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I’ve been gradually making my way down the minimalist pathway and have noticed an amazing side benefit. The minimalist lifestyle that I now live has helped me to lose weight. Can you imagine my surprise when I realized that this new journey is helping me to be healthier and more fit than I have ever been in my life – all because I’m looking at everything that I bring into my house including food.
One of the first things I did was to start looking at where my food came from and started frequenting local farmer’s markets so that I can buy local. In addition, I really look at every item that I purchase at the grocery store to not only make sure I need it but that it’s the healthiest thing I put into my body. Finally, every week, two friends and myself receive a “share” of organic fruits and vegetables from local farmers. We split this 3 ways and always costs me much less than I would have spent at the grocery store and the produce is organic which is better for us. Many people don’t buy organic because of the increase in price. By splitting our share three ways, we each receive enough for the week,it is healthier for us and it costs less than purchasing the same items in a grocery store.
Another change that I have made is that I do not drink anything but water. We have spring water from a well on our land and I have a filter on my sink and to be honest, the water tastes just as good or better than bottled spring water. I no longer buy bottled water in plastic bottles that need to be recycled, soda or anything else and it keeps me on track to drinking enough water throughout the day. I no longer miss the Diet Pepsi I used to live on.
I’ve also cut out any processed food and make sure that whatever I eat is in it’s original form. What does this mean? It means I eat an apple over apple crisp or I will eat a piece of chicken over chicken and dumplings. Eating food in as close to it’s original form as possible keeps it’s nutritional value intact and that means that it’s healthier for you.
Finally I have not eaten fast food in months – and I don’t miss it. It was easy for me to swing into a fast food joint and grab something on the way home. Then I read some things about how the food is processed and many times it is sub-par and not prepared correctly. Actually VERY scary when you read these things. I had already cut down the amount of times I visited a fast food restaurant but this information was enough for me to totally avoid these restaurants. Not only do I not miss this food it has saved me significantly in terms of money.
The combination of all these things did not happen all at once. They were actually side benefits of the minimalism lifestyle that I have embraced. These subtle changes were not difficult at all and has given me the motivation to search for other ways to being more fit and healthy.
For tips on how to begin your decluttering journey, you can Start Here, or snag a copy of the 30 Day Challenge (our Minimalism and Decluttering eBook).
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