We are currently on day 6 of the 10-day Real Food Pledge from 100 Days of Real Food. The point of the pledge is to understand what you are eating, how much of it is processed, and how you can make simple changes to lead a more healthy lifestyle. Some of you have already been following along on Facebook as we post updates and we ask that you keep following along! Here are the rules of the pledge directly copied from her site:
What we CAN eat:
- Whole foods that are more a product of nature than a product of industry
- Lots of fruits and vegetables(we recommend that you shop for these at your local farmers’ market)
- Dairy products like milk, unsweetened yogurt, eggs, and cheese
- 100% whole-wheat and whole-grains (find a local bakery for approved sandwich bread and check the Understanding Grains post for more info)
- Seafood (wild caught is the optimal choice over farm-raised)
- Only locally raised meats such as pork, beef, and chicken (preferably in moderation)
- Beverages limited to water, milk, all natural juices, naturally sweetened coffee & tea, and, to help the adults keep their sanity, wine and beer!
- Snacks like dried fruit, seeds, nuts and popcorn
- All natural sweeteners including honey, 100% maple syrup, and fruit juice concentrates are acceptable in moderation
What we CAN’T eat:
- No refined grains such as white flour or white rice (items containing wheat must say WHOLE wheat…not just “wheat”)
- No refined sweeteners such as sugar, any form of corn syrup, cane juice, or the artificial stuff like Splenda
- Nothing out of a box, can, bag, bottle or package that has more than 5 ingredients listed on the label
- No deep fried foods
- No “fast foods”
So why are we doing this? Why cut processed food? Here are 10 reasons. Before we started this pledge, we discussed why we were doing this and what we hoped to gain by the end. Here are our thoughts…
Whitney hopes…
“More energy, lose five pounds, appreciate real food and gain an understanding for how much food is really processed.”
Neil hopes…
“Lack of hunger. I don’t want to feel hungry. More energy. That will do.”
Here are some things we’ve made so far this week as part of the pledge:
Chick Pea Curry with Fresh Dill from 5 Spices, 50 Dishes
Whole Wheat Pizza and White Gazpacho both from 100 Days of Real Food
Tilapia breaded with whole wheat flour and whole wheat couscous with leek and tomato. Side of fresh salad.
Whole wheat tortillas from 100 Days of Real Food. We have been eating these at lunch wrapped with hummus, arugula, and cheese.
Homebrew! Yes, alcohol is okay according to the rules. We won’t argue!
Beef Bolognese with Whole Wheat Pasta
…and more! We’ve made homemade cheez-its, energy rounds, whole wheat brownies, switched to natural peanut butter, and use honey to sweeten our coffee in the morning. We’ve embraced simple switches to encourage a more healthy lifestyle. At the end of the pledge, we’ll give an update about how we feel and how things went overall.
We’re St. Louis food bloggers who love to cook! Join us on our culinary adventures as we keep a fresh outlook on life, love, and food.
Congrats on taking the pledge! If you’re starting to feel good with just a few days, I guarantee that you’ll feel even better the longer you do it. We started our journey with a 30-day challenge somewhat similar to this (Paleo) and haven’t looked back (except on our cheat day).
Thanks so much! Yeah, we are seeing a big difference in our energy levels already. Way to go with Paleo. I have a friend who is a Paelo champ and shares her journey on her blog, http://www.fitandfresh.net. Check it out!