Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Good-Bye Twinkies?

I've been reading a new book which has all but convinced me that the enemy in my life is processed foods. It has spouted the doctrine of whole grains, organic veggies, raw nuts, and free range meats of all kinds.

And I'm scared.

Not only have I never gone a day of my life without processed foods (on purpose, I mean!) , but I have spent many days of my life making witty sarcastic remarks about people who do.

How many times have I driven by Wild Oats and giggled at the "granola types" in the parking lot? I've pointed and laughed at their unbleached muslin shopping bags, full of macrobiotic goodness. I've watched them drive away, smug in their hybrid cars. And I've laughed at the thought of them paying extra money for organic parsley - when they're not even going to eat it!

And today? Just point me to the Birkenstock store, because today I actually hunted for yogurt that didn't have high fructose corn syrup in it.
VOLUNTARILY.

I think I have just enough information to be dangerous with this. Dangerous, excited, and a little bit depressed.

I'm still mulling the whole thing over and deciding what I'm going to do about it. Eating healthier would be a good idea for all of us, but I'm not sure I'm up to making the conversion in one giant leap.

I can run a macrobiotic diet and still keep the Diet Coke and See's Chocolate, right?

Ok then. Pass me a shopping bag, and I'll see what I can do.

Do real people do this?
And what's going to happen to the 15 pints of strawberry jam I made yesterday?

10 comments:

goddessdivine said...

This was hilarious. I do the same thing (that is laugh at the granola type, tree-hugging freaks....I mean people).

Last summer I did an overhaul on my diet: I switched from white bread to wheat, started eating oatmeal, eating more fruits and veggies. I gave up soda (gasp!) like 6 months ago--ok, I still splurge and have a 12 pack of Pepsi in my fridge for those 'must have' moments. I drink fruit juices and take vitamin supplements. I eat a lot less fast food; but I still do some processed food.....seriously, how does one totally rid themselves of that and stay sane?!

I say one step at a time; one thing at a time. If you do too much too soon you'll just get depressed.

And any diet can certainly have chocolate. (I'd actually reconsider the DC due to artificial sweeteners; that's why I switched to Pepsi).

Heather said...

Whoa... switch from DC to Pepsi you are really asking a lot from Randi Kristen.

I'm with ya both. I'm all about eating as healthy as possible, but I don't have the patience, or income to immerse myself in organic nirvana.

"Q" said...

If I start seeming you in hemp clothes & no makeup then I'll worry;)
Beware of anything extreme it can take your time, $, and sanity. There is that line between zealous and zealot Just be wise, that seems easy enough, right?

Mrs Andy said...

Ok, I too used to make fun of the nutters in Wild Oats, then I joined Weight Watchers, and started shopping there, Whole Foods and Trader Joes.

Look who is laughing now? Well, I still am, my husband calls it getting on the giggle bus and not getting off. But anyway....

Your book is right, and your body will thank you for it. I know mine did. Now, with that said, I don't recommend going all out, right away. Make some small changes like bread. Go from white to wheat, or in our case, we went white, multi-grain, wheat. Start buying seasonal fruit for snacks intead of crackers or whatever. For breakfast cereals, choose cereal with at least 3g dietary fiber per serving and so on.

As for me, I don't believe in organics, or that they are better. Frankly, I don't want bugs in my food. I have found that shopping local is good. I try and go to our farmers market every week and get whatever is in season.

And diet coke--and Sees?? You have Sees, be still my heart! Oh, how I love you Mary See, and your delightful candies! Yes, keep these things, they are good in moderation. And just so you know, I'm still working on your Diet Coke concealment purse. My next fashion endeavour will be the Harry Potter "scripture" case. You can guess what that is for...

Randi said...

You guys crack me up! I've always said I have the funniest commentors on the planet.

EOE - not to rub it in or anything, but they just opened a new Sees about 3 miles from my house. At first I thought it was a good thing....


And on the bright side of the granola issue... I wouldn't have to shave my legs anymore.

Vern said...

I have a testimony of See's, and when you have that kind of spiritual connection, I personally don't think it should be trifled with. (Or should I say "truffled" with? HA!! I kill myself.)

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

Too much knowledge is a dangerous thing!

I studied nutrition for a year. Made some positive changes, and learned that too many positive changes can be a bad, bad thing.

Definitely go at a steady pace!

Mrs Andy said...

Ya, Sees near your house--so not fair. I swear, NM is a chocolate wasteland! We have Sees in AZ, but not here!

So, I went to the card shop yesterday to buy a b-day card and I bought a card that said, "I tried a desert called 'death by chocolate' but it only made me stronger!" So basically, I'm a chocolate Godzilla!

What I also forgot to say in my previous post is that, you don't need to feel like you have to go all one way or the other as far as your food choices go. I've found that I can't go totally sugar, fat free, and that I don't like only macro-biotics and so on. I like a reddit-whip on my sugar free jello. I like a big plate of french fries once in a while. I'm not mentally able (I guess I was truffeled) to go all organic, pro/macro/micro biotic or whatever....I'm a very sucessful pupil of the school of moderation. I think that is really the essence of what the Word of Wisdom teaches us, moderation.

Heather O. said...

Yup, real people do this.

You'd be amazed at how much better you feel when you are eating food that you can identify, and that you didn't have to open a package to eat.

Saves on your trash, too. Less packaging, less stuff to throw away--an easy way to be environmentally friendly.

I do admit, though, that I am one of those bag carrying gals who bring their own bags to the store. I'm not necessarily trying to make a statement, I just got tired of dealing with so many stinkin' grocery bags in my pantry all the time. So I bought some mesh bags, and I get a 25 credit to my grocery tab every time I bring them. It makes me happy.

Of course, so do mega-hydrogenated chocolate chip brownie soft baked cookies from Pepperidge Farm.

Anonymous said...

You made 15 pints of Strawberry jam! Wow I am impressed. Where do you find the time for such adventures? I am with everyone else. I think the slow transitions made the best long-term results. Sounds like I need to do some reading too...?? I haven't thought about the yougurt thing with exception of the live cultures part. Sometimes I think we spend way too much time thinking about it all. Moderation..... what?