When we set out to become locavores last year, we had a lot of questions about the journey we were starting on. One of the most important had to do with our personal health. I’m not just talking about eliminating pesticides and chemical additives from our food, but also about how our physical health and fitness would be impacted by the sudden change in diet. For years we had been weight training and examining our foods from the perspective of protein/carbohydrate/fat ratios. We felt we knew what it took to fuel our bodies to achieve results in the gym.

Now, we were entering a lifestyle centered on the preparation and consumption of local, fresh, whole foods. For the first time in our lives we were leaving behind the Standard American Diet, and with it processed food, sweets and artificial sweeteners and restaurant meals. That wasn’t all – we were also turning our backs on protein shakes, bars, supplements and meal replacements. These had all been an integral part of our fitness and nutritional regimen before 100 Mile Harvest.

On May 27, 2008, I took my first fitness evaluation. My body fat percentage then was 16.2%. Through the next twelve months I saw that statistic change as a reflection of my eating habits throughout the seasons.

It wasn’t until January 2009, when my husband Adrian and I started to train for our first marathon, that we decided to examine our diet and refine it further for athletic performance. At that same time, we began to transition to a more plant-based diet out of a desire to reduce our carbon footprint even more.

I knew that by cutting down the consumption of animal products, I would be able to see a decrease in my body fat percentage, but I wasn’t sure by how much. I tweaked it even further by cutting out honey and reducing the amount of fruit I was consuming daily. This translated into meals that were rich in vegetables, salads, sprouts, leafy greens and beans. To my surprise, I started to see muscle definition even though the animal protein was minimal. This was a huge surprise for me. For more than 15 years I had been conditioned to believe that I had to consume large amounts of protein to achieve the same results. I was ecstatic!

By the time we finished the first year of our 100 Mile Harvest journey, I had not only dropped my body fat percentage to 13.3, but I was able to increase my cardiovascular fitness level to 47.3 (Max VO2 test). My lab work came in last week and the results were even more impressive. My total cholesterol came down from 214 to 158; my triglycerides went from 132 to 56 and my LDL cholesterol dropped from 127 to 94. I was able to surpass all my health and fitness goals on a plant based-diet, putting to rest any concerns I might have had along the way.

Join me during this second year, as I set my goals higher for better health, fitness and sustainability. I will work towards achieving a leaner body and building on my performance as a marathon runner.

Take a look at my complete fitness evaluation.

On Monday, May 11, 2009, our family started the second phase of 100 Mile Harvest. Though we will remain locavores, we will transition from an omnivore diet to a vegetarian lifestyle. The principles will remain the same; we will be eating primarily local, organic/sustainably grown produce while avoiding all processed food, including refined and artificial sweeteners, white flour, white rice, corn, and any products that contain them.

To ease into vegetarianism, our family agreed to re-introduce a list of nutritional items that we have missed and will make the transition easier. We call this list the Survival Kit. Every item was studied and discussed carefully, not only for its nutritional value, but for it’s “desirability index.” Items were added by family consensus. We agreed that any products in the Survival Kit would have to be organic, sustainable and fair-trade.

Guiding Principles

• Eat whole, unprocessed food
• Eat mostly local, organic and/or sustainably grown fruits, vegetables and legumes
• Eat organic oats and quinoa
• Eat organic, raw nuts
• Eat eggs and dairy from pasture-fed animals
• Use low-glycemic, plant-based sweeteners (stevia and raw agave nectar)
• Use coconut oil for high-heat cooking and olive oil for salad dressings

Things we will avoid:

• Commercially canned, processed and prepackaged foods
• Refined sweeteners such as sugar, dextrose, glucose, high fructose corn syrup
• White flour and white flour products
• Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats and oils
• Genetically modified foods
• Artificial food coloring and additives

See our 2nd year rules.

On May 11, 2008, our family committed to a year of eating only locally grown food in an effort to learn how our food choices impact our health and our environment. This journey not only brought our family closer than we could have ever imagined, but it also allowed us to live a more conscientious and eco-friendly existence.

It has also awakened in us a deeper appreciation for the people behind the food, whose care and dedication in farm fields and backyard gardens have made 100 Mile Harvest possible. We are forever grateful for their generosity and commitment to producing sustainable food.

We invite you to join us in the next phase of our locavore journey, as we transition to a Vegetarian Lifestyle in pursuit of a greater level of sustainability.

To Shape the Future of Food

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”

– Mahatma Gandhi

Every decision we make as individuals has consequences. That is no less true of our food choices than in any other aspect of our lives.

For our family, it wasn’t enough just to to recognize the impact food had on our health and the environment. We had to understand the alternatives and be an active part of the solution. We knew early on this would require some sacrifices, especially in terms of convenience. But we also felt that were ultimately going to be responsible for our actions.

Though most of us will never spend a day laboring on a farm, we are all co-creators of our agricultural system. The food we find in supermarkets, convenience stores and restaurants is just as much a reflection of our choices as it is the workings of factory farms, government policy and marketers.

Every day we hear of the epidemic of obesity and other threats to our health and safety posed by agri-business. Some of us are unaware of how all of these issues are interrelated; or, we feel like we have no choice and are unable to change course, hoping that others can ensure our safety.

Instead, we all need to understand that we exert a tremendous market-based influence through our purchases. With each dollar we spend, we are supporting a certain model of food production and delivery. The question we should ask ourselves is whether we are supporting a system that is aligned with our values and our vision for the future.

By accepting only local, seasonal food, our family is casting a vote for sustainable agriculture. Won’t you join us in shaping the future of food?

It’s Environmentally Friendly – Food Travels Less Distance

In recent years, the concept of “food miles” is one that has helped green-leaning consumers understand the environmental impact of our food choices. When we read that the average item on an American dinner plate has traveled 1,500 miles, we looked in our own pantry and found that most of our food was being shipped long distances; our food really was better traveled than we were!

The 2001 study that produced that figure was far from complete – it was limited to 10 fresh produce items in an Iowa supermarket. However, if you consider the exponential increase of “food miles’” that a processed food would represent (multiple ingredients with their own origins), the implications are certainly greater. Though a wider follow-up study has yet to be completed, if you are in any way concerned about your carbon footprint, this is an area that deserves action. While our food is going to rack up food miles regardless of the source (unless it’s homegrown), choosing local food is an easy and effective way to keep these distances in check.

Remember also that food miles are just a part of the story. Buying seasonally is a good principle for reducing your carbon footprint. Much of the unseasonal produce in America’s supermarkets is coming in from warmer climates abroad.

You might even find unseasonal items in farmers’ markets – tomatoes, squash and herbs are sometimes grown in hothouses or using hydroponic methods. Keep in mind that generating heat artificially or running hydroponic systems to raise crops increases greenhouse gas production.

We’ve radically cut down our food miles and learned to make better choices about the items we buy, and when we buy them. Have you started on your low-carbon diet?

Food Security

Over the last year, as we bought only the best and freshest local produce, we were reminded of the dangers of a centralized, industrial food system.

During the first months of our project, during peak tomato season, consumers throughout the United States and Canada were being advised not to eat tomatoes as a salmonella outbreak continued for over 6 months. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has linked 1,442 cases of illness to this contamination. It was later discovered that serrano peppers, not tomatoes, were to blame – this illustrates the challenge of tracking and managing (and investigating) such an outbreak through a centralized food system.

In January of this year, we got another taste of salmonella; this time it was traced to peanut butter. Though the processing plant responsible for the contamination was quickly identified, the sheer number of brands and products included in the recall reached across school cafeterias, snack foods, meal replacement bars and more.

Food safety is always an expectation, and the failing of our system to prevent such widespread foodborne illness is a clear message that we can’t trust factory farms and the centralized distribution model to ensure safety, regardless of the economy of scale they offer.

Buying locally has spared us these worries, and that alone is a huge reward.

But food security is also about the regional availability of food. When Hurricane Ike devastated the Gulf Coast on September 13, 2008, many Houston residents went as long as three weeks without electricity. Just three days after the Hurricane, the first farmers’ market reopened, giving us access to fresh food once again. In contrast, most supermarkets in the area remained bare for another week, as it took time to restore normal distribution of perishable food items.

We’ve discovered both the obvious and subtle ways in which a local food economy enhances a community’s access to safe, healthy and abundant food. Have you?

It’s Healthier for You – Whole Foods Without the Pesticides

When you buy local food from a sustainable or organic farmer, you are not consuming any of the synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers that are routinely sprayed on conventionally-grown produce. On large-scale conventional farms practicing monoculture, these have become standard procedures, given the threat of pest infestations and reduced land fertility (problems created by these very practices).

However, sustainable farmers seek ways to enrich the soil through resource management, taking into account the interdependency of air quality, land use and water management. Biodiversity (production of more than a single crop) supplies a natural way to replenish the soil. It also promotes resilience when a specific crop type is attacked by a disease or infestation. This leads to crops that are robust and superior in quality, flavor and nutrient profile.

As we learned more about these different farming practices, we understood that only sustainable farming could provide us with wholesome, healthy and nutritious food uncompromised by an arsenal of pesticides, fungicides and other man-made chemicals.

Whole, natural foods are the life-giving raw materials needed to nurture our bodies and help us achieve an optimal state of health. Are you nurturing your body with quality foods?

Support Small Farmers and Build Community

For years, we’ve heard about the plight of the American farmer – that icon of self-reliance and integrity who was no longer capable of making ends meet, and was therefore losing everything in bankruptcy and foreclosure. It was a sad story, but oddly enough, one that still fit into the overall picture of a nation whose values rewarded the largest of producers and savviest of businesses. After all, with thousands of new products being introduced in supermarkets each year, it’s not like there’s a food shortage, right?

As our spending shifted from supermarkets to farmers’ markets, we saw an amazing potential for changing the situation. Each week we buy food items from no less than 10-15 vendors, putting into their hands money that would have otherwise gone to corporations like Whole Foods or H-E-B.

At any grocery store, I can only count on a small portion of each dollar going back to the farmer; a lot of it goes to paying associated costs for a product’s marketing, distribution, transportation, shelf space, etc. At a farmers’ market, the opposite is true – the farmer will keep most of that dollar, with a small percentage allocated to paying for market booth fees, fuel usage, etc. And unlike corporate earnings, those revenues are more likely to be recirculated locally.

While our family’s weekly budget won’t be keeping any one farmer in the black, it is the collective spending of our fellow market-goers that is creating a values-driven micro-economy each Saturday morning. Will we be able to fund the prosperity of these small farmers in a way that government subsidies and aid programs have not been able to address? In a period of one year, we’ve seen several farmers expand their fields, try new crops and develop new products; just as in the corporate world, these are all growth indicators that bode well for business and provide a positive outlook.

We’re in. Are you?