October has come to a close and with it, so goes #NoProOcto. If I were to be graded, I’m not sure I would have passed this month. Well…I probably would have passed, but definitely not with flying colors.
Overall, I would guess I ate about 70% unprocessed food (which probably means 55% is more accurate.) I had plenty of excuses for processed, but it came down to two things. First poor reason was that I was out with friends or family and didn’t want to be the jerk that wouldn’t eat anything. Point 1A would be that I can’t NOT eat when food is put in front of me. The other reason is even worse – I NEED CHOCOLATE!! I tried my damnedest to keep homemade baked goods in the house, but I am like a heroin addict when it comes to my fix before bed. I’m not too proud to say I tore into an old Hershey bar I found in the back of the cabinet one night when the chocolate syrup for milk had run out…
I did learn a lot from this exercise though. At the beginning of the month I thought about our trip down to Illinois. Subway was the only healthy option at our normal dinner stop exit, but their meats, cheeses, and breads couldn’t be more processed if they tried! Instead, I picked up sandwiches, chips, and cookies from Outpost. Delicious and healthy! I’ve learned I really can live on one soda every other day, though every two days may still be a stretch. I made it through the whole month without diving into the snack box here at work. (Though I’m mowing through leftover Halloween candy from the bin as I write!)
I now know to read labels and weigh the calorie/fat savings to the number of preservatives and fake ingredients in the food. Also, I’ve starting asking at restaurants (and been surprised by the answers, both good and bad.) Most importantly, I have learned that you can make great meals using fresh ingredients without it taking any longer than something out of a box.
I do think I’ll do a No Restaurant Month experiment sometime in the near future. Seeing as I already broke the rules by enjoying a salad from UWM’s Conference Center cafeteria, I guess I’ll have to plan on another time.
What experiments have you done with your food intake?
2 Comments