All I can say is WOW. Over the last two days, we have received thousands of emails detailing out such deep and personal stories, struggles and obstacles to healthy living.
In the responses that I've read so far, I am seeing some common themes. Hearing directly from you, I know that I can help - and major help is coming! Make sure to read tomorrow's email for some rapid fire suggestions to the struggles I am sharing with you here today.
Here's what I am going to address tomorrow:
- Many of you are saying that lack of time is standing in your way…
"My absolutely biggest hurdle is planning and having the ingredients on hand to get something to the table quick. Since we often don't all get home for dinner until after 6:30 pm and rise with the chickens at 4:30 am, when I hit the door I need something quick and easy so everyone has time for homework before bedtime." - Tracy
"My only obstacle is preparing healthy foods every day. I work 8 hours a day Monday through Friday… I find myself cooking the same things over and over again" - Mary B.
"For me, since I've been focusing on truly eating healthy, my biggest obstacle is time! I feel like the majority of my time is spent either thinking about what I'm making for dinner, grocery shopping, or the actual preparation. Throw in a juicing session in the morning, and I feel like I have to get up crazy early to do it all. I really need to figure out how to get organized and become more efficient with my time." - Kim W.
- Convenience is also a big obstacle…
"My biggest obstacle to eating healthier is convenience. I have 5 kids, lots of sports, windshield time and little time. We eat only organic but I still find that we eat organic junk! Meal planning, understanding what we should eat more of, and the ability to understand what the labels' actually say would really help!" - Elisa
"Convenience is my biggest obstacle. With a traveling husband, being pregnant, working full time, & raising a 3 year old, I find it hard to prioritize meals. I do my best to provide organic foods. But lately, I have found my cart to be full of Pirate booty's, veggie straws, sandwich fixings, Annie's fruit snacks, cereal, etc… You know, all the fast and easy food. We do incorporate fruits on a daily basis, but lately, if it's not convenient, we aren't eating it." - Julie K.
"My biggest struggle is making healthy foods my kids will eat and finding quick healthy snacks while on the go. Between soccer, basketball, piano, scouts, volunteering, and managing my own interior design business I long for the old days of drive thru dinners, eating in the car and onto our next activity. Now I have to be so much more creative, take up a lot more time in meal prep and sometimes after all that, the kids barely eat it and then fill up on trader joe cookies and ice-cream behind my back." - Rayna
- You are also telling me that you struggle with getting your family on board with your food choices…
"So my biggest struggle is getting my family on board with healthy eating, and leaving all the junk and processed stuff to a minimum. I have worked very hard to transition to an organic, non GMO, healthiest option lifestyle. So, when the kids are asking for ice cream, frosters, granola bars, mr noodles and the like… I offer what I have on hand in the form or a homemade option. Sometimes that is enough to satisfy them, but I get over-ruled on a lot of items because they are more convenient." - Lisa
"The second obstacle is my husband. He is NOT interested in eating healthy, losing weight, exercise, etc. AND he is the one who does the grocery shopping. He's pretty good at picking things up that I request (as long as he has a coupon for it) but over all it's processed, unhealthy, quick, sugary foods… I get tired of trying to cook one meal for myself and another one for he and our son. And having all that garbage in the house makes it so hard… I end up grabbing the chips, cookies, ice cream, boxed foods….Ugh." - Jennifer H.
"I would love for my family to eat only healthy real food. A couple reasons why it's hard is because my husband is addicted to easy processed food product. Also it's so overwhelming to even know where to start or what to get rid of first." - Rebecca M.
One thing is for sure: You wouldn't be here if you didn't want to provide the healthiest foods for yourself and for your families.
We can get there, but we need to support each other and provide each other with strategies to help us all be successful and to knock out these obstacles.
As I mentioned in my last email, next week I'll tell you about a resource that will help you hold yourself accountable.
In the meantime, I am going to send you a game plan before the weekend, so you can get started on breaking through those obstacles once and for all!
Xo,
Vani
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