The Big Decision
"I’ve decided that our whole family is going to move to healthier eating."
(Note: also found on page 93 in Tailoring Your Tastes)

THE BIG JUMP

THE SMOOTH SLIDE

First action on decision

BRACE YOURSELF.

Quickly eat all of your favorite foods because they won’t be part of your diet tomorrow.

 LOOK AT YOURSELF AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOU. Feel good that you have made the conscious decision to start making slow changes that will reflect a healthier lifestyle.

First shopping trip for healthy food

Stock up on foods that are "light", "low fat" and/or "diet" on the the labels regardless of whether you enjoy them.

Your family likes whole milk but now that you’ve made the decision to "eat healthy", you buy skim milk.

 Stock up on a wide variety of foods that you and your family enjoy; paying more attention to moving towards more carbohydrate foods and less protein. Buy a few herbs to highlight the flavors of your foods. Your family likes whole milk, so now you buy some 2% milk and plan to serve it to your family. If they don’t like it at first, you can mix it half and half with whole milk till they prefer the lighter mouth feel.

Feelings of cook after 1 week
 Frustrated & overwhelmed. Food is drier than the family enjoys. Still has strong resolve to keep this up, even if rest of family isn’t as enthusiastic. Encouraged by how easy it has been to make small changes to the foods, cooking techniques and carbohydrate/protein balance that they already enjoy. Surprised that the family hasn’t complained or even really noticed the changes. Notices that the foods have a nicer color and texture with all the taste they had before.

Reactions of family after 1 week
 Concerned that the food will never be "tasty" anymore. Tired of the new chewier, drier tastes and textures of these new foods. Longing for last week’s menu. Quite agile at slipping food to grateful canine under table. Wishing that the budget allowed more order in or eat out foods for next week. Snacking and eating away from home as much as possible. Surprised that even though the decision to "go healthy" was made, they still get to eat the foods they love! Noticed that the foods they love have more color and just as much, if not more flavor than before. Feel more energized after they eat rather than tired and overfull.

Feelings of cook at 1 month
 Almost ready to give up because no one (including the cook) is enjoying the food that is prepared. Disappointed and feeling deprived. Misses cooking and eating all the foods that they used to eat. Wishes that cooking wouldn’t be such an overwhelming chore. Sneaking favorites more and more often. Excited that the process is still so enjoyable; not even thinking about quitting; having more and more fun experimenting with old and new recipes; pleased with the results, flavors and textures.

Reactions of family at 1 month
 Ready to move to the neighbors during the meal time. Wishing the "health kick" that hit the house would stop kicking. Eating out or ordering in as much as possible and when eating foods they enjoy, really eating lots. Snacking and sneaking foods that they love on a more and more frequent basis. Still enjoying the food that is on the table. Asking for certain favorites more often, "When are you going to make that great bread again?" Noticing that they aren’t hungry between meals as often.

Situation at 3 months
 Disillusioned with the "health movement". Feeling disappointed and a little guilty, they give up and return to the old ways of eating and cooking again. Some of the family only feels "joy" because they finally get to eat what they love! Feel good about themselves and their new ways of eating and preparing foods. Energized by the successes, the whole family wants to keep on moving toward healthier eating. As an experiment they try some of the old ways of cooking and eating. They are surprised and pleased to find that they actually like the new ways better. They prefer the new flavors, textures and tastes and don’t want to go back.