Renee - your health journey is inspiring. i’m in the throws of having babies so my body is all over the place, but healthy is a lifestyle. while i’m going for ‘healthy,’ my word this year is “still.” or maybe “settled.” our lives are very up-in-the-air and UNsettled. but my heart and mind and spirit and emotions can be settled by the grace of God. I can be still and know that He is God even when circumstances are a whirlwind. Thanks for prompting me to think about this. cheers to 2014.

Linda - it’s the 10th and yesterday I finally found my words… never was good at editing.

Leaning In. Leaning into what I love doing, friendship, the Word and God. The list colud go on. I tend to pull back and hold back a lot! No, this year I am going to have a posture change and lean in. Healthy is a grest word. Hope you get your kids to come along!

Alisha - Good for you! I made this same decision almost 2 years ago. It took me almost a year to lose the weight I wanted and I have NEVER felt so good!

I’ll admit that the holidays were AWFUL this year. We’re talking 8 lbs horrible, but I’m back on track and working to get that corrected. I know your frustration with meal planning and trying to get your family on track. I came to the conclusion that while I wanted to certainly feed my family a healthier meal, they didn’t need to be on the same low calorie, low carb, low sugar diet I was on. Soooo… that meant that most all nights while my family’s meal was cooking I was making something ELSE for myself. Many, many, many nights it was a HUGE salad loaded with all sorts of fresh goodness, but when it wasn’t I tried to keep it in the same category as my family’s meal. If they had spaghetti with meat sauce, I’d make peas and pasta with shrimp or chicken. If they had tacos, I’d have a mock taco salad with grilled chicken or shrimp, black beans, Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and a lot of salsa.

I actually have YOU to thank for introducing me to myfitnesspal.com because it is TRULY my secret to my success!!! Sooooo… THANK YOU!!!! It’s been an AWESOME journey and one that I will walk for the rest of my life.

I wish you the best in YOUR journey. 🙂

tara - RELY.
more reliance on God…less on myself.
tired of managing, planning, analyzing, strategizing.
wrote a post on it..felt good to admit that i’m just too independent in my heart…

Alison - That’s awesome! I too am on a similar journey.. it can be so overwhelming on where to start and how to totally make over the way we eat. You may already know about the blog “100 days of Real Food” It really helped me alot! She has a place to start for new people to read and has lots of great ideas,recipes,videos..ect. some of her recipes are BLECK! but it gave me a sense of direction. One thing we started with was healthy smoothies in the morning and adding one veggie with our meal every day.. a small step but for us it was helpful. I know for me I would get online and look up these blogs and be like..what?where do I even start..so overwhelming. Good luck to you and yours! Here’s to a healthy mind and body in 2014~

Megan - I told you the other day that my word is GRATEFUL!
I love reading everyone else’s choices and intentions for the new year too. I am a dedicated meal planner–one week at a time,I do dinners only, and you’ve just inspired me to post the plan every week. Feel free to borrow anytime. I’m a vegetarian (but I make meat dishes for the family), I have a super picky eater, one who will eat dog cookies if I let him, and a very little guy that I’m balancing over at my house.
Going to post this week’s plan right now! Good luck 🙂

elizabeth - It makes me sad to think that ANYONE would think to scold you in any way for trying to improve and make your family more healthy, wether or not their habits are “of your own making”. Hooray for you! How awesome that yo’ve got a goal and a direction. My word(s) for the year will be “meek and mild”. I need to work on being more patient with my family. period. Heaven help me.

Helen - I did not actually think about choosing a word, but I did choose to make changes in my lifestyle, much the same as you. My kids are grown and gone and we were really pretty good about eating right and being active while they were at home, but it just got so easy not to when they were gone. I am starting slow. I decided to make one change a week. I started last week with drinking more water. This week we are only eating items cooked at home – no fast food. Good luck!

Jen - I really like this post, Megan. Thank you for your honesty. Moving away from processed foods is a challenge for me too, but over the past few years, I have made strides and want to continue to do so. We can do this! I love to exercise. It’s the whole nutrition piece of the puzzle that I need to work on. 2014 is going to be great!

Becky - My word of the year is HAPPY ! I choose to be happy and stop worrying about stuff, stop letting other people’s behaviour bring me down – just choose to be happy. Anyways – on the diet thing, Paleo is really a great way to go. I have been eating Paleo for about 3 months now – not including December, which was a disaster !!! However, now I am bringing the family along with me – they don’t mind, I have to say my boys are pretty good about eating veggies and to be honest they have surprised me with what they are prepared to eat. Last night I made a chicken and basil meatloaf and roasted cauliflower and I fully expected them to refuse to eat it but they wolfed it down and asked for more. Maybe you could just try stuff prepared in a different way, it takes time and can feel soul destroying when they don’t eat it, but when they do, it feels great. Good luck on your journey.

Andrea @ This Pug Life - That’s a good one, and one I strive to do often. I have been into smoothies and I got a fancy new blender for Christmas, so I have no excuse not to get lots of nutrients in my body!

I don’t care about losing weight or getting into a certain size dress. I just want to care for my body better. I already have multiple health issues and I’m not doing myself any favors. I hope I can make some good changes and get into better habits now while I’m still young!

Michelle Whitlow - It’s funny, I’ve seen this ‘one word’ thing for a few years now & never really gave it a second thought. Like you, I could never even think of a word that would ‘fit’ for me. This year as I saw people’s blogs and their one word, the word ‘healthy’ also came to mind for me. I’m going to be starting a new ‘diet’ (for lack of a better word). We eat somewhat healthy already. I’ve been working on cutting out a LOT of processed stuff, GMO’s, eating organic, not junk etc etc etc. My kids have been pretty good about it…esp when I SHOW them videos/examples of what the crap is that’s in the food that their friends take to school. Trust me, it will gross them out! But I want focus even more on getting healthier. Having Crohn’s makes me just want to curl up in my bed & not think about it but I want to be more active in cutting out the extra sugar & other stuff that creeps in to my diet (and my waistline!) Good luck!!!

diane - Great word. I especially love the scripture to support your word. 1 corth. 6:19-20 Powerful

Tracey Garcia - My oldest was always super picky and refused to eat veggies. But then a couple of years ago he got really interested in watching cooking shows and “Bizarre Foods”. These shows exposed him to a wide variety of foods and he became more interested and willing to try new things. Soon after he became interested in cooking and that helped a bunch too! Now there are very few things that he won’t at least try. My youngest is coming along, but we still have a ways to go. 🙂 The home garden does help too. My husband plants a large garden every year and the little one loves to help his dad in the garden. I’ve noticed he is more willing to taste a veggie that he has helped to water and harvest.
We are going sugar free tomorrow. I know that my children are going to be less than thrilled about this but after the sugar-fest of the holidays I think it will be a good change for all of us.

Gretchen - I love your word and your post! I am trying similar ideas with my family this year as well…baby steps is all I can say! The word I picked for myself this year is “dwell”. I would like this to encompass every aspect of my life…from my physical home (cleaning, organizing, de-cluttering, decorating) to eating (meal planning, trying new recipes) to parenting (practicing grace, scripture memorization, bible reading time) to marriage (encouraging and supporting my husband) to myself (exercise, devotions, a possible part-time at-home job). I know some of these things are things I have already tried (and failed…some more than once) and some may sound very basic but I feel as though I left 2013 frustrated and worn out and I need to give these things my all this year. I really need to put my focus into these areas. I lost my purpose last year and I am bound and determined to regain it this year…all by the grace of God!

Lisa - This is the first year I decided to choose a word too! I’ve never done resolutions really. My word is intentional. I haven’t liked who I’ve been the last 4-6 months. I decided that I need to be intentional with my time this year. I’m trying to undo some unhealthy eating for my kids too. So hard once they start getting picky. Praying your word is life changing!

cass - I had not thought of choosing a 1st of the year word and I like that better than new year’s resolution. It didn’t take long to decide on one: DAILY. It is so easy for me to put things off ’til “tomorrow.” But my word is not just about procrastination, but about focusing on today; focusing on being more accountable for the daily things in my life: reading my Bible, healthy meals 🙂 diabetic husband and now I’m pre-diabetic, so the healthy influence has been an ongoing thing. Now, exercise…..that needs to be added to the ‘more often’ list, if not the DAILY list. I used to journal daily and may try a little journaling to help my accountability….review my day and my daily accomplishments. Thanks! Have a great year.

Flower Patch Farmgirl - My word for the year is actually 2 words:
Crack Broccoli

🙂

But if I actually DO pick a word, will you watercolor it with gradient greens and polka dots for me? Because that is just rad.

Tammy R - Hi Meg-

I want to first say “thank you” for your blog! I love to follow you and all of your adventures. You are inspirational and “real”!

I just started the new year with almost the same resolution. We are cutting out processed foods in our house. I don’t have kids, so that does make it easier for me. We are five days in and I can’t tell you how good we feel! No sugar, either!

I am reading In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan, and also following http://www.100daysofrealfood.com for guidelines. I read 7 by Jen Hatmaker and that’s how I got started on this.

Good luck!
Tammy R
Alabama

Heather G - My word for 2014 is GROW. I really wanted to pick a verb! I want to grow stronger physically and spiritually. I want to grow mentally, both in intelligence and in imagination. And, my husband and I have dreams of growing our family this year. To accomplish any of this I will need to not only accept, but instigate, changes in my life. This is my first year choosing a word and I am excited about it!!

Also, would you please share some of the meals you’ll be planning and the meal-planning techniques/system you’re using? I think that many of us would love to hear more about it!

SammaMichelle - I literally had just finished up my blog post on my word and then started going through my reader catching up on blogs when I ran across your post. Perfect timing!! My word this year is CHOOSE. Being healthier is something I’m going to choose to do this year and keep talking about your journey to being more healthy. We’re all in this together and glad you love us enough to share your life with us!!!

http://sammaspot.blogspot.com/2014/01/this-little-word-of-mine.html

Kristin S - My friends laugh that I eat a salad with every meal. Growing up, my mom made a salad with every dinner. She doesn’t love vegetables but does love salad. So, it’s just in me to have a salad with or for dinner. In college my friends made fun of me for my salad-self so, in the midst of gaining 20 lbs from eating a double Reese’s PB cup package every day with an Otis Spunkmeyer muffin, I added all kinds of other veggies to my world!
So, I’m a carnivore for sure but I can’t survive without my veggies – cold and hot. Hey, they have to eat so maybe at some point they’ll just eat it out of desperation?

Meg, you are an inspiration!

Leslie - Meg-my sister became “healthy” about 3 years ago, check out her blog http://www.picketfencepaleo.com. She is located in Missouri and loves helping people start their journey! 🙂

pam - Ha! When I read your post on the first I was sure you were going to say AFRICA. 🙂

Sigh.

We just made sunflower seed cookies at 10 pm. But we ate Cassava leaf (which is ground leaves…healthy, right?) and rice earlier.

Charlton - I’m with you on the healthy thing. It took my 4 month old’s milk and soy allergy to make me eat better so that I can continue to nurse her. I never really cared whether I ate processed foods or not, but now my whole attitude has changed. Here’s to a happy, healthy 2014! Oh and my word is EMBRACE!

Meghan - Getting the kids to eat better is a process. We have Lways eaten lots of veggies and for my youngest he always struggled with salads and certain veggies. It took him literally several years to stop complaining and just eat what’s on his plate. The biggest advice I have is not to give up. You really have to try something 20 or 30 times to either like it or not. Most parent’s don’t want to do that. Now with my 7 year old I know that when we have dinner he doesn’t need to eat the mushrooms, peppers or onions because he really does not like them. He eat Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, celery, all squashes etc. I’m so proud of him and hopes he keeps it up. Good luck.

Gina - I know lots of people are going you links but, I got an email from superhealthykids.com with a 21 day picky eater transformation challenge. It looked like there were some great tips. Their website also has a lot of great kid friendly recipes. Baby steps…you will do it! I love your word for the year. I have a phrase: LIVE TO LOVE (God and others) 🙂

mal - My word for 2014 is: Simplicity. I suppose it’s a version of “healthy” too. I’m getting rid of the junk and just living with what I need. I want to live simply so that others may simply live. Period. Good luck this year! You rock!

teresa - I’m working on a group of words =)
and your word is one of them….love how you pictured it…so colorful.
Happy Day

Tracie - Get your kids involved in a garden. Give them a row and let them plant stuff. Ours always were willing to eat whatever they had planted and tended. And we keep junk food out of the house as much as possible. So if they are hungry for a snack, there is always fruit or veggies as a possibility. I ate like CRAP as a kid and am much better now. It will be tough, but you can do it!

Tere - AWESOME! Healthy is a perfect word. My word is Nurture. My focus in 2014 is to nurture and “take care of” areas in my life — physical, mental, spiritual. Still working on my intentions through Ali’s class, which will make it more clear as to how I will make my word “work” in 2014. But in general, my decisions will be made around my word, “will eating or doing X nurture me?”

And I hear you on kids. My mom will tell me, “you created them”. Yes, I know. The switch from boxed mac and cheese to Trader Joe’s whole wheat fiber filled pasta has caused an uproar in the kitchen. We are all adjusting, it’s a slow, life long process. One day at a time mama. xoxo

Juli - Good for you! For my salad haters, I swapped leafy greens for a plate of crudités and a little low-fat dip. Offer carrot strips, celery sticks, sliced red bell peppers, jicama sticks, zucchini strips, green beans or cauliflower florets or broccoli florets that have been lightly steamed then “shocked” in ice water. Kids seem to love to dip food in sauces. Good luck!

Lisa - My word is “Substance”–and I am especially applying it to what I eat and drink. I’m making a greater effort to prepare food that is not only healthy (which is already my habit), but that is very satisfying, too. I found myself just eating food that was good for me, but that did not register as a substantial meal that was satisfying. I’m interested in following you and your word this year.

stephany - I could pick that word, too!
However, my word is order.
Order in my life, my house, my days, my body, my mind.
Just getting everything in order…instead of chaos, cluttered, crazy!
Happy New Word!

Beth in the City - Oh, I can relate! I’ve been on the healthy journey big time this past year and still have a way to go. It was so liberating to give up sugar! Which I need to do again now that Christmas is over. I eat the Trim, Healthy Mama way (book sold at Amazon and many other places) and it works for me. I’m actually looking forward to cleaning up my diet again post-Christmas. Can you even imagine looking forward to it? I mean, what a difference from the ME of a year ago! Blessings on your journey.

Heather - You would be surprised at what you can get kids to eat. Yes, at first they will complain, but just keep doing it. Their palates will change. My kids like different vegetables, but they will begrudgingly eat whatever I serve them, usually. I also cater to their likes. A lot of my dishes are “put together”, for instance quinoa with veggies is a typical side dish. I don’t mix the veggies in, I just put them on top. That way, I can put chopped bell pepper, celery, carrots, and spinach on one kids plate and bell pepper, broccoli, and onions on the other kids plate. Then my husband and I get all the veggies plus a bit of feta, because we aren’t as picky.

Heather S. - Great word – great goal. We began the trek to healthy last spring. We’ve managed to make some serious changes in our lives and they are becoming very natural. It’s hard at first, and honestly, I felt easier to do in the spring than the winter (because I just want to eat cookies and drink cocoa in January and February), but it is second-nature now. The kids WILL be the hardest part. Introduce more veggies and fruits a bit at a time. Find the ones they like and have those often. Best wishes to you on your journey!
My word: Flow. As in, relax and go with the flow. I’m a very planned person, but my plans are not always God’s plans. I need to flow more with what He gives me each day. Seek Him and follow his lead, but more fluid…..less like a soldier marching. Natural.

Becky - Great word, Meg!

I’m starting The Whole 30 on Wednesday, and I’m actually looking forward to it! My husband and daughters won’t be on that bandwagon with me, but I’m going to do my best to just make ONE meal for each meal and not be a short order cook…we’ll see how that goes!

My husband read these articles about some big name NBA players adopting a pretty paleo diet and having excellent success with it…Steve Nash, Dwight Howard, Blake Griffin, and even LeBron eats pretty clean. Maybe Scott and Sean would be more open to eating more healthfully if they read/heard about some high performance athletes doing the same thing with awesome results. This is the page with all of the links to the 3 part series. http://www.cbssports.com/topic/2108906/nba-nutrition?tag_text=NBA%20Nutrition

While I’m doing The Whole 30, I might try to do The Food Network’s Picky Eater Project with my girls (7, 5, and 3) and maybe my husband, too. We’ll see!

I hope this all goes great for you!

Erika - Awesome, love this. please continue to share about exercising and what you are eating. I love good ideas and recipes.

Kathy - Amen! Great word! My word is intentional. I am so excited to follow along with your journey as we are trying to make similar changes around here …. would you be willing to post some menu ideas, recipes and workouts you’ve tried?? I am always in need of new ideas! Especially the part about getting the kids on board! I think it’s super hard to figure out snacks and things that they take to school – much harder to make those from scratch than just buying the packaged ones. Many blessings to you, it’s going to be a GREAT year!
Kathy

Lia - I think it is awesome that your “word” is healthy. I have never picked a word before but if I did for 2014 it may be “strong”. I desire to be much stronger physically as well as mentally. The last year I have learned to love working out (it started with training for a 1/2 marathon, then a second) and I am consistently going to this boot camp style work out class and doing crazy things like 30 pound kettle bell swings. If you had told me 2 years ago I’d be lifting weights, doing jump squats and sprinting 4 times a week I would have laughed at you. I want to continue this in 2014 and focus on my core and back strength in preparation for hopefully starting a family in 2015. I also want to be strong in mind and spirit and not let the little stuff get me down. I am in a place right now where I need to work a lot while my husband is getting his masters and I need to stop complaining about it! I should feel blessed that I have a motivated husband who wants to get himself to a position where he can support our family and I can hopefully stay home with lots of kiddos. Thanks for this inspiring post, I love all of the scripture and might post some of them around the house.

Amy M - I think that’s great, Meg. I’m actually having some of the same issues you are, so it’s not tiring at all to hear about it – makes me feel less alone. Several years ago, I started doing a word or a theme or a mantra for the year. This year has been dubbed Fearless 2014 – not letting my fears or preconceived notions get in the way. Crossing things off of my “I’ve always wanted to” list. Being brave. Here’s to 2014 – the best year yet!