Hi everyone! Many thanks to Lori for letting me do a guest post on her great blog. My name is Carrie and I write the blog Love Healthy Living. Here, I chronicle my experiences in learning about and trying to follow a healthy lifestyle.

I live with my husband and two cats on the central coast of California. We are fortunate to have an abundance of fresh produce. I try to take advantage of this opportunity and prepare fresh, healthy meals nearly every day. That’s not to say I spend hours in the kitchen. I love finding shortcuts (like using the crock pot) and we often eat leftovers with a fresh salad or vegetable on the side.

I wasn’t always so careful about what I eat. I never learned to cook when I was younger so my young adult years were spent eating packaged or quick fix meals that weren’t very nutritionally balanced. Then, after meeting my husband and entering a busy phase of my professional life, I started eating out at restaurants a lot more often. Before I knew it, we had both gained weight.

The turning point for me came in 2004 after watching the movie “Super Size Me.” This was the one about the guy (Morgan Spurlock) who eats McDonald’s for 30 days. What struck me was the dichotomy between the fast food from McDonald’s and the food that was prepared by Morgan’s vegan chef girlfriend before and after his experiment. The whole foods that she prepared with care and love jumped out at me from the screen. I realized at that moment that I was not feeding myself or my husband with the same amount of concern and that had to change.

After seeing the movie, I immediately went grocery shopping and filled my basket with fresh fruits and vegetables. Over the next several years, I learned basic cooking skills and how to eat right. My husband and I both lost weight and gained energy and self-confidence.

My personal transformation also led me to a career change into the field of nutrition. I am currently a graduate student in the field of public health in nutrition. I hope to use my education to help plan and execute programs to help other people live healthier lives.

From studying nutrition and public health combined with my personal journey to be healthy, I have come up with some nutritional guidelines that help me lead a more balanced life:

1. Eat fruits and vegetables with every meal. I use every opportunity to fuel myself with healthful ingredients.
2. Cut out the processed foods. Making your own meals will save you money and give you control over the ingredients.
3. Eat as a family. Studies show that this time together has a positive impact on healthy behaviors for you and your family.
4. Learn about where your food comes from and how the choices you make impact the environment.
5. Take the time to lovingly prepare and enjoy your meals. Eating mindfully is a great way to achieve a balanced diet.

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Thank you Carrie!