50 Days, 50 Salads + "Fed Up" Film

[Vronsky] did not need to maintain himself too strictly, because his weight was exactly the regulation hundred and sixty pounds; but he also had not to gain any weight, and so he avoided starches and sweets.

- Tolstoy

I've given myself a challenge: eating 50 salads in 50 days.

My father-in-law eats a salad every day for lunch as part of his own directive for healthy eating.  He and my mother-in-law have both completely changed their eating habits, eliminating gluten and sugar, seriously lowering carbs and, at least for now, steering clear of dairy.  A whole blog could be dedicated to their food journey, but suffice it to say that they both feel much better, have naturally lost weight without that being their goal, and have basically eradicated daily headaches!

I have also been working to improve my eating choices and what I am cooking for dinner, but on a smaller scale.  I have lowered my intake of gluten and starches, and while I'm not bent on erasing all gluten in my diet, I am aware of how much better my body feels on lower carbs.  As much as I would like to deny it- I mean I used to LOVE cereal for breakfast absolutely every morning- physically, I can't.  I also know I'm not the strongest when it comes to food changes, so I need something more specific than "Sure, I'll lower my carbs...." while sneaking into the kitchen to grab a cookie.  I need concrete.  I will eat 50 salads in 50 days.

Salads eaten at restaurants are always delicious, but I am forever moaning about my own homemade ones.  And, try not to judge me, I usually don't want to eat a salad.  Yeah, whatever, the stereotype of a vegetarian is that they love salads all the time, but I don't.  I truly love veggies, but salad sometimes feels... too earthy or something.  Hopefully as part of this journey, I will discover to really like salads and to find out what I enjoy most in them, which veggies to add, and how to make salad dressing at home since I can control all the ingredients.  I won't force feed myself any vegetables that I don't enjoy eating as part of a salad, even though I might like it on its own.  My rules for myself are pretty open: it doesn't have to be for lunch, but will most likely be; I can put whatever I want in it, as long as it is not a starchy carbohydrate; I won't beat myself up if I don't reach 50.   

Now, no worries, I won't be posting 50 times about salad.  If I don't want to eat 50 salads, I certainly wouldn't want to read about 50 salads.  But I'll do a few updates through the time frame and challenge you to up your veggies by doing your own competition!  I'll be updating my Instagram account with some of my favorite salads (follow me @theculturethrift) and check out #50salads50days.  Use the hash-tag if you come across any awesome salads as well!

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And just a quick word- check out the documentary "Fed Up" which is currently on Netflix.  I had been interested in it and finally clicked on it after one of my best friends recommended it to me.  It's a film showing how our government, public schools, and processed food industry have conveniently supported sugar as an addition to processed foods and the ill effects it has created for our health and the health of children (especially Diabetes).  I loved how it touched on the fact that eating healthy (i.e. real, whole foods) is cheaper than eating junk food and how ultimately we are the ones who must change.  I honestly don't believe in governmental control of foods, but control in schools and advertising aimed at children, who are not yet able to make healthy eating decisions, is a worthy cause.  There is also power in the awareness of how the food industry controls our government and media (it's $$$ of course!).  Though, to keep balance and not make absolute claims (which I have to remind myself to not do!) here is a fact checking review of it: Science Based Medicine.  If nothing else, hopefully this will lead to our decrease in processed food consumption and increase in cooking at home, using whole, non-processed foods.

Other interesting books about America's food industry: "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and "Fast Food Nation."