Welcome April!
With the new month and the arrival of spring, our family is embarking on a 3 month goal. No fast food junk for 3 months- now until July 1! Wouldn’t it be great if it was ever again? We will start with 3 months. Do any of you want to join us?
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t agree with feeling guilty about food, and I am not opposed to occasionally indulging in fast food junk full well knowing it is crap, but we have slipped out of the very rarely category and it is time to get back! It used to be we would pick up fast food once or twice a month. We’d grab a pizza or be traveling and occasionally indulge.
Moving towards the end of last year, unpacking and celebrating the holidays simultaneously, along with several 8 hours drives each way from Vancouver, BC to Idaho, we picked up a bad habit of eating out more frequently. Now with a new and exciting place to call home, often on the weekends we go for drives to explore all the new surroundings. Frequently when we travel and explore we stop for food, and well fast food is both fast and cheap.
Neither my husband nor I felt good about it. Why weren’t we taking the time to pack a cooler? We always had snacks on us, but never food that would constitute a meal for hungry children or ourselves. It was the great suggestion of my husband that we give ourselves a 3 month hiatus from the fast food junk, and I was more than thrilled to jump on board! I always have liked a goal. There is something very rewarding about accomplishing it. The pursuit of a worthy goal creates happiness itself.
Honestly, I have never enjoyed spending money on junk, fast food included. It has a way of draining you emotionally and physically. We are really excited about our new goal. Having a goal can give you that motivational kick in butt that you need to head in the direction you want to go. Plus it is fun to cross of each day with a little check mark, and an I Did It pat on the back! For those of us who like recognition, that is 😉 Celebrate the victories, right?
To handle those times we find ourselves unexpectedly out and about without ample supply of food, and because let’s be truthful- life is not 100% predictable, we do have a back up. We are allowing ourselves to purchase oatmeal on the go. It is a healthy and inexpensive food to grab if you really need to get something. We don’t want anyone getting hangry on us now! Plus, we always have oatmeal at home and it really is not that super exciting to go out for oatmeal, so I don’t think we are in danger of doing that all the time.
The other exception if we really need to grab something for whatever reason, we are allowing ourselves to purchase healthy sandwiches. Let me assure you we are both well educated on the difference between a healthy sandwich and one that is junk, healthy toppings versus unhealthy ones. This is not something you can find at 99% of drive-throughs so you won’t be seeing us pull through a drive-through for a sandwich.
Goodbye hot dogs at Costco while grocery shopping. Goodbye Happy Meals. Goodbye Panda express. I have to say I think I am going to miss the Panda Express the most. Their shrimp is so good! The thing is I will be much happier and healthier for it. Like I said, I don’t think one should feel guilty about indulging occasionally, but when your body whispers enough’s enough I find it much better to listen to the whisper instead of waiting for the smack on the head. A goal of no fast food junk for 3 months is just that nudge we need to get back on track.
Wish us luck, and let me know if you’re up for the challenge! 🙂
Happy April, Friends! ?
