challenged by the Lord that it is my responsiblity as a parent to teach my kids to eat healthy and BE healthy.  After all our bodies are the Lord's temple and so it's one of our many repsonsiblities as parents.  We need to teach our kids to grow into healthy adults.

It is super hard these days with the bombardment of advertisers and all of the nasty foods out there.  It all looks so appealing especially to our kids:)  I challenge you to sit down and really look at the labels and research what is in what you're feeding your famillies.  I thought I was doing pretty good, and I was.  But still, some of it was pretty shocking to me as a mom. 

So, where do you start right??  It can be pretty overwhelming not to mention what about the cost?  Isn't it more expensive to do organic you say??  Sometimes and for some items yes.  I will just share my journey and my thought process.  I think that you have to look at your family, your budget and start there.  But isn't it worth living longer and beng healthier??  I think so.

So, where I started was with dairy and meats.  We do all organic dairy now and yes it is a little more expensive but to me it's worth it.  We do not eat red meat anymore.  With the exception of Ruth's Chris maybe once a year. I'm a sucker for a Ruth's Chris filet:)  We also will go out for a burger every once in a while, but we found a fabulous place here in Folsom called Burgerocity.  They use all grass fed organic beef and cheese.  Love that!! We do eat pork and chicken (not fish lovers), I make sure it says on the package that there are no hormones.  Pretty soon I plan on doing all organic on that as well.

We have always done whole grain bread, so my kids actually don't know any different on that.  But we switched last year to whole grain pasta as well.  We have also cut out most processed foods.  Emma loves mac and cheese.  So I do organic on that as well.

Tons of fruits and veggies.  I cannot say that enough.  I keep, cuties and strawberries, blueberries, carrots, spinach etc on hand always. You can throw all of that into a smoothie and I promise your kids will love it.
My kids have been limitied in their like for veggies, I'm not gonnna lie and so have I for that matter!!  But you know what?  If their hungry they'll eat it.  And if it's not here they can't eat it:)  So I've been introducing a whole bunch of new veggies lately.  And most of their meals are eaten at home, so I figure most of the time they're getting super healthy stuff. 

Other practical things to do:  Get rid of the breakfast items like Pop Tarts, and sugary cereals.  Make them some oatmeal, or a whole grain cereal.  Popcorn is a great snack but not if it's microwave popcorn (more of my research).  So I bought an air popper and would you believe the kids like it better than the micrwave kind?:)  You can get organic corn in the bulk section at Whole Foods even, SCORE!!:)  Cut out the soda.....omgoodness, it's so bad.  We haven't ever let the kids  have soda at home and only a special treat sometimes if we go out.  We do water, milk, and sugar free lemonade. Switch from regular yogurt to greek yogurt which has no fat, less calories and more protein.  You're probably starting to think my kids are super deprived!!  I don't want them to feel that way.  Practical things I do to make sure their sweet tooth gets satisfied: Organic 5 grams of sugar chocolate chip cookies, organic granola bars and Dole sugar free fruit bars.  They love them all:)

I was telling someone today.  I think that you have to look at your family and your needs, and take some small steps to change things.  Figure out where the most important place to start for you is.  Then take those small steps.  Lots of small steps equals big change in the long run. 

We have to be creative and get out of the "box" that the advertisers have put us in.  Think healthy whole foods without preservatives.  Think the less ingredients on the label the better.

Let's get as passionate about our families health as we are about other things in our lives that are a lot more trivial.

Our bodies are the Lord's temple.  Let's be intentional in treating them that way and leading our kiddos to do the same.

New Year New Adventures

So I am someone who grew up in the same home from age 2 until I got married, went to the same church for 33 years, and went to the same school from preschool until I graduated hish school.  When I write it all out like that it looks rather strange I must admit lol!!  I know that amount of stability and "non-change" is not normal.  Although I look back and would not change a thing about my childhood, with my personality it has made it quite difficult for me as an adult to accept change, want change, or like change at all. 

And don't we all know that change is growth and change is progress and change is what our Father is all about!!  And so the Lord put me with this amazing man 17 years ago who is an embracer of change.  Don't we know that the Lord always knows what he's doing and is working in every area of our lives and is a part of every detail??  I'm so very grateful that my husband seeks the Lord for our family and that the Lord uses him to "nudge" me into the changes that he has for our family........still don't like change at all lol!

But in the last two years we have had plenty and it looks like this new year will be a year of more change and new adventures.  I'm proud to say that I have grown a little.  Now the norm for me is to freak out for a day or two and then accept the change and know that God's got this:)

I digress, and must go back a couple years actually.  The first major change the Lord allowed in our family was two years ago New Year's day.  That was Tim's accident.  And yes it changed our lives in so many ways.  Especially for the first 6 months of 2010.  Tim was on duty (he's a Police Officer) and had a pretty bad crash on his motorcycle.  He was unconcious for 7-8 min.  When they got him to the hospital they discovered, he had a broken collar bone, concussion, broken/dislocated thumb, broken tibia and fibula, and a shattered and dislocated right ankle.  He had a long road of recovery and rehab.  God has restored him to his job, although he's not 100% physically he is doing awesome.  As I have told some friends, of course I wish my husband still didn't have problems and pain with his ankle as a result of the accident.  But the depth of gratitiude and growth and intimacy in our relationship that we've experienced because of the accident I would not trade for anything. 

The next change that the Lord brought about was a change in churches.  This was huge for me because as I said, I had attended the same church for 33 years.  We were very involved in serving and in leadership.  But sometimes the Lord's plans are so different than ours.  And we really and truly have to be focused on him and not caught up in what OUR plans for our lives and families might be.  As wives and moms, we have to be focused on what Jesus wants for our families. I know that in this life journey I have gotten caught up in MY plan for my kids and can tend to think it's the best.  Because I know what's good for them, right?  Well, how much more does the Father love them and know what's best for them??  For us, at that time it was to make a church change.  Very hard, but we couldn't be happier a year and a half later.

The next major change in the last two years was a move.  You know, when we bought our last house my thoughts were, that we would never move again.  It was a big house and we would live there forever.  Well, the Lord had other plans.  You know, I've realized He must be sitting up there chuckling at me all the time:) At the beginning of last year the Lord told us to downsize and move to another city.  This was all at the nudging of my husband once again:) What??!!  But I didn't want to, I loved my big house.  But I love the Lord more, so we listended lol!  We moved from 2400 sq ft to 1500.  We moved to a beautiful city with bike trails and lakes and it has been so much better than I ever imagined!!  Isn't that the way the Lord works?  Eph. 3:20, He can do immeaurably more than we can ask or imagine.

About a year ago the Lord start speaking to Tim and planting a seed.  He was feeling that we might be led to change schools for our kids.  Now let me back up and say that my children go to the same school that I went to my entire life.  I told you I lived in a "no change bubble" lol!!  Well being the kind of person who hates change I did the only logical thing........I ignored my husband.  Okay, definately not the right thing to do but that's what I did.  Well, a few months ago I realized that it's an awesome thing that my husband has Christ first in his life and that I should probably be praying with an open heart.  Because for Tim this wasn't going away.  And it's amazing because as soon as I started praying with an open heart within a couple of weeks it was crystal clear to me too, what we were supposed to do.  Now let me add that my kids have been in Christian school up until now and the change would be to public.  I have always been fearful of this.  But through this process the Lord has brought friends onto my path that have had similar experiences and used them to encourage me.  And lastly he took away the finances to make it perfectly clear.  He will do that you know??  He will make your path crystal clear if you are seeking him.  He will leave no doubt in your mind you are heading in the direction that he has for your life.

So this year the Galovichs are heading on a new adventure.  That's the way we are choosing to look at it.  Because with God life really is an adventure.  Over the last couple of years I've gotten a little better at embracing change.  I don't have it masted, that's for sure and it doesn't come easily.  Those who know me well, know that I have my "freak out" times for sure.  But this is where the intentionality comes in.  Remember, being an intentional mom:)  So this is where I intentionally bring to mind all of the Lord's promises.  That is what helps me with the change.  His drection is crystal clear.  Yes, I said direction........now that doesn't mean every thing along that adventure path is crystal clear.......that is for the Lord to handle not us.  All I know is we are heading in "His direction."  The direction he has for our family, and the rest of the time I will be focused on his promises.  Some of my favorites are, Jeremiah 29:11, Eph. 3:20, Psalm 37, Rom 8:18, Proverbs 3.

Obedience produces blessings.  So I will be intentional with my Lord this year, resting in His promises and that will transalte to every area of my life. 

This new adventure I'm not worried about because.............God's got this because He's right in the middle of it:)

Blessings in your New Year of Adventures!:)