Starting without stopping

I've started posting twice in the past week and haven't finished what I've begun. (I'm writing about Hilary Burnett's Pilates and Steve Ross's Yoga if you're curious). I've had ideas pop into my head at least twice in the past week that I've REALLY wanted to just sit down and post about, but somehow I got distracted and never got to it. I actually had time to write about the first one that seemed so complete in my head when I first thought of it. But later on, I couldn't remember what on earth I'd thought of. I still can't remember. I've forgotten the second topic from yesterday too.

I'm thinking I might need to write these things down, don't you? It's like when people say they have these great ideas in the middle of the night -- or even really cool dreams. They're so sure they'll remember it the next morning, but they don't. So some keep a pen and paper by their beds to record these thoughts. I'll have to do the same, but in the kitchen. Most of my ideas come to me in the kitchen (is that any surprise? :))

Another starting and stopping pattern I've seen myself repeat for years is in goal setting. I tend to overreach my eating goals at the end of the day if I haven't eaten as well as I know I should. So I'll tell myself, "Tomorrow morning, I'm going to start . . . " Then the next morning comes and I think "What was I thinking last night? I don't need to do that" and nothing improves.

The area in which I see the greatest need to improve (for my eating anyway) is basing my diet on vegetables. Dr. Fuhrman says in his Eat for Health book that just adding more fruits and vegetables like every diet suggests isn't enough to have optimum health. We need to center ou diets around vegetables (especially the green ones). Vegetables have more nutrients than any other foods. Just look at the ANDI scores -- it's quite evident that we need to have these foods as the basis for our diets. I've done it before and feel great eating that way. But I haven't done it enough to have it happen without much effort. I know I can though. I've grown so much with my other healthful habits that I know I just have to really put this at the forefront of my brain and MAKE myself do it so I can develop this habit.

When I say "make myself do it" I'm not talking about the eating. I will eat vegetables no problem if they're ready in front of me. I enjoy them as much as I once enjoyed pizza or cheesecake (and that's saying something!) It's just getting myself to make the soup or the salad or the green smoothie that's the problem. I enjoy the whole process once I get going. It's just that initial nudge that I need. I just need to start without stopping. Once I get going, I'm just fine.

I realized last night that this will be my year-long journey -- to develop this habit of eating plenty, and I mean PLENTY of vegetables each day instead of watching them rot in the fridge. I've done it before and I can do it again. I can do it right now, in fact. Hmmm, what should I make? I think I'll pull out the cabbage and make this salad that has almonds and sesame seeds in it. It's so yummy. Once it's made, I'll have no problem eating it.

I guess I can rejoice in that one little vegetable victory. I used to think the only good vegetables were potatoes and corn -- probably like so many other kids do. Dr. Fuhrman says the number one vegetable eaten by children today is french fries! For some reason, all this vegetable talk has me singing the Captain Vegetable song in my head. You know the one from Sesame Street? We used to listen to Sesame Street tapes all the time when my older girls were little. Anyway, here it is from YouTube for your vegetable viewing pleasure :).



I'll be journaling in my other blog about my progress with vegetables from here on out. I hope you do too. Here's to eating our vegetables, crunch, crunch cru---unnnch!