MOPS

On March 14th and 21st, I am sharing on the topic of Nutrition. Calling it "Practical Nutrition for Busy Women". Because that's what we are, and that is what we need.

At our meeting I offered some bullet points and notes, but here is the transcript of the notes I read from. I wanted to make these available, just in case you missed something. I hope that what I shared inspired you to take care of your body and your family with more nutritious foods!

Practical Nutrition for Busy Women

Positive Thinking:

·        We will feel better and have more energy when we fuel our bodies with more nutritious foods.
·        We don’t have to take away, but add healthier foods to our daily meals.

Positive Action:  Since what we put in our bodies affects how we will feel.

ADD MORE FRUITS & VEGGIES

a.      Follow up your breakfast with an apple, banana, peach etc. This will keep you feeling fuller for longer and help you get through your morning chores or errands without grazing on whatever is nearby.

b.      At lunch, have your sandwich, but crunch on carrots sticks or apple slices before you grab those chips. Have the chips…but just have your crunchy veggie or fruit first. You will be fuller with the nutritious foods and eat fewer chips.

c.      At dinner, sub out a side dish & add a veggie…or both with a veggie and steamed veggies or something simple.

*** The idea is to offer your body a more nutrient-dense food before the others, this will keep you feeling fuller and satisfied for longer and you will find that you snack less on your kiddos snacks or those empty calories.

REACH FOR WATER FIRST

a.      Many times when we are thirsty, we reach for something sweet that doesn’t necessarily hydrate. It’s yummy on the taste buds, but we’re left thirsty…so before reaching for the soda or even giving out juice boxes to the kids, aim to drink a cup of water before your sweet drink. I love coffee in the morning, but I’ve been asleep all night, so I know my body needs water. I try my best to down to glass of water before I drink my big cup of coffee. Our bodies thrive when they are hydrated…

b.      I’m not saying don’t drink anything but water…just reach for it first. Who knows, you may end up drinking less sugar, less caffeine, and end up feeling even more energized!

PREPARE MEALS AT HOME

a.      Allows you to control your calorie intake

b.      Will save you money in the long run

c.      Remember to ‘plan to cook’:

                              a.      Defrost meat

b.      Allow enough time to prepare and cook

***Practical, easy meal ideas:

a.      Use your crockpot & let it do the cooking for you.

b.      Double portions for leftovers the next night, or a simple base to build a meal:

Examples of easy meal ideas:

1. Take the left over roast from the crockpot night before, shred it up in a skillet, add BBQ             sauce & throw it in a bun & toss a salad. Do this w/ chicken or pork. Make shredded beef tacos a 3^rd night. That’s 3 meals out of 1 longer prep night. 
2. One night bake up chicken in the oven, steam some rice (this is low maintenance cooking by the way…baking and steaming), add some steamed asparagus, or roast some carrots as the chicken is cooking. Next night chop up chicken, add some (frozen) stir-fry veggies on top of rice & sauce & you have easy teriyaki bowls w/ little effort.
3. Cook up 2 lbs. of ground meat one night: first night make tacos or burritos out of it…the next night, add some spaghetti sauce and pour over some noodles & toss a salad.
4. Fire up the bbqer on the weekends and do double/triple meat on the grill. One night you have BBQ chicken or steaks w/ corn on cob & beans, the next, just chop up the bbqed meat and throw on a salad. My favorite thing is taking fat free ranch and mixing w/ bbq sauce and you have a BBQ chicken salad. Add some canned, drained black beans and corn and you have an even more filling meal.
5. And then there’s always leftover night…which I pump up to the family and say: “It’s a smorgasbord tonight”: whatever is in the fridge from the last 2-3 dinners, I warm up and it’s a free for all…take your pick & eat it. This is great for busy nights or the weekend when you’ve had a busy day of projects….or you’re just plain tired. I’ve laid out on the table before: burger patties, roasted potatoes, beans, rice, salad, some steamed veggie….It’s fun for the kids to try and serve themselves too, they feel empowered by getting to choose…and it’s a win-win for you….little dinner prep and you’re fridge ends up cleaned out.

Things to limit:

1.      Artificial colors: Blue # 1, 2; Green # 3; Red # 40 (very common) & Red# 3; Yellow # 5 & 6

 

2.      Artificial sweeteners: Most common: Aspartame (Equal – blue packets), Sucralose (Splenda – yellow packets), Saccharin (Sweet & Low – pick packets), Acesulfame Potassium (K) – found in diet sodas.****** An alternative to artificial sweeteners: Stevia

 

3.      Preservatives & Additives: Common ones: MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) , Sodium Nitrates & Nitrites

 A couple stories on these things (If I have time....)

I ask myself, what will all this artificial, unnatural stuff do to my body and my family’s in the long run? I ask this to make me more conscientious, it's too easy to give in!

I had been hanging out with my mom more and she loves diet sodas…so one day I get one with her. No big deal it’s just 1, right? Then a couple days later, I was feeling tired & I reached for another diet soda. I started getting into a habit of picking one up when out grocery shopping…and then I found the berry flavored, diet energy drink at WinCo…and I was living by a ‘rule’ if it’s not water, it needs to be caffeinated, since this season of my life includes long days. Eventually, I was sooooooo super tired…I decided for ‘Lent’ that I would give all these carbonated, caffeinated drinks up, and I am feeling so much better. Less dips in energy, less grouchy, and less anxious during the day.

Then my sister-in-law shared with me that she realized that it was MSG that giving her headaches, a few other things, but MSG was the worse. I too have fewer headaches since I eat at home more. Many restaurants add it to their food….Monosodium Glutamate is a flavor enhancer…So if food makes your taste buds celebrate as you eat it…it probably has msg. 

I just share this to plant the seed for you to be aware that how you feel: sluggish, fatigued, headache may be more related to the foods and beverages you put in your bodies more than you realize.

Verses to meditate on related to taking care of ourselves & families:

Romans 12:1: Therefore I urge you brethren by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God is which is your spiritual service of worship.

 I looked up the word LIVING in the Greek and it means:  active, blessed, full of vigor, fresh, strong, efficient, active and powerful.

 

Is your body full of vigor, strong, active, and efficient?

What is going to enable your body to be “LIVING” by this definition? Nutritious foods

Proverbs 31: 14 & 15: She is like merchant ships; she brings her food from afar. She rises also while it is still night, and gives food to her household.

 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” 

Our bodies are our outer shells, our earthen vessel that the Holy Spirit dwells in. God needs able and willing women ready to serve Him, serve our families…and we need our bodies to do so.

 

We only get one body…so let’s take care of it! What we put in it will affect how we feel.  

We will feel better and have more energy when we fuel our bodies with more nutrient-dense foods, like more fruits and veggies, and hydrate it with more water.