Today is Day 3 of my 21-day cleanse. I am already tired of fruit smoothies, salads, and roasted veggies. I gag at least once every time I have to take all those supplements. And I take them three times a day! Fortunately, the one I take 7 of 3x a day is only for this week.

I think tonight I’ll try stir-fry. A little soy sauce and some hot veggies sounds pretty good actually. Ooh! I need those sprout things that you find in stir-fry. What are those called?

I’m also writing because I feel a need to greater explain what I said last time about not being into the current trends of uber-healthy living (the all-organic, BPA-free, sugar-free, carb-free way of eating and living). I think it’s easy to get a little over-excited about ALL THE RESEARCH about how EVERYTHING is bad for you unless you’ve grown it in your own back yard. What I am looking for is a balance. I’m a busy mom with three small children. McDonald’s is a fact of life. I try and keep it to once a week, tops. But sometimes the week is crazy, and we go more. And I’m OK with that.

I have a daughter who absolutely REFUSES vegetables. But I can’t turn every single dinner time into a battle over food. So I only do it a couple times a week.

When cooking for five, it has to be realistic. I don’t hate cooking (but I also don’t love it), and sometimes I get energized to make something new. But most of the time I need meal prep to be simple and fast. If I can make it in the crock pot, and it’s a one-pot meal, all the better! I try and make mostly healthy meals, with chicken and veggies and rice instead of bread. But again, sometimes the meal just calls for a sourdough loaf! With lots of real butter!

What has happened over the past couple of years is that we’ve let these exceptions to the rule become our norm. I didn’t even realize it! In my head, I considered us fairly healthy, and then when I really thought about it, I couldn’t remember the last time we’d had a salad with dinner. I give myself grace, as the last couple years have been exhausting. But I do think it’s time to bring salads back to the table.

So I am looking to regain my balance. I probably won’t attain the 80/20 rule (80% really good for you, 20% sugary and/or fun). But I’ll shoot for it most days. And I do believe that as I become healthier, my husband will become healthier (he’s already being subjected to tons of veggies at dinner every night … but he gets to add chicken), and my kids will succumb as I have fewer Oreos and more popcorn around.

But we will continue to be that family who drives through McDonald’s occasionally, just because Mama didn’t feel like cooking.