“it's too hard and expensive to eat actual food, and takes too much time to cook when you have an actual job.” - anonymous
No argument here. It is hard and, very much like becoming more physically fit, requires great sacrifice in order to make it happen. I can’t tell you what to prioritize in your life, but I’ll leave you with a few things to consider:
Anecdote: One of my dearest friends in the world works their ass off (40+ hours a week) but still chooses to take the time to meal prep for the week on their day off. They sacrifice a great deal of other life pursuits to make it happen, like staying up for an extra half hour each night to prep lunch for the next day.
I was honest with myself, because of my friends/support system, and came to terms with it being something that was within my control, so it wasn't really like I could ignore it. I can't un-know what I now know, and so I make the time. No one else was going to do it for me.
Additionally, just know that if down the road you find yourself changing your mind and wanting to take more control over what you feed yourself, look up ways to make quick and easy meals with the foods you already like. Truly, most of my meals take the same amount of time as it does to go through a drive-thru. I will often opt for something I prepped earlier in the week and can just reheat in the microwave for a few minutes.
Anecdote: I started by cutting back on soda, since I knew it was a contributor to Type 2. I also tried giving up all processed sugars for a year and it literally changed the way my brain works. The experience irreparably changed my opinion about about processed foods and how often I'm interested in eating them. I will eat junk food on occasion, but I used to eat it for every meal and snack and it was basically like eating a slow-releasing poison. My body couldn't handle it anymore, hence the Type 2. I have full confidence that you can accomplish a balance for yourself, too, so don't give up!
Regardless of how you move forward, I wish you well and hope that you are blessed with as many enjoyable days as possible.
No argument here. It is hard and, very much like becoming more physically fit, requires great sacrifice in order to make it happen. I can’t tell you what to prioritize in your life, but I’ll leave you with a few things to consider:
- Not prioritizing health has a way of catching up with us sooner or later. You may not feel as though you have the time to spare to cook and/or prep your own meals, but you definitely won’t have time should you become sick. If you’ve not yet felt any negative repercussions from an unhealthy diet, consider yourself extraordinarily fortunate, because it really sucks a lot.
- "Having time" may be more subjective than you think. I have no doubt that your life is busy and full of responsibilities, and you're right that having a 9-5 (what I'm assuming you mean by “actual”) job doesn’t leave a whole lot of free time for much else. Personally, I’d much rather spend my free time engaging in my hobbies. But as far as I can tell, that's just not how it works and so we must make the time instead.
Anecdote: One of my dearest friends in the world works their ass off (40+ hours a week) but still chooses to take the time to meal prep for the week on their day off. They sacrifice a great deal of other life pursuits to make it happen, like staying up for an extra half hour each night to prep lunch for the next day.
I was honest with myself, because of my friends/support system, and came to terms with it being something that was within my control, so it wasn't really like I could ignore it. I can't un-know what I now know, and so I make the time. No one else was going to do it for me.
Additionally, just know that if down the road you find yourself changing your mind and wanting to take more control over what you feed yourself, look up ways to make quick and easy meals with the foods you already like. Truly, most of my meals take the same amount of time as it does to go through a drive-thru. I will often opt for something I prepped earlier in the week and can just reheat in the microwave for a few minutes.
- Finally, I would suggest that you think of it as taking small steps toward eating healthier, rather than having an all-or-nothing mindset. For example, things like “Meatless Monday” is a good way to preview what options are available for vegetarians, but without having to commit to full-out vegetarianism. That only takes one day per week of effort, and even then you don't have to keep doing it if you end up hating it. A small step outside of your usual routine can help gain perspective for yourself.
Anecdote: I started by cutting back on soda, since I knew it was a contributor to Type 2. I also tried giving up all processed sugars for a year and it literally changed the way my brain works. The experience irreparably changed my opinion about about processed foods and how often I'm interested in eating them. I will eat junk food on occasion, but I used to eat it for every meal and snack and it was basically like eating a slow-releasing poison. My body couldn't handle it anymore, hence the Type 2. I have full confidence that you can accomplish a balance for yourself, too, so don't give up!
Regardless of how you move forward, I wish you well and hope that you are blessed with as many enjoyable days as possible.