The way I eat is met with a variety of reactions.
People at work know I am always changing my program and that I have tried some pretty weird things. This is a combination of ever-changing diet and being adventurous and being willing to try new things. They however think I eat weird and ever since the accidental rotten flaxseed/grainless muffin incident, warn all new team members away from trying anything I make. Even desserts are suspect in their eyes. I laugh at this! What they think doesn’t matter to me. I can handle being messed with by them especially when they think my quite normal veggie omelets are suspect!
At home, my brothers and mom are pretty used to me rarely eating anything they cook but will rarely, if ever try anything I make. Unfortunately, my youngest brother has mocked my healthy eating enough that his children now mock it as well and refuse to try anything I make…in case it might be riddled with some sort of healthy disease. This breaks my heart that at 10 and 12 years old, my niece and nephew think healthy food equates to gross…not because they have tried it, but because their dad has taught them that this is so.
My oldest brother and his family eat pretty healthy and are completely supportive of me.
The other day, their 6 kids were over for the night and in the morning, I was trying to do my normal racing around, while being quiet and keeping a 4-year-old from waking 5 other kids up at 6 AM because it was “light outside”! I was making my normal eggs and Gavin(almost 12yrs old) came in and his face lit up. He remembers not too long ago when I would Crossfit in the morning then get ready for work at his house and make my eggs there. He loved them, especially because they are loaded with veggies.
Gavin has made a recent decision to make good choices about food. He is not on a diet. He has on his own accord decided to give up most junk carbs and between meal snacking. His mom is torn because she doesn’t want him to think he can never have treats! How do you teach a kid balance in all this? Especially since his whole life he has had an Auntie who is active in his life but who struggles with weight and food addiction. He has watched me the last 4 years, often encouraging me to not give up. I think his decision may have come in part because he has seen my struggle and he knows that decisions he makes now will have an impact later…and if he never gets fat, he will never have to know the struggle to lose the fat! I am proud of him for this mature decision!
Now back to breakfast. His eyes have lit up at the thought of eggs for breakfast…my eggs!
I told him I didn’t have time to make him some but Nana could….and My current eggs are not the same as he remembered since it was mostly egg whites.
I told him that Nana would make him some after I left.
His eyes widened with disbelief and skepticism as he quickly whispered…”but Auntie, Nana doesn’t cook ANYTHING healthy! AND I want all those veggies in mine!
Well buddy, I know, Nana doesn’t usually make things with veggies, but you can use my veggies and she can make some healthy eggs for you…
Of course Nana pipes up at this point declaring herself unable to make healthy stuff!
Sigh…
Gavin decided, he could make them himself. He has watched me make them lots after all!
I don’t know how his eggs turned out. But I love that THIS is the legacy I am leaving for him.
1. Never give up on your dream. Persevere no matter what!
2. Healthy is good. Enjoying whole healthy and real foods is not a bad thing.
3. Choices you make now have a lasting impact.
4. You have the power to control your life.
Now, I just have to take him out on one of my cheat meal nights so he can see that it is ok to have treats every once in a while.