I would never have believed I'd ever ever ever like zucchini. It's amazing how my tastebuds have changed since I stopped giving it a steady diet of salt, sugar, and preservatives. Of course, I still eat all of those things, but nowhere near as much as before. Now I try to incorporate good foods...like zucchini.
As part of my CSA (community-supported agriculture) program, I get a bag of fresh vegetables every other week. This last week contained two zucchinis, so on Saturday morning, I decided to make something of them. I didn't feel like an elaborate recipe, so I just threw together a marinade for them. It was amazing, if I do say so myself.
I used 2 tsp olive oil (one per zucchini), a generous splash of balsalmic vinegar, some crushed garlic, a few tablespoons of crushed onion, and some Trader Joe's seasoning salt. I coated it all and threw it in my toaster oven on the broil setting for about 30 minutes. When they came out, I added a little bit of regular salt, too. Dang, it was so good. I made myself stop after eating half of the two of them, just because I wanted to have two chances to eat it!
I took the rest to work with me on Monday. Because we don't have a microwave right now, I just ate them cold, and they were amazing that way, too!
Sometimes I think we make things so complicate, or we assume we can't do anything without a recipe or professional advice. Blah! I've learned that cooking and stuff is more fun when you put a little guts into it. A little creativity and imagination. A little carefree tossing together!
Also, I've been nutritionally angelic so far this week. Here's hoping it continues. Eep!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Friday, August 5, 2011
Grandma's No-Frills Labels
One of my favorite food-related authors is Michael Pollan. He wrote The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food. Both books have opened my eyes to the nature of the food that we eat...well, the "food" that we eat. Both books, but in particular In Defense of Food, provide a straightforward look at the increasing artificiality of the things we buy in the grocery store. The chemicals and artificial flavors and jam-packed ingredient lists.
Pollan's advice is that we eat food that our grandmas would actually recognize as food. That means whole foods like fruits and vegetables, basic yogurts, whole grains, etc. He also cautions against an overconfidence in the foods that seem real but aren't. Bread, for example, looks like food your grandma would recognize, but take a look at the ingredients list in most modern breads. There's a mile-long list of preservatives and chemicals there that would boggle the mind of dear old granny. Or yogurt. Grandma might recognize the food, but today's ingredients are artificial fruit flavorings, preservatives, and sugar (real or fake). Not simple whole yogurt.
I'm reminded of this because a friend just mentioned how a local convenience store has a section of moderately healthy snack options, which I LOVE. One of the items is a local dairy place's cottage cheese with pineapple. Like my friend, I was stoked to see this option. Real food in convenient form! Yay! But then I turned the container around and saw the ingredients list. It's full of high-fructose corn syrup and other junk. WHY?? Why can't you just add some damn pineapple to simple cottage cheese? Why mess with natural stuff that's delicious in its natural form?!? WHY?
The thing is, enjoying the occasional treat like that is perfectly reasonable and better than a candy bar by quite a fair distance. But the problem is that our everyday foods are just as loaded with hidden garbage that's unnecessary and potentially harmful. If nothing else, these products put a healthy halo around foods that aren't as healthful as they seem. And what happens, then, is that people get frustrated when they don't lose weight even by making what seems like healthy choices. It's not that they can't lose weight--it's that the "healthy" foods in our stores are often anything but. It's that we're tricked into eating things that won't help shed those pounds or keep those pounds off.
So, what's a healthy eater to do? Read the labels, look for grandma's favorites, enjoy artificial favorites in a moderate way, while keeping staples the staples of your diet. Keep convenience foods for the times when convenience is necessary and not a simple convenience. It seems hard, but it gets lots easier once you're used to it. (I'm still working on making myself used to it...)
Pollan's advice is that we eat food that our grandmas would actually recognize as food. That means whole foods like fruits and vegetables, basic yogurts, whole grains, etc. He also cautions against an overconfidence in the foods that seem real but aren't. Bread, for example, looks like food your grandma would recognize, but take a look at the ingredients list in most modern breads. There's a mile-long list of preservatives and chemicals there that would boggle the mind of dear old granny. Or yogurt. Grandma might recognize the food, but today's ingredients are artificial fruit flavorings, preservatives, and sugar (real or fake). Not simple whole yogurt.
I'm reminded of this because a friend just mentioned how a local convenience store has a section of moderately healthy snack options, which I LOVE. One of the items is a local dairy place's cottage cheese with pineapple. Like my friend, I was stoked to see this option. Real food in convenient form! Yay! But then I turned the container around and saw the ingredients list. It's full of high-fructose corn syrup and other junk. WHY?? Why can't you just add some damn pineapple to simple cottage cheese? Why mess with natural stuff that's delicious in its natural form?!? WHY?
The thing is, enjoying the occasional treat like that is perfectly reasonable and better than a candy bar by quite a fair distance. But the problem is that our everyday foods are just as loaded with hidden garbage that's unnecessary and potentially harmful. If nothing else, these products put a healthy halo around foods that aren't as healthful as they seem. And what happens, then, is that people get frustrated when they don't lose weight even by making what seems like healthy choices. It's not that they can't lose weight--it's that the "healthy" foods in our stores are often anything but. It's that we're tricked into eating things that won't help shed those pounds or keep those pounds off.
So, what's a healthy eater to do? Read the labels, look for grandma's favorites, enjoy artificial favorites in a moderate way, while keeping staples the staples of your diet. Keep convenience foods for the times when convenience is necessary and not a simple convenience. It seems hard, but it gets lots easier once you're used to it. (I'm still working on making myself used to it...)
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Day 2: Still Writing
Okay, so now it's two days in a row. This is a good sign...
I weighed myself this morning...down three pounds! Just a few more to go till I can go back to maintenance. Yeah!! I can totally get there by the time school starts. Easy.
So, I said yesterday that I'd list some of the stuff I've been doing to keep myself on track lately, including snacky snacks and meal ideas and stuff. Here we go:
I weighed myself this morning...down three pounds! Just a few more to go till I can go back to maintenance. Yeah!! I can totally get there by the time school starts. Easy.
So, I said yesterday that I'd list some of the stuff I've been doing to keep myself on track lately, including snacky snacks and meal ideas and stuff. Here we go:
- Special K Cracker Crisps. These are really good, and a serving is a pretty significant one ounce. Given how light they are, that's a lot of them. They have sea salt and sour cream and onion flavors. Both taste like potato chips but only three points instead of five or six. What's more, they don't have that greasy texture of chips. Of course, it's always best to stay away from processed foods as much as you can, but really. Honestly. Sometimes it's just too dang hard, and these are good enough to be worth it. Eat them with some hummus, for added oomph!
- Golden kiwi. I just happened to see these in passing the other day, so I bought some. They look the same on the outside as the traditional green version, but these are less acidic tasting, less sour, and amazing. The green ones tend to give me canker sores because of the acid, but so far not on this kind. Very summery and all natural (and zero points)! Someone recently taught me to eat them by just cutting them in half and spooning the fruit out of the rind. Much easier than trying to peel them like I used to. Ugh.
- DelMonte Fruit Chillers. A friend introduced these to me just a couple days ago, and now I'm a slut for them. One point, all natural (no high-fructose corn syrup!), and they have a kind of slushy texture instead of the hard-ice of the old FlavorPops or whatever those are called. I see on the web site that they come in pops and cups both. I've only had the pops, but I'm sure either are equally good.
- String cheese. Get the part-skim milk version, and you can eat two of them for only three points. I get these at KwikTrip when I'm running around and need something to tide me over till the next meal. They have protein, which will keep you full a little longer. If I eat two, it cures my hunger for a few hours, actually. I've been doing this instead of sugary stuff, even though (of course) I'm always tempted by cookies and those dang rice krispy bars they sell there.
- PB2. I think I mentioned this a long time ago, but I'm telling you. It's the greatest. It's powdered peanut butter. They remove the fatty oils and stuff and then you reconstitute it in water to make it back into peanut butter. Frankly, I'm not a huge fan of it that way, but I mix it into stuff like plain yogurt (with a banana in it!!) or my No Pudge Fudge brownies. One tablespoon is one point (as opposed to three points in regular peanut butter). When I want it on toast, I go for all natural, no-sugar-added real stuff. But when I just want some PB flavor, I put some PB2 in something to cure the craving for few points.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Who me? Do I write this blog? Was this my job?
I really want to get back into this blogging thing. I'm up a few extra pounds, and I need to be very conscious of what I'm eating and thinking more actively about making good, healthy decisions. So here I am, back at it. Making a solid effort at regular posting again.
So what's happened to make me gain a little weight? Lack of tracking my food intake. Too little exercise. Too much indulging in a bottle of beer here, a glass of wine there, a decadent dessert here, a rich main dish there. Just, basically, simple lack of control and drive to stay successful. But that's behind me again.
When I first started gaining a little, a funny thing happened. Several people said things off-handedly like, "You look great. Really rested. Have you been sleeping better?" and "You look refreshed!" and so on. All of which I think are code for "You look healthier than you did at your thinnest." And, to be honest, there were a few times I looked at pictures and thought, "Oooh. Really? I look like that??" Because in my head (and in the mirror), I still had a little stomach paunch, even at my thinnest. I saw the thunder thighs and flabby butt. I didn't see the sunken eyes or shoulder bones jutting out.
So, right. I started gaining, getting complimented in vague ways, and decided that maybe a little extra weight was good for me so I decided it was okay to be a little careless for awhile. I stopped weighing myself. And now it's 12 pounds later. I chose a new five-pound range that's more realistic and maintainable, but now I'm slightly over that window. For the past two weeks, I've been cutting to the weight loss number of points in my WW program and seriously bumping up my exercise again. I haven't lost much, but I also have my period now, which means I am bloated and gross. So I have hope for a few days from now.
And guess what: I. Feel. Great!!! So much better. I love being in control of my decisions, being aware. I've re-upped my vegetables and fruits, cut back on alcohol, and I feel motivated again. I cleaned my whole dang house in one day because I had the energy to! I can see now that my summer lethargy is partly due to my lack of drive to be healthy. My body was irked at me for not fueling it and caring for it properly. Now it's happy I'm back. And I'm happy, too.
Tomorrow, I'll divulge some of my more recent healthy snack and meal discoveries. Yeah! I'm back, baby. I'm BACK!
So what's happened to make me gain a little weight? Lack of tracking my food intake. Too little exercise. Too much indulging in a bottle of beer here, a glass of wine there, a decadent dessert here, a rich main dish there. Just, basically, simple lack of control and drive to stay successful. But that's behind me again.
When I first started gaining a little, a funny thing happened. Several people said things off-handedly like, "You look great. Really rested. Have you been sleeping better?" and "You look refreshed!" and so on. All of which I think are code for "You look healthier than you did at your thinnest." And, to be honest, there were a few times I looked at pictures and thought, "Oooh. Really? I look like that??" Because in my head (and in the mirror), I still had a little stomach paunch, even at my thinnest. I saw the thunder thighs and flabby butt. I didn't see the sunken eyes or shoulder bones jutting out.
So, right. I started gaining, getting complimented in vague ways, and decided that maybe a little extra weight was good for me so I decided it was okay to be a little careless for awhile. I stopped weighing myself. And now it's 12 pounds later. I chose a new five-pound range that's more realistic and maintainable, but now I'm slightly over that window. For the past two weeks, I've been cutting to the weight loss number of points in my WW program and seriously bumping up my exercise again. I haven't lost much, but I also have my period now, which means I am bloated and gross. So I have hope for a few days from now.
And guess what: I. Feel. Great!!! So much better. I love being in control of my decisions, being aware. I've re-upped my vegetables and fruits, cut back on alcohol, and I feel motivated again. I cleaned my whole dang house in one day because I had the energy to! I can see now that my summer lethargy is partly due to my lack of drive to be healthy. My body was irked at me for not fueling it and caring for it properly. Now it's happy I'm back. And I'm happy, too.
Tomorrow, I'll divulge some of my more recent healthy snack and meal discoveries. Yeah! I'm back, baby. I'm BACK!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Done by Noon
Today was not a day of self-control. I had a research celebration that I was judging for work. I ate a decent breakfast and headed in and started work. Then.
Ooooh. There's a table of fruit and cookies in the poster room! Oooooh! I'll have mostly fruit. Just one cookie. I visit with a student for awhile, then go finish up my judging. Go back to the table for a coffee refill and some more fruit. And. Oooooh. That chocolate cookie looks even better than the M&M one I had. I'll just have one more. I'll be good the rest of the day.
Then I go to the coffee shop on the way back to the office (hey--I was supporting local business! I'm a good citizen! It has nothing to do with a coffee addiction, I swear). The guy ahead of me orders some of the black bean soup. Holy crap. That looks amazing. I'll just have a cup. The cup comes with bread and chips. Do I leave those alone, given that I ate two cookies? Nope. Eat it all.
Then I go to the co-op for eggs. Oooooh. They have my low-fat scones here. Mmmmmmm.
So there you have how I used all my points before 3pm.
That's awesome. I ate a few days worth of sugar in about four hours.
So tonight for dinner it was asparagus and a spinach salad with just a teaspoon of olive oil in the homemade vinaigrette for a point. I have spare weekly points to go over, so it's no big deal, but dang. I'm not sure what was behind the binge there, but at least I put the brakes on tonight, I guess.
We all have days like that, but it's nice to know you can make decisions that minimize the damage by the end of the day instead of waiting till you gain 20 pounds to stop it, right? We're all in control of our bad decisions--I knew what I was doing as I was doing it--but at least we're also in control of our good ones.
Ooooh. There's a table of fruit and cookies in the poster room! Oooooh! I'll have mostly fruit. Just one cookie. I visit with a student for awhile, then go finish up my judging. Go back to the table for a coffee refill and some more fruit. And. Oooooh. That chocolate cookie looks even better than the M&M one I had. I'll just have one more. I'll be good the rest of the day.
Then I go to the coffee shop on the way back to the office (hey--I was supporting local business! I'm a good citizen! It has nothing to do with a coffee addiction, I swear). The guy ahead of me orders some of the black bean soup. Holy crap. That looks amazing. I'll just have a cup. The cup comes with bread and chips. Do I leave those alone, given that I ate two cookies? Nope. Eat it all.
Then I go to the co-op for eggs. Oooooh. They have my low-fat scones here. Mmmmmmm.
So there you have how I used all my points before 3pm.
That's awesome. I ate a few days worth of sugar in about four hours.
So tonight for dinner it was asparagus and a spinach salad with just a teaspoon of olive oil in the homemade vinaigrette for a point. I have spare weekly points to go over, so it's no big deal, but dang. I'm not sure what was behind the binge there, but at least I put the brakes on tonight, I guess.
We all have days like that, but it's nice to know you can make decisions that minimize the damage by the end of the day instead of waiting till you gain 20 pounds to stop it, right? We're all in control of our bad decisions--I knew what I was doing as I was doing it--but at least we're also in control of our good ones.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Weight Watchers Leadership
Hey! So I got home from a conference to find an information packet for my training as a Weight Watchers employee. How awesome. Good way to start a new week, to say the least. I'm excited about this opportunity to help others succeed on the plan, and to continue to help myself stay on the plan.
The conference challenged my diet, for sure, but I did always have healthy snacks available in my room when I needed a snack that wouldn't cause too much point problems. I always take healthy granola bars, fruit (including some of those individual plastic containers with the fruit in its own juices, not sweetened), healthy nuts, healthy cereal. This time I also took some white cheddar rice cakes that were a nice salty snack for one point. I got caramel ones, too, for sweet cravings. I also had Special K multigrain crackers. That sounds like a ton, I know, but in my defense I was gone for five days!
The other fun thing about the conference is that I walked into a panel presentation about getting tenure (beyond begging and pleading with the committee) and heard a lady mention WW. She was saying that it was working for her, even on the new PointsPlus program. Apparently she's heard people don't like it, but I hadn't heard much of that myself beyond the initial transition period. Anyway, I chimed in that I was on it, too, and had good luck. We had a fun chat about the way it has changed our decision patterns, etc. The only downside is that I was talking while eating a bagel with cream cheese. *snicker*
I also managed to make use of the hotel's fitness facility a few times while I was there, which made me feel good.
But yeah. Things are going well. I have a feeling I have some water weight that I'll be dealing with for a couple of days, but I think I'm okay beyond that in the post-conference day. I am ready to be back on track fully and completely this week. It's asparagus and strawberry season, so I have good motivation.
The conference challenged my diet, for sure, but I did always have healthy snacks available in my room when I needed a snack that wouldn't cause too much point problems. I always take healthy granola bars, fruit (including some of those individual plastic containers with the fruit in its own juices, not sweetened), healthy nuts, healthy cereal. This time I also took some white cheddar rice cakes that were a nice salty snack for one point. I got caramel ones, too, for sweet cravings. I also had Special K multigrain crackers. That sounds like a ton, I know, but in my defense I was gone for five days!
The other fun thing about the conference is that I walked into a panel presentation about getting tenure (beyond begging and pleading with the committee) and heard a lady mention WW. She was saying that it was working for her, even on the new PointsPlus program. Apparently she's heard people don't like it, but I hadn't heard much of that myself beyond the initial transition period. Anyway, I chimed in that I was on it, too, and had good luck. We had a fun chat about the way it has changed our decision patterns, etc. The only downside is that I was talking while eating a bagel with cream cheese. *snicker*
I also managed to make use of the hotel's fitness facility a few times while I was there, which made me feel good.
But yeah. Things are going well. I have a feeling I have some water weight that I'll be dealing with for a couple of days, but I think I'm okay beyond that in the post-conference day. I am ready to be back on track fully and completely this week. It's asparagus and strawberry season, so I have good motivation.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
I'm back! I don't know where I went...
How is it possible that I haven't blogged in nearly two months? What a pity. I still think a lot about food, eating, and being healthy. So why not write about it? I don't know the answer. Maybe just laziness and stress. Probably that.
Anyway, lots has happened since February. I had a birthday, went to London, got a grant for research, went on anti-depressants (overshare), and just generally stayed afloat. The common theme for all those things (except the research grant) is this: weight-gain danger zones! I pretty much turned my birthday celebration into a month-long festival of indulgence. In London, I went full-on into candy and Guinness (mmmmmmmmmmmmm) and meat and grease. I did try to incorporate healthy stuff as well, and I walked approximately five-seven miles a day, but still. Yipes. By the end of the London trip, I was up about three-five pounds over the end of February.
But! When I got home from London, I decided it was time to get back on track, and that's exactly what I've done. I got home on the 20th, and since then I've been quite careful (with a few days' exceptions) in making good choices, cutting back on my points a little bit, and eating all my vegetables and fruits. And as of today, I'm right back down to my ideal weight! This was my first real experience with trying to lose since I hit my goal last summer, and I always wondered A) whether I would let myself slip too much before shifting into loss mode or B) whether I'd be able to lose again if I slipped. The answer I now know is YES! I can get back on track before things get out of control, I can lose the weight, and continue to be healthy AND happy while doing it.
This also shows that I can have the occasional little period of silliness and not be doomed to a life of weight gain. I am not destined to be a slave to food. I can let my guard down a little and then put it right back up when I'm ready. And the best part is that I can feel excited about returning to healthy living. Because when I got home from London, the first thing I did the next day was go to the store to buy fresh produce. I was stoked to eat healthy again. Wowsers. That's not the old Dena.
So. There you go. It's possible to live my life to the fullest and experience the delicious wonders of food from time to time and then regain control. I am destined to a life of healthy weight because I choose to. I am in control...even when I don't exercise it every day!
Anyway, lots has happened since February. I had a birthday, went to London, got a grant for research, went on anti-depressants (overshare), and just generally stayed afloat. The common theme for all those things (except the research grant) is this: weight-gain danger zones! I pretty much turned my birthday celebration into a month-long festival of indulgence. In London, I went full-on into candy and Guinness (mmmmmmmmmmmmm) and meat and grease. I did try to incorporate healthy stuff as well, and I walked approximately five-seven miles a day, but still. Yipes. By the end of the London trip, I was up about three-five pounds over the end of February.
But! When I got home from London, I decided it was time to get back on track, and that's exactly what I've done. I got home on the 20th, and since then I've been quite careful (with a few days' exceptions) in making good choices, cutting back on my points a little bit, and eating all my vegetables and fruits. And as of today, I'm right back down to my ideal weight! This was my first real experience with trying to lose since I hit my goal last summer, and I always wondered A) whether I would let myself slip too much before shifting into loss mode or B) whether I'd be able to lose again if I slipped. The answer I now know is YES! I can get back on track before things get out of control, I can lose the weight, and continue to be healthy AND happy while doing it.
This also shows that I can have the occasional little period of silliness and not be doomed to a life of weight gain. I am not destined to be a slave to food. I can let my guard down a little and then put it right back up when I'm ready. And the best part is that I can feel excited about returning to healthy living. Because when I got home from London, the first thing I did the next day was go to the store to buy fresh produce. I was stoked to eat healthy again. Wowsers. That's not the old Dena.
So. There you go. It's possible to live my life to the fullest and experience the delicious wonders of food from time to time and then regain control. I am destined to a life of healthy weight because I choose to. I am in control...even when I don't exercise it every day!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
The Dottie System
When I started WW in October 2009, I went with a supportive friend. We called it fat camp, and we compared notes all the time on our progress. Going to meetings was fun because of her. But then, after awhile, going to meetings became fun because of both my friend and my leader, Dottie. Dottie was always supportive, even when I gained a little. Meetings were filled with positive energy, uncompromising support and hope, and a generosity of spirit. Dottie didn't run the meetings as a sales pitch for WW products, unlike some others. She ran them as a group of friends pushing one another to be better. As a result, I went into meetings excited and left energetic and hopeful.
This is why I succeeded at losing 65 pounds. Yeah, sure, I had to make the changes in my own head and commit myself to the task. Dottie always said I was only accountable to myself, not to her. She was right. Over the long term, only I can make myself stay fit and thin. Only I can really know how well I stick to the plan. But I can safely say that her leadership is what made that change in thinking possible for me. That steady support and guidance turned me from an unhealthy eater and person into what I am today.
And then, last fall, she got sick. She had pneumonia and was gone for a few weeks. She finally came back, only to leave again because she didn't have the strength back. And then she didn't come back and didn't come back. Early in December, we learned her cancer had returned (she'd been in remission for quite awhile). I meant to send a thinking-of-you card, but I never did. I often thought of her, though, and thought of the time when she would come back.
But this morning, I found out that won't happen. Dottie passed away.
My heart broke.
Dottie wasn't a close, personal friend. I only knew her for about a year. But she saw me succeed and hit my goal, she was a weekly presence, and that presence--for the short time it lasted--meant so much to me that I can't bear the thought of her not coming back. When I hit goal, all I could think about was, "Wait till Dottie sees!" I'm not sure what I am going to do. I kept going to meetings on the hope that someday she'd be back. The new people are fine, but they aren't Dottie. I want Dottie back.
Since that's not possible, I am writing this to remind myself that I have to keep going, to keep thin, to keep healthy. I have to stay the Newly Thin Dena until I'm the Long-Time Thin Dena. I have to do this not just for me, but for Dottie. She got me this way, and her memory will keep me this way. I am also writing this to remind myself and anyone reading this that our social support is a fundamental aspect of getting and staying thin. Be an encourager to someone. Let me be an encourager to you. Stick together, and help each other.
Let's all be Dottie's for one another. There are too few of her in the world.
This is why I succeeded at losing 65 pounds. Yeah, sure, I had to make the changes in my own head and commit myself to the task. Dottie always said I was only accountable to myself, not to her. She was right. Over the long term, only I can make myself stay fit and thin. Only I can really know how well I stick to the plan. But I can safely say that her leadership is what made that change in thinking possible for me. That steady support and guidance turned me from an unhealthy eater and person into what I am today.
And then, last fall, she got sick. She had pneumonia and was gone for a few weeks. She finally came back, only to leave again because she didn't have the strength back. And then she didn't come back and didn't come back. Early in December, we learned her cancer had returned (she'd been in remission for quite awhile). I meant to send a thinking-of-you card, but I never did. I often thought of her, though, and thought of the time when she would come back.
But this morning, I found out that won't happen. Dottie passed away.
My heart broke.
Dottie wasn't a close, personal friend. I only knew her for about a year. But she saw me succeed and hit my goal, she was a weekly presence, and that presence--for the short time it lasted--meant so much to me that I can't bear the thought of her not coming back. When I hit goal, all I could think about was, "Wait till Dottie sees!" I'm not sure what I am going to do. I kept going to meetings on the hope that someday she'd be back. The new people are fine, but they aren't Dottie. I want Dottie back.
Since that's not possible, I am writing this to remind myself that I have to keep going, to keep thin, to keep healthy. I have to stay the Newly Thin Dena until I'm the Long-Time Thin Dena. I have to do this not just for me, but for Dottie. She got me this way, and her memory will keep me this way. I am also writing this to remind myself and anyone reading this that our social support is a fundamental aspect of getting and staying thin. Be an encourager to someone. Let me be an encourager to you. Stick together, and help each other.
Let's all be Dottie's for one another. There are too few of her in the world.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Jamais plus!
It turns out I had an epiphany just now. As a result, a major overhaul is required.
Not really. At least not on the overhaul part. But I did have an epiphany!
I made pasta for dinner, using Bertolli tomato and garlic sauce, which is delicious. I added some mushrooms, onion, and green pepper to ramp up the volume of food as well as the flavor and nutritional content. Yay me! As I stirred it all together, I thought it seemed kind of dry. I hadn't used enough sauce. My first thought, of course, was to add more sauce...and then I remembered I had a bottle of red wine open that needed to be used. So I got that out and added a splash to the sauce. It did two things.
1) It made the sauce go a little further. It got just the right consistency.
2) More importantly, it made the flavor go beserker with awesomeness. I added just a splash, but it completely revolutionized the taste. It was so much richer and more intense. I was floored how such a small addition could change so much.
As a result, I have now decided that I will never again (jamais plus!!) eat pasta sauce without a splash or red wine. I will now always have one of those little tiny 6-oz. bottles you can get, just ready and waiting for pasta sauce. It's just. That. Good. You have to have to try it!
Also, I've now officially decided that Brown Cow yogurt beats Kalona SuperOrganics. It's creamier and cheaper. It's two points instead of one, but it's worth it. I'm floored by this news. I feel like I'm betraying Kalona, my dear, sweet Iowa Amish company. But it had to be done.
Not really. At least not on the overhaul part. But I did have an epiphany!
I made pasta for dinner, using Bertolli tomato and garlic sauce, which is delicious. I added some mushrooms, onion, and green pepper to ramp up the volume of food as well as the flavor and nutritional content. Yay me! As I stirred it all together, I thought it seemed kind of dry. I hadn't used enough sauce. My first thought, of course, was to add more sauce...and then I remembered I had a bottle of red wine open that needed to be used. So I got that out and added a splash to the sauce. It did two things.
1) It made the sauce go a little further. It got just the right consistency.
2) More importantly, it made the flavor go beserker with awesomeness. I added just a splash, but it completely revolutionized the taste. It was so much richer and more intense. I was floored how such a small addition could change so much.
As a result, I have now decided that I will never again (jamais plus!!) eat pasta sauce without a splash or red wine. I will now always have one of those little tiny 6-oz. bottles you can get, just ready and waiting for pasta sauce. It's just. That. Good. You have to have to try it!
Also, I've now officially decided that Brown Cow yogurt beats Kalona SuperOrganics. It's creamier and cheaper. It's two points instead of one, but it's worth it. I'm floored by this news. I feel like I'm betraying Kalona, my dear, sweet Iowa Amish company. But it had to be done.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice
I'm a girl, and apparently I really am made of those. My two favorite flavors are sweet and spicy. Of course, the old rhyme meant spices like cinnamon and stuff, which is great, but I also love hot spicy, too. I've recently come across a few new additions to my daily diet that incorporate all of these.
1) Some friends recently gave me some Maggi Chili Sauce. It's kind of like ketchup, but with a sweet/spicy combo kick. My two favorites in one! It's thinner than ketchup, too, but you could totally substitute it for french fries. I have used it on stir-fry vegetables and eggs, and I love it on both. It's very low in calories and the label shows that it's all recognizable ingredients. It might be a tad hard to find, but if you have an Asian grocery or an Asian section at your regular grocery, you'll probably find it. It's worth the hunt.
2) Since having had sushi awhile back, I've been thinking very frequently and fondly of wasabi. When I was grocery shopping the other night, I saw coupons on the shelf for almonds. I needed some anyway (I love them), and the coupon was for $1 off two small cans, so I went for a regular and a wasabi & soy flavored can. They could stand to be a little more wasabi-like, but they are really good anyway. I think I'll try putting them in my next salad for a little extra kick. The thing about almonds is that, of course, you can't eat a ton of them because they are high calorie and fat, but they are nutritious for sure..and delicious. So if I can indulge in them with the added bonus of wasabi or some other flavor, I'm going to.
3) Then, for sweet, Hungry Girl has been pimping the new Cinnamon Burst Cheerios. They have more fiber than other kinds of Cheerios and are only three points for a whole cup. There was another coupon at the store the other night, so I got some of those, too. I just ate some and they really are great! Having read Omivore's Dilemma, of course, I noticed right away that the box says, "Flavored with Real Cinnamon," and got grumpy. Shouldn't that just be a duh? We have a very seriously jacked up food system. It did prompt me to look at the ingredients list, and actually it's pretty decent. I recognized all the ingredients and only a couple are suspicious (guar gum=corn; "natural flavor" and "color added"; BHT for preserving "freshness"). Overall, considering some of the crap at the store, this is pretty innocuous.
4) Brown Cow yogurt is not as low in points as Kalona SuperOrganics, but it's still pretty great. Low-ish in sugar (at least for the plain variety) and probably a lot easier to find. Just thought I'd pass that on since it passed my very stringent yogurt taste test.
There you go. More options for your next trip to the store. Now I have to get back to work!
1) Some friends recently gave me some Maggi Chili Sauce. It's kind of like ketchup, but with a sweet/spicy combo kick. My two favorites in one! It's thinner than ketchup, too, but you could totally substitute it for french fries. I have used it on stir-fry vegetables and eggs, and I love it on both. It's very low in calories and the label shows that it's all recognizable ingredients. It might be a tad hard to find, but if you have an Asian grocery or an Asian section at your regular grocery, you'll probably find it. It's worth the hunt.
2) Since having had sushi awhile back, I've been thinking very frequently and fondly of wasabi. When I was grocery shopping the other night, I saw coupons on the shelf for almonds. I needed some anyway (I love them), and the coupon was for $1 off two small cans, so I went for a regular and a wasabi & soy flavored can. They could stand to be a little more wasabi-like, but they are really good anyway. I think I'll try putting them in my next salad for a little extra kick. The thing about almonds is that, of course, you can't eat a ton of them because they are high calorie and fat, but they are nutritious for sure..and delicious. So if I can indulge in them with the added bonus of wasabi or some other flavor, I'm going to.
3) Then, for sweet, Hungry Girl has been pimping the new Cinnamon Burst Cheerios. They have more fiber than other kinds of Cheerios and are only three points for a whole cup. There was another coupon at the store the other night, so I got some of those, too. I just ate some and they really are great! Having read Omivore's Dilemma, of course, I noticed right away that the box says, "Flavored with Real Cinnamon," and got grumpy. Shouldn't that just be a duh? We have a very seriously jacked up food system. It did prompt me to look at the ingredients list, and actually it's pretty decent. I recognized all the ingredients and only a couple are suspicious (guar gum=corn; "natural flavor" and "color added"; BHT for preserving "freshness"). Overall, considering some of the crap at the store, this is pretty innocuous.
4) Brown Cow yogurt is not as low in points as Kalona SuperOrganics, but it's still pretty great. Low-ish in sugar (at least for the plain variety) and probably a lot easier to find. Just thought I'd pass that on since it passed my very stringent yogurt taste test.
There you go. More options for your next trip to the store. Now I have to get back to work!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
New Blog Alert
A FB friend posted a recipe for Sweet potato quinoa cakes, and word on the street is that they are delicious. I was going to try them tonight, but I got home and got lazy. And then on top of that, I realized my eggs are about to expire, so I decided to go the easy egg sandwich route (egg, Arnold's sandwich thin, Brummel and Brown, done). Problem solved.
Anyway, these sweet potato quinoa cakes. Yeah. I'm definitely going to try. It combines two of my favorite things and squishes them together in a patty. What's not to like?
So then, I was looking around the blog more generally, and it's filled with great recipes and thoughts on health food, so I'm adding it to my favorite blogs link on the right. I plan to be a regular visitor.
Honestly, I've felt so supremely lazy of late in terms of food. I have no energy to do anything, let alone innovate on food. Ugh. But this recipe has me super stoked. I just bought some sweet potatoes at the store last night, so it's almost like it was meant to be.
Hey, though. While I'm rambling with no real purpose or organization, I should also mention that the Trader Joe's equivalent of Fiber One is pretty dang awesome. And cheaper than real Fiber One. The pieces are a lot thinner, but the taste is the same. I had some for breakfast with my beloved unsweetened vanilla almond milk and some blueberries. Win.
My brain is off tonight, so this nonsense is all you get. Be grateful, dang it.
Anyway, these sweet potato quinoa cakes. Yeah. I'm definitely going to try. It combines two of my favorite things and squishes them together in a patty. What's not to like?
So then, I was looking around the blog more generally, and it's filled with great recipes and thoughts on health food, so I'm adding it to my favorite blogs link on the right. I plan to be a regular visitor.
Honestly, I've felt so supremely lazy of late in terms of food. I have no energy to do anything, let alone innovate on food. Ugh. But this recipe has me super stoked. I just bought some sweet potatoes at the store last night, so it's almost like it was meant to be.
Hey, though. While I'm rambling with no real purpose or organization, I should also mention that the Trader Joe's equivalent of Fiber One is pretty dang awesome. And cheaper than real Fiber One. The pieces are a lot thinner, but the taste is the same. I had some for breakfast with my beloved unsweetened vanilla almond milk and some blueberries. Win.
My brain is off tonight, so this nonsense is all you get. Be grateful, dang it.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Blogging as Tracking
I'm in the midst of adjusting to my daily schedule for the new semester, not to mention the ongoing remodel in my basement--which is turning out great! That means, though, that I haven't had time to blog so much. I'm hoping to get back into the habit, mostly because it keeps me actively thinking about my eating and decision-making skills. As I posted last time, I feel like I'm finding my groove with balancing good decisions with the occasional bad ones, but it's always good when something keeps you in the thought process, and this blog really does that.
Which, of course, is 100% related to the tracking element of WW. It's such a habit for me now to track my food both in my head and online. It doesn't feel like a burden. It's just something I do. I type up what I eat as I'm eating it or before or after I eat it. When I don't know points values, like when I eat out, I'm good about guessing so I can stay moderately on track. This blog is just another venue for doing the same thing at a philosophy level. If you don't keep track of what you eat, you really should. It doesn't have to be through WW. Just keep track of calories, trends in your decisions (e.g., patterns of overindulgence in sweets).
Anyway. I wanted to post this link because I thought it was pretty great for my hopefully upcoming trips to Trader Joe's. One of my emails posted a link to a list of the healthier options at the store, and I'm going to take this with me next time I make a run.
Tomorrow starts week two of the semester. Wish me luck!
Which, of course, is 100% related to the tracking element of WW. It's such a habit for me now to track my food both in my head and online. It doesn't feel like a burden. It's just something I do. I type up what I eat as I'm eating it or before or after I eat it. When I don't know points values, like when I eat out, I'm good about guessing so I can stay moderately on track. This blog is just another venue for doing the same thing at a philosophy level. If you don't keep track of what you eat, you really should. It doesn't have to be through WW. Just keep track of calories, trends in your decisions (e.g., patterns of overindulgence in sweets).
Anyway. I wanted to post this link because I thought it was pretty great for my hopefully upcoming trips to Trader Joe's. One of my emails posted a link to a list of the healthier options at the store, and I'm going to take this with me next time I make a run.
Tomorrow starts week two of the semester. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Indulging in some common sense
It was a great weekend, but not a calorie friendly one. I went with a friend to the cities for an Ikea binge for my new basement remodel, and I binged on more than furniture and accessories. For the first time in over a year, I ate my way through an entire big (big) chocolate bar. Then I had frozen yogurt, some flourless chocolate cake, some wine, some pizza, some chicken nuggets, some Swedish fish. And so on. In the span of 24 hours.
It was delicious. And intentional. How's that for a kick? I am now to the point where I'm figuring things out. I'm learning just how far I can go, and when I need to reign it back in. I'm learning how often I can indulge within a more consistent and regular pattern of good behavior. This has been such a relief to me because I spent so much time panicking about every over-the-top thing I've done (as I've written about). I have not lost my sweet tooth, and so there's always a risk of falling off the wagon. But now that I have a real sense of my body's limits and warning bells when I go too far, I don't have a panic attack every time I go over points on some candy. I have learned how to make it a fun splurge, like a vacation in a workweek of healthy eating.
By Saturday night, I was feeling pretty gross. My stomach was unsettled and I could feel that old lethargy creeping in. And grumpiness. That's when I knew what my body was saying. "Back to work tomorrow, Dena."
And so it was. I'm back to my regular pattern of fruits and my low-carb yogurt for sweets, and vegetables and grains for my staple items. And I'm totally content. Remember that this took me more than a year! I had to really keep the crackdown and be very alert and conscious for that whole time, accounting so stringently and carefully to find this balance. It's only now that it makes sense to me, where I can trust myself with the indulgences without fear of utter failure. It's not one of the easier parts of being a generally healthier person. I thought finding an exercise routine was rough...turns out this was rougher. But as with exercise, I think I'm finally here.
It was delicious. And intentional. How's that for a kick? I am now to the point where I'm figuring things out. I'm learning just how far I can go, and when I need to reign it back in. I'm learning how often I can indulge within a more consistent and regular pattern of good behavior. This has been such a relief to me because I spent so much time panicking about every over-the-top thing I've done (as I've written about). I have not lost my sweet tooth, and so there's always a risk of falling off the wagon. But now that I have a real sense of my body's limits and warning bells when I go too far, I don't have a panic attack every time I go over points on some candy. I have learned how to make it a fun splurge, like a vacation in a workweek of healthy eating.
By Saturday night, I was feeling pretty gross. My stomach was unsettled and I could feel that old lethargy creeping in. And grumpiness. That's when I knew what my body was saying. "Back to work tomorrow, Dena."
And so it was. I'm back to my regular pattern of fruits and my low-carb yogurt for sweets, and vegetables and grains for my staple items. And I'm totally content. Remember that this took me more than a year! I had to really keep the crackdown and be very alert and conscious for that whole time, accounting so stringently and carefully to find this balance. It's only now that it makes sense to me, where I can trust myself with the indulgences without fear of utter failure. It's not one of the easier parts of being a generally healthier person. I thought finding an exercise routine was rough...turns out this was rougher. But as with exercise, I think I'm finally here.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Rockin' Rolls
Last night, I went out spur-of-the-moment with some friends to a new Thai/hibachi/sushi place in town. When you live in a small town, these things happen. You get consolidation of your ethnic cuisines to make it really count. In high school, I worked at the video rental counter at a local grocery/hardware store/pharmacy/video rental place. They remodeled a few years later and I swear you could buy house paint within about five yards of the milk cooler.
But yeah. We went out. I hadn't accounted for this in my daily food plan, especially during the afternoon part when I ate two cookies (behold the powers of menstruation to make bad decisions seem reasonable). I was just going to get a little sushi--light, simple sushi. Then I got a taste for it, and Menses, the Greek God of hormonal shitstorms, drove me to act against my better instincts. I order more. MORE! MORE! MORE! I ate a lot of spicy shrimp rolls. That's all I'm saying.
There were two upsides. 1) The wasabi totally cleared out my congested sinuses. 2) I got home and looked up sushi in my WW planner, and I remembered just how not bad for you sushi is. Even with my wine and face stuffing, I was only a few points over my limits (and I was totally honest about how much I ate!).
It seems sushi is a good choice for those days when estrogenicide takes over. At least it's better than two cookies, though they were really delicious.
But yeah. We went out. I hadn't accounted for this in my daily food plan, especially during the afternoon part when I ate two cookies (behold the powers of menstruation to make bad decisions seem reasonable). I was just going to get a little sushi--light, simple sushi. Then I got a taste for it, and Menses, the Greek God of hormonal shitstorms, drove me to act against my better instincts. I order more. MORE! MORE! MORE! I ate a lot of spicy shrimp rolls. That's all I'm saying.
There were two upsides. 1) The wasabi totally cleared out my congested sinuses. 2) I got home and looked up sushi in my WW planner, and I remembered just how not bad for you sushi is. Even with my wine and face stuffing, I was only a few points over my limits (and I was totally honest about how much I ate!).
It seems sushi is a good choice for those days when estrogenicide takes over. At least it's better than two cookies, though they were really delicious.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Chick(peas) Rule.
A friend was recently talking about a salad she had that contained garbanzo beans/chickpeas (same thing) roasted with vegetables with a vinaigrette. I needed a little protein tonight, so I took out a can and decided to get creative.
I took a half-cup of chickpeas, a little bit of reduced-sodium soy sauce, a little ginger, a clove of garlic and a fair heaping of garam masala seasoning. Threw it all in a pan with some broccoli and cauliflower and heated it through.
Holy crap. It was delicious. A very quick, easy, and tasty meal. The beans are 3pts, the veggies were free, as were all the seasonings. So...basically a meal for 3 points. A cha cha cha. Next time I'll add onions, maybe some carrots. Any vegetable would be great. I thought about adding some corn, but opted not to this time. I bet some sweet or regular potatoes would also go great with it (with the corresponding point increase). If your fancy runs to meat, a little chicken or lean pork would also be good. Then there's the original idea of a vinaigrette for seasoning instead of garam masala. (My vinaigrette is here).
Here's a link with nutrition info for them. It's got some good stuff in it, for sure. Garbanzo/chickpeas are what hummus are made from, in case you didn't know. :)
I took a half-cup of chickpeas, a little bit of reduced-sodium soy sauce, a little ginger, a clove of garlic and a fair heaping of garam masala seasoning. Threw it all in a pan with some broccoli and cauliflower and heated it through.
Holy crap. It was delicious. A very quick, easy, and tasty meal. The beans are 3pts, the veggies were free, as were all the seasonings. So...basically a meal for 3 points. A cha cha cha. Next time I'll add onions, maybe some carrots. Any vegetable would be great. I thought about adding some corn, but opted not to this time. I bet some sweet or regular potatoes would also go great with it (with the corresponding point increase). If your fancy runs to meat, a little chicken or lean pork would also be good. Then there's the original idea of a vinaigrette for seasoning instead of garam masala. (My vinaigrette is here).
Here's a link with nutrition info for them. It's got some good stuff in it, for sure. Garbanzo/chickpeas are what hummus are made from, in case you didn't know. :)
Monday, January 17, 2011
Bargains, Y'all! BARGAINS!
Who doesn't love a great deal. In fact, I just went shopping and got a $80 down vest for $13 and a $80 top for $23. So...yeah, I love a bargain. Sure, I went to the mall only for an antenna for my TV (I'm dropping cable)...but who doesn't love a little clothes shopping? And for those prices...you can't argue.
So, then, in my high, I come home to check my email and Hungry Girl lists a whole bunch of good nutritional more-bang-for-your-buck items. Her list is abbreviated from a larger news release that you'll want to check out. I'm happy that I already eat a lot of these, but I'll be adding shrimp to my menu more now that I know I like it. Crazy.
Shop away, shop guilt-free. Shop healthy! Yay!
So, then, in my high, I come home to check my email and Hungry Girl lists a whole bunch of good nutritional more-bang-for-your-buck items. Her list is abbreviated from a larger news release that you'll want to check out. I'm happy that I already eat a lot of these, but I'll be adding shrimp to my menu more now that I know I like it. Crazy.
Shop away, shop guilt-free. Shop healthy! Yay!
Just Say No to Fads
Everyone does the fad diet thing in January. Advertisements in January always drive me crazy because it seems every other one is about "drink this shake," "eat this process crap," or "use this machine." All of which will simply and effortlessly shrink your waistline. Hurray.
The reality is, though, that all of these things are pushed as instant gratification and as ways of doing fast what should not be done fast: losing weight and getting healthy. Further, they too often trade nutrition for results. A couple of articles have found their way to my browser that highlight how bad fad diets are and how much better a generally healthy diet will be for you in the long run.
1) The Special K diet. This one gets trotted out every January. For two weeks, you're supposed to eat two meals of Special K (mmmm.....chemicals.....) and one "sensible" meal in the evening and you'll lose inches in two weeks. First off, this means you'll be malnourished for two weeks because Special K is limited in nutritional value. Second, what happens after two weeks? You're right back where you started and you're likely to gain the weight back because you've learned nothing. The linked article goes into all kinds of specifics about why this is a stupid and dangerous way to go about things.
2) If the idea of eating vegetables is still unappealing, how about this. You'll look better beyond the weight loss. There was an article on BBC's web site recently that shows how healthy food means healthier skin and appearance. I've definitely noticed this in my own life. I hardly ever get zits anymore, my face is clearer, people who know me have mentioned that my face looks glowing and healthy. I feel like it's softer, too. I'm guessing the Special K or Slim Fast diet plans won't give you this benefit, eh?
Basically, even though I kind of want to stuff my face and keep weight off while not thinking...the truth is I can't. It requires work. It's not easy. You just have to remind yourself that good things come with great effort. If you want to look good and feel good, you have to earn it. Special K is not earning it.
The reality is, though, that all of these things are pushed as instant gratification and as ways of doing fast what should not be done fast: losing weight and getting healthy. Further, they too often trade nutrition for results. A couple of articles have found their way to my browser that highlight how bad fad diets are and how much better a generally healthy diet will be for you in the long run.
1) The Special K diet. This one gets trotted out every January. For two weeks, you're supposed to eat two meals of Special K (mmmm.....chemicals.....) and one "sensible" meal in the evening and you'll lose inches in two weeks. First off, this means you'll be malnourished for two weeks because Special K is limited in nutritional value. Second, what happens after two weeks? You're right back where you started and you're likely to gain the weight back because you've learned nothing. The linked article goes into all kinds of specifics about why this is a stupid and dangerous way to go about things.
2) If the idea of eating vegetables is still unappealing, how about this. You'll look better beyond the weight loss. There was an article on BBC's web site recently that shows how healthy food means healthier skin and appearance. I've definitely noticed this in my own life. I hardly ever get zits anymore, my face is clearer, people who know me have mentioned that my face looks glowing and healthy. I feel like it's softer, too. I'm guessing the Special K or Slim Fast diet plans won't give you this benefit, eh?
Basically, even though I kind of want to stuff my face and keep weight off while not thinking...the truth is I can't. It requires work. It's not easy. You just have to remind yourself that good things come with great effort. If you want to look good and feel good, you have to earn it. Special K is not earning it.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Cooking with Yogurt
It's no secret that I think yogurt is pretty much the best thing since...ever. I eat it every day, usually as dessert with fruit and/or Fiber One. I pretty much exclusively eat plain now because it has less sugar, but with the Kalona Supernatural brand, I can eat vanilla with very few carbs. So good.
Anyway, I was lead to a new site that you should look at called MyRecipes.com. It has stuff from Cooking Light magazine and other places. There's a whole section devoted to healthy eating. While skimming that section, I came across a slide show of recipes using yogurt. As you can imagine, I was giddy. I wandered through the show and was even giddier by the end. There are some excellent recipes. Not all of them are healthy, but you could make most of them healthy/healthier with different choices. For example, you don't really need the full fat yogurt when it calls for that, though the Kalona Supernatural 5% plain is still only about two or three points per serving and tastes amazing and rich.
I'm particularly interested in slides 2 (raspberry yogurt cheese with ginger snaps--I'd use low-fat yogurt here), 4 (chilled cucumber, avocado and yogurt soup), 7 (yogurt zucchini bread with walnuts), and 10 (raspberries with chocolate yogurt mousse). With 7 and 10, you could modify that to include other fruits. I wonder if banana bread with yogurt would be good, for example. Also, blueberries would be good with the mousse. Or strawberries. Or clementines. Or....
As usual, my interests are primarily in the sweets area. Ha! I'm always looking for healthy ways to indulge my sweet tooth. The great thing about yogurt is that it has calcium and helps with digestion, so it's doing yourself a favor while tasting sweet and creamy.
Anyway, I was lead to a new site that you should look at called MyRecipes.com. It has stuff from Cooking Light magazine and other places. There's a whole section devoted to healthy eating. While skimming that section, I came across a slide show of recipes using yogurt. As you can imagine, I was giddy. I wandered through the show and was even giddier by the end. There are some excellent recipes. Not all of them are healthy, but you could make most of them healthy/healthier with different choices. For example, you don't really need the full fat yogurt when it calls for that, though the Kalona Supernatural 5% plain is still only about two or three points per serving and tastes amazing and rich.
I'm particularly interested in slides 2 (raspberry yogurt cheese with ginger snaps--I'd use low-fat yogurt here), 4 (chilled cucumber, avocado and yogurt soup), 7 (yogurt zucchini bread with walnuts), and 10 (raspberries with chocolate yogurt mousse). With 7 and 10, you could modify that to include other fruits. I wonder if banana bread with yogurt would be good, for example. Also, blueberries would be good with the mousse. Or strawberries. Or clementines. Or....
As usual, my interests are primarily in the sweets area. Ha! I'm always looking for healthy ways to indulge my sweet tooth. The great thing about yogurt is that it has calcium and helps with digestion, so it's doing yourself a favor while tasting sweet and creamy.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Cooking Distractions
So, I've been really snacky lately. Reeeeeeeeeaaaaaaally snacky. And there have been leftover cookies in my house. Bad bad combination. As a result, I've had to very consciously think about how to deter myself from indulging this bad habit, most especially while I'm cooking a meal. There I am, already in the kitchen, smelling delicious food that's on its way to my mouth but not quite yet. There are plenty of things at my ready disposal that could be immediately shoveled in. Aside from the Christmas cookies, it's mostly not bad-for-me stuff, but anything consumed in haste and sufficient quantities can throw me off.
So here are some things I've been doing to keep my hands and mouth from destroying me.
1) I indulge in a Diet Coke. I've been trying to keep my pop consumption reasonable, and most days I'm pretty good at it. But when I'm cooking and feeling that overwhelming urge, I'll give myself some leniency to have a can. That way I'm having a treat, but not consuming calories. I try to just sip it so it lasts me awhile, too. No need to chugalug. Having that sweetness really helps me stay away from food while the pasta boils or the sweet potato bakes. Water doesn't cut it for me, but if you're more virtuous than I am, more power to you.
2) I distract myself with loading or unloading the dishwashwer or washing dishes by hand. Sometimes I just give the countertops a good scrubbing or wipe down the food scale. Occasionally, I'll root around in the cupboards looking for a better way to organize them. I'm always looking for a more efficient strategy. I've been known to sort through the junk drawer in the kitchen, too, or the pile up of mail. In particular, I try to find things that need to be done anyway so that I feel gratified both for having accomplished something and not giving into my food whims.
3) Sometimes if there's time, I'll go to Facebook while something's cooking, keeping an ear for boil overs and/or an eye on the computer clock. Sometimes I'll set my kitchen timer to be sure I'm not letting something burn. If I'm online, I'm not thinking about food. I have a laptop, so it can come with me wherever I need it to keep me in line.
4) With the cookies in particular, I keep them in the freezer. Not because I don't love frozen cookies (on the contrary...), but because they are not so easily visible when they're behind a door. This seems to work better as a deterrent than the cupboards because I'm more likely to need something in the cupboard than the freezer...and seeing is eating.
5) Fruit or vegetables. If I'm overpowered by hunger, I will allow myself an extra piece of fruit or some carrots just to keep my mouth busy. Sure, it's not as fun as cookies or crackers, but this snackiness is often less about taste than it is about activity and urges. As long as something's being crammed in, I'm generally fine. And I'm less inclined to keep eating when there's an easy portion control with it being an individual thing. When I crack open the almonds or crackers or cookie container, it's easy to "just have a couple more." Then boom. Inhalation.
The main thing is that you don't stand at the stove or oven and think about food, or that you totally deny that you have the craving. Cravings have an ability to take over our minds, the evil beasts. I've been doing these things since I started Weight Watchers, but in more intensity than usual the last couple of weeks with my increased sensitivity to overeating. It works, I'm maintaining my weight, I'm staying in my points most days. It's all good.
So here are some things I've been doing to keep my hands and mouth from destroying me.
1) I indulge in a Diet Coke. I've been trying to keep my pop consumption reasonable, and most days I'm pretty good at it. But when I'm cooking and feeling that overwhelming urge, I'll give myself some leniency to have a can. That way I'm having a treat, but not consuming calories. I try to just sip it so it lasts me awhile, too. No need to chugalug. Having that sweetness really helps me stay away from food while the pasta boils or the sweet potato bakes. Water doesn't cut it for me, but if you're more virtuous than I am, more power to you.
2) I distract myself with loading or unloading the dishwashwer or washing dishes by hand. Sometimes I just give the countertops a good scrubbing or wipe down the food scale. Occasionally, I'll root around in the cupboards looking for a better way to organize them. I'm always looking for a more efficient strategy. I've been known to sort through the junk drawer in the kitchen, too, or the pile up of mail. In particular, I try to find things that need to be done anyway so that I feel gratified both for having accomplished something and not giving into my food whims.
3) Sometimes if there's time, I'll go to Facebook while something's cooking, keeping an ear for boil overs and/or an eye on the computer clock. Sometimes I'll set my kitchen timer to be sure I'm not letting something burn. If I'm online, I'm not thinking about food. I have a laptop, so it can come with me wherever I need it to keep me in line.
4) With the cookies in particular, I keep them in the freezer. Not because I don't love frozen cookies (on the contrary...), but because they are not so easily visible when they're behind a door. This seems to work better as a deterrent than the cupboards because I'm more likely to need something in the cupboard than the freezer...and seeing is eating.
5) Fruit or vegetables. If I'm overpowered by hunger, I will allow myself an extra piece of fruit or some carrots just to keep my mouth busy. Sure, it's not as fun as cookies or crackers, but this snackiness is often less about taste than it is about activity and urges. As long as something's being crammed in, I'm generally fine. And I'm less inclined to keep eating when there's an easy portion control with it being an individual thing. When I crack open the almonds or crackers or cookie container, it's easy to "just have a couple more." Then boom. Inhalation.
The main thing is that you don't stand at the stove or oven and think about food, or that you totally deny that you have the craving. Cravings have an ability to take over our minds, the evil beasts. I've been doing these things since I started Weight Watchers, but in more intensity than usual the last couple of weeks with my increased sensitivity to overeating. It works, I'm maintaining my weight, I'm staying in my points most days. It's all good.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Souped Up
I've always been cold this time of year. But this year more than usual because I have less insulation. Combined with the fact that my taste palette has broadened considerably, I've opened my eyes and stomach to soups this year. A good, substantive soup does wonders to warm me up and keep me full. Here are some that I've been using.
1) Cashew Carrot Ginger soup by Pacific Natural. I just opened my first box of this today, and it's got an interesting kick to it. I didn't know how ginger and carrot would blend, but it turns out it does so quite well. It's only 3 points per cup. I had it with a spinach salad for lunch and it held me over surprisingly well.
2) I mentioned a bit ago the black bean soup from Trader Joe's. Here is a repeat plug. I had the Latin style, for what it's worth. That one is particularly filling...must be the fiber and protein in the beans? Two points per serving.
3) Then there's that corn and lentil soup that I made in November. Yum. Two points per serving.
4) A friend invited a group of people over for dinner this past weekend, and she made a spicy soup that was delicious. It contains lentils, which are high in protein and therefore good at sticking to your ribs. We added a bit of Greek yogurt for creaminess and as an alternative to sour cream. I don't know the points value, but it can't be high. The ingredients are all healthy. The recipe follows:
5) I'm totally craving chili right now, so I am going to make some as soon as I'm home for a night and not painting...soon, I hope. There was a great recipe tonight on WW, and it looks like a winner. Again with the lentils! But given that I'm trying to reduce my meat consumption, I'm all for it!
So there you go. Soups: getting me through a long, cold, nasty winter. Now I have to go to bed for tomorrow is an early start. Yuck.
1) Cashew Carrot Ginger soup by Pacific Natural. I just opened my first box of this today, and it's got an interesting kick to it. I didn't know how ginger and carrot would blend, but it turns out it does so quite well. It's only 3 points per cup. I had it with a spinach salad for lunch and it held me over surprisingly well.
2) I mentioned a bit ago the black bean soup from Trader Joe's. Here is a repeat plug. I had the Latin style, for what it's worth. That one is particularly filling...must be the fiber and protein in the beans? Two points per serving.
3) Then there's that corn and lentil soup that I made in November. Yum. Two points per serving.
4) A friend invited a group of people over for dinner this past weekend, and she made a spicy soup that was delicious. It contains lentils, which are high in protein and therefore good at sticking to your ribs. We added a bit of Greek yogurt for creaminess and as an alternative to sour cream. I don't know the points value, but it can't be high. The ingredients are all healthy. The recipe follows:
Red Lentil Soup with Lemon
Adapted slightly from In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite, by Melissa Clark
4 Tbsp. olive oil, plus additional good oil for drizzling
2 large yellow onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste
A few grinds of freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne or Aleppo pepper, or more to taste
2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups red lentils, picked through for stones and debris
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
Juice of 1 lemon, or more to taste
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
In a large pot, warm the oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Add the onions and garlic and cook until golden, about 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook for 2 minutes longer. Add the broth, 2 cups water, the lentils, and the carrots. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Continue to cook until the lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste, and add more salt if necessary. Using an immersion or regular blender, puree about half of the soup. It should still be somewhat chunky, not completely smooth. Reheat if necessary, then stir in the lemon juice and cilantro. Serve the soup drizzled with good olive oil and dusted very lightly with cayenne, if desired.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
5) I'm totally craving chili right now, so I am going to make some as soon as I'm home for a night and not painting...soon, I hope. There was a great recipe tonight on WW, and it looks like a winner. Again with the lentils! But given that I'm trying to reduce my meat consumption, I'm all for it!
So there you go. Soups: getting me through a long, cold, nasty winter. Now I have to go to bed for tomorrow is an early start. Yuck.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Paint Away the Pounds
I am remodeling my basement, and today was Paint Day, which was made far more tolerable and simple thanks to the kind assistance from a friend. I now have aqua walls with brown paneling, which is much cheerier than before. Now I just have to get the new carpet and some curtains before I can get everything put together.
That part has nothing to do with food, though. What does have to do with food is that I put "painting" into my WW tracker. It asked how long I did this activity. I put in four hours. I got 12 (!!) activity points. That totally makes up for the pad thai and wonton soup I had for dinner.
The moral of the story? Remodel your house. It's good for your waistline.
Now, excuse me as I go make a bedtime snack. I totally earned it!
That part has nothing to do with food, though. What does have to do with food is that I put "painting" into my WW tracker. It asked how long I did this activity. I put in four hours. I got 12 (!!) activity points. That totally makes up for the pad thai and wonton soup I had for dinner.
The moral of the story? Remodel your house. It's good for your waistline.
Now, excuse me as I go make a bedtime snack. I totally earned it!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Free Good Snacks!!
I get Snack Girl's daily email, and today I got one with 100 (!!) healthy snack ideas that she's posted over the past 18 months. It's a great collection of ideas. If you want to get all 100, and her (highly recommended) daily email, go to http://www.snack-girl.com/subscribe/. The daily email is definitely worth the inbox clutter.
Some healthy new snacks
So, I mentioned that I went to Trader Joe's while I was with my family in Iowa. I bought lots of goodies, including some healthy stuff you might want to try.
First, is the Veggie Flaxseed tortilla chips, and it's a bit of a stretch to call them healthy. However, they are only 3pts per serving, which is the same as Baked Tostitos. Plus, they have a little fiber and omega-3 flax seed in them, so at least you're getting a little something with them. And they taste good and are fairly light. They're good with salsa, which is all I care about.
Then I got some Red Pepper Spread with eggplant and garlic. This stuff is vegetable crack. It's great with carrots, peppers, or crackers. I'm planning to use it as a sauce when I next sautée vegetables, too, and I'm sure it will be amazing. It's only 15 calories in a tablespoon, too.
I bought a box of their Spicy Black Bean soup, too. It's a little runnier than I would like, but the spice is just perfect to make it taste a little more substantial. It's only 2pts per cup, and with all the fiber and protein, it's quite filling for soup. I think I'll try making my own sometime, but this does as a fast and relatively expensive alternative.
Then, there's my favorite. I mentioned the reduced fat white cheddar, but even better than that is the reduced-fat smoked gouda I bought. Oh. My. Gouda. It's so so good. You'd never know it was reduced fat. I'm serving it tonight for my book club gathering and I couldn't help but eat several chunks while chopping the block up. There are tons of fun things you could do with it. Put it in salads, serve it with crackers, make fresh shishkabobs with onion, peppers, and meat. Or...you could just schnarf down the block all by itself. You can't go wrong.
Then, off the Trader Joe's bit, I wanted to say that I tried a new (to me) thing that is very definitely worth a try. I boiled some cauliflower and then pureed it in my new food processor with some garlic and a splash of milk. I read that it was like mashed potatoes, which I doubted till I tried it. Now I'm a believer! I added a tinge of salt and a little Brummel & Brown after pureeing, and it was a great and filling side dish! I recommend trying it if you haven't already. What have you got to lose but a few cents worth of cauliflower?
First, is the Veggie Flaxseed tortilla chips, and it's a bit of a stretch to call them healthy. However, they are only 3pts per serving, which is the same as Baked Tostitos. Plus, they have a little fiber and omega-3 flax seed in them, so at least you're getting a little something with them. And they taste good and are fairly light. They're good with salsa, which is all I care about.
Then I got some Red Pepper Spread with eggplant and garlic. This stuff is vegetable crack. It's great with carrots, peppers, or crackers. I'm planning to use it as a sauce when I next sautée vegetables, too, and I'm sure it will be amazing. It's only 15 calories in a tablespoon, too.
I bought a box of their Spicy Black Bean soup, too. It's a little runnier than I would like, but the spice is just perfect to make it taste a little more substantial. It's only 2pts per cup, and with all the fiber and protein, it's quite filling for soup. I think I'll try making my own sometime, but this does as a fast and relatively expensive alternative.
Then, there's my favorite. I mentioned the reduced fat white cheddar, but even better than that is the reduced-fat smoked gouda I bought. Oh. My. Gouda. It's so so good. You'd never know it was reduced fat. I'm serving it tonight for my book club gathering and I couldn't help but eat several chunks while chopping the block up. There are tons of fun things you could do with it. Put it in salads, serve it with crackers, make fresh shishkabobs with onion, peppers, and meat. Or...you could just schnarf down the block all by itself. You can't go wrong.
Then, off the Trader Joe's bit, I wanted to say that I tried a new (to me) thing that is very definitely worth a try. I boiled some cauliflower and then pureed it in my new food processor with some garlic and a splash of milk. I read that it was like mashed potatoes, which I doubted till I tried it. Now I'm a believer! I added a tinge of salt and a little Brummel & Brown after pureeing, and it was a great and filling side dish! I recommend trying it if you haven't already. What have you got to lose but a few cents worth of cauliflower?
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Something to Chew On, Besides Food
Today's entry on Snack Girl was relevant and useful, so I thought I'd better link to it. She talks about the importance of eating healthy all year rather than worrying about what you eat at the holidays.
I did pretty much exactly what she said people do. I assumed I'd put on up to five pounds in the time I was home, and yet, I gained basically nothing. I'm now back to what I was when I left. I'm starting to wonder if, because I eat healthy most days of the week most weeks of the year (not to mention exercise!!), I've put my metabolism in a place where it can process the junk for a couple of weeks without doing much damage. While before this change in my lifestyle, my metabolism simply couldn't keep up with the perpetual onslaught of fat, sugar, and empty calories...so I kept gaining.
Basically, then, maybe eating healthy make eating unhealthy...easier! (In small doses, obviously!!) Talk about a mega-bonus of my new lifestyle!
Be sure to notice the tweet she quotes: "Don't worry about what you eat between Christmas and New Year's. Worry about what you eat between New Year's and Christmas." Great advice!
I did pretty much exactly what she said people do. I assumed I'd put on up to five pounds in the time I was home, and yet, I gained basically nothing. I'm now back to what I was when I left. I'm starting to wonder if, because I eat healthy most days of the week most weeks of the year (not to mention exercise!!), I've put my metabolism in a place where it can process the junk for a couple of weeks without doing much damage. While before this change in my lifestyle, my metabolism simply couldn't keep up with the perpetual onslaught of fat, sugar, and empty calories...so I kept gaining.
Basically, then, maybe eating healthy make eating unhealthy...easier! (In small doses, obviously!!) Talk about a mega-bonus of my new lifestyle!
Be sure to notice the tweet she quotes: "Don't worry about what you eat between Christmas and New Year's. Worry about what you eat between New Year's and Christmas." Great advice!
Monday, January 3, 2011
The Small Price of Healthy
I've been thinking since I went through the grocery store checkout tonight. You often hear that fruits and vegetables are more expensive than processed foods, and that's sometimes true, but careful shopping and portion control really narrows that gap.
Case in point. I went to the store tonight to start restocking my fridge after being gone. I got tons of fresh fruits (grapefruit, apples, bananas) and vegetables (spinach, peppers, onion, and carrots), plus some frozen fruits (blueberries, blackberries and raspberries) and vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower). I got some cottage cheese, milk, reduced-fat mozarella cheese. I got some low-point whole wheat bread and English muffins. I had $1 in coupons. I spent $33. This food will last me for well over a week, since I got some frozen stuff and apples last awhile.
Yes, it takes careful consideration of your options. Yes, it requires a little more preparation sometimes. But it's cheap and delicious. I'm satisfied at the end of the day. And since I've started eating this way, I have not ONCE been sick with a cold. I've had a few very minor complaints, but nothing a day of rest couldn't cure.
Now. I was home last week and ate out a lot. Each meal out was, on average $5-7. That means I will eat for almost a whole week (21 meals plus snacks) for the price of about 5 to 7 meals in a restaurant (snacks not included). Plus, my way, I feel better, I consume less salt and fat, I stay healthy and thin. With restaurants, I eat fat and salt, I feel lethargic, I am just hungry again a few hours later--because there were few real nutrients in that food--and I'm overweight.
Plus, by not eating out, I can budget more of my money for groceries, which means I can buy extra healthy luxuries and the occasional unhealthy treat. And then there's the fact that being healthy means I don't need to spend money on prescription or over-the-counter drugs or doctor visit co-pays. That just leaves more money for more healthy food!
That $33 tonight was a bargain, no matter how you do the math.
Case in point. I went to the store tonight to start restocking my fridge after being gone. I got tons of fresh fruits (grapefruit, apples, bananas) and vegetables (spinach, peppers, onion, and carrots), plus some frozen fruits (blueberries, blackberries and raspberries) and vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower). I got some cottage cheese, milk, reduced-fat mozarella cheese. I got some low-point whole wheat bread and English muffins. I had $1 in coupons. I spent $33. This food will last me for well over a week, since I got some frozen stuff and apples last awhile.
Yes, it takes careful consideration of your options. Yes, it requires a little more preparation sometimes. But it's cheap and delicious. I'm satisfied at the end of the day. And since I've started eating this way, I have not ONCE been sick with a cold. I've had a few very minor complaints, but nothing a day of rest couldn't cure.
Now. I was home last week and ate out a lot. Each meal out was, on average $5-7. That means I will eat for almost a whole week (21 meals plus snacks) for the price of about 5 to 7 meals in a restaurant (snacks not included). Plus, my way, I feel better, I consume less salt and fat, I stay healthy and thin. With restaurants, I eat fat and salt, I feel lethargic, I am just hungry again a few hours later--because there were few real nutrients in that food--and I'm overweight.
Plus, by not eating out, I can budget more of my money for groceries, which means I can buy extra healthy luxuries and the occasional unhealthy treat. And then there's the fact that being healthy means I don't need to spend money on prescription or over-the-counter drugs or doctor visit co-pays. That just leaves more money for more healthy food!
That $33 tonight was a bargain, no matter how you do the math.
Stepping On, Moving On
Got home last night, ate a small, sensible dinner and started the unpacking process. I have very mixed feelings about all of that. I very much enjoy being home with my family. My parents are now my friends, so I get a kick out of being a guest in their house. But at the same time, it's nice to be in my own space and not mooching off their good natures anymore. Plus, I am remodeling my basement over January, and I'm excited to get going on that. Yay!
Anyway. Having been gone for nearly two weeks means I haven't had access to my scale. Some people would say that's liberating and it's bad for one's health to weigh one's self every day. But I say they are wrong. I like weighing myself every morning. For me, it's just a nice, regular reminder of where I am and how far I've come. If my number goes up, I just think about what caused it and move on, knowing it will even out again so long as I'm good most days and bad only a few days per week. Typically I can contribute a gain to water or...solid...retention issues. Ha! Weighing doesn't feel like an obsession to me. It's just a daily marker.
Not having that for two weeks was, I admit, a little unnerving. I had no idea how much damage all those cookies and other sweets were doing. I couldn't tell whether I was going to come home up two pounds or five. I felt like my jeans were a little tighter, but I also know I have a tendency toward paranoia. But as I posted before, I decided just to roll with it and enjoy myself. I was willing to pay the consequences and re-regulate when I got home.
Well. This morning was The Day. Accountability Day. I got up, peed (hey--that's extra weight!), took off my pajamas, and stepped on. Deep breath. Look down. Tada!! I was up 1.5 pounds. That's NOTHING! Considering how frequently naughty I was, that is NOTHING. And then, my scale measures water weight, and it said I'm 65% water. I'm usually around 56-58%. I'm sure it's probably not terribly accurate, but there's always a shift in the percentage when I've had too much wine or haven't had enough water, so I figure it's a decent rough guide to where I am. If that's the case, that means I'm probably up 1.5 pounds just in water. If I'm good about drinking water this week, I have a feeling I'll be no worse for the wear after the two weeks' indulgence.
How awesome is that? The risk, of course, is that I'll start more frequently justifying madness because I didn't have much damage, but I don't think that's a major concern. I'm actually excited to return to healthy eating this week. I'm already planning to go to the grocery store to buy fruit and vegetables. Hurrah!
Anyway. Having been gone for nearly two weeks means I haven't had access to my scale. Some people would say that's liberating and it's bad for one's health to weigh one's self every day. But I say they are wrong. I like weighing myself every morning. For me, it's just a nice, regular reminder of where I am and how far I've come. If my number goes up, I just think about what caused it and move on, knowing it will even out again so long as I'm good most days and bad only a few days per week. Typically I can contribute a gain to water or...solid...retention issues. Ha! Weighing doesn't feel like an obsession to me. It's just a daily marker.
Not having that for two weeks was, I admit, a little unnerving. I had no idea how much damage all those cookies and other sweets were doing. I couldn't tell whether I was going to come home up two pounds or five. I felt like my jeans were a little tighter, but I also know I have a tendency toward paranoia. But as I posted before, I decided just to roll with it and enjoy myself. I was willing to pay the consequences and re-regulate when I got home.
Well. This morning was The Day. Accountability Day. I got up, peed (hey--that's extra weight!), took off my pajamas, and stepped on. Deep breath. Look down. Tada!! I was up 1.5 pounds. That's NOTHING! Considering how frequently naughty I was, that is NOTHING. And then, my scale measures water weight, and it said I'm 65% water. I'm usually around 56-58%. I'm sure it's probably not terribly accurate, but there's always a shift in the percentage when I've had too much wine or haven't had enough water, so I figure it's a decent rough guide to where I am. If that's the case, that means I'm probably up 1.5 pounds just in water. If I'm good about drinking water this week, I have a feeling I'll be no worse for the wear after the two weeks' indulgence.
How awesome is that? The risk, of course, is that I'll start more frequently justifying madness because I didn't have much damage, but I don't think that's a major concern. I'm actually excited to return to healthy eating this week. I'm already planning to go to the grocery store to buy fruit and vegetables. Hurrah!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Focus on the Meal, Not Facebook
It's new year's day, and the day a lot of people will be looking for ways to follow their resolution to lose weight. If you watch 30 minutes of TV, you'll see that this is the Happy Holiday season for all the weight-loss programs and the diet food and exercise companies. My dad's article this week (he publishes editorials in several Iowa newspapers) was about resolutions, and he said that most people give up on them within four-six weeks. I hope you, my friends, will not be in that category!
One way to keep on track with that resolution to being healthy is through conscious eating. This morning there was a great post on NPR about the issues surrounding dieting that aren't simply caloric. Of course, the baseline issue with weight and weight loss is the ratio of calories consumed to calories spent. But, this article shows there's more to it than that, and I think it's the "more to it" that so often derails us. It's the stuff we don't think about that keeps us from success.
The article says the external distractions are an important component in our lack of success. Basically, it's the eating we do when there are too many other stimuli, when we're thinking about too many other things. Given our fast-paced, multi-tasking lives, how often do we actually think primarily about our food while we're eating? For me, being single, I usually eat in front of the computer or the television at night and at my desk for lunch. I'm playing computer games or reading my Facebook feed or the news. The last thing I'm thinking about is my meal. And then suddenly it's all gone and I realize I haven't really enjoyed any of it, so I'm tempted to go get something else that I'll taste and enjoy...which means more calories that I don't need. And when I actually do indulge this idea (which I usually don't), I end up doing the same damn thing: eat it while messing around on the computer! So I still don't enjoy the second round!
This is not earth shattering information. I've read before to spend more time thinking about the taste and pleasure in my food's flavor and texture. But I think this might be the biggest hurdle I have yet to conquer, and I'm guessing it is one for you, too. If you're choosing to focus on healthier eating this January, focus on your meal, not just your diet. If we all do this, we'll be that much closer to our goals, right?
One way to keep on track with that resolution to being healthy is through conscious eating. This morning there was a great post on NPR about the issues surrounding dieting that aren't simply caloric. Of course, the baseline issue with weight and weight loss is the ratio of calories consumed to calories spent. But, this article shows there's more to it than that, and I think it's the "more to it" that so often derails us. It's the stuff we don't think about that keeps us from success.
The article says the external distractions are an important component in our lack of success. Basically, it's the eating we do when there are too many other stimuli, when we're thinking about too many other things. Given our fast-paced, multi-tasking lives, how often do we actually think primarily about our food while we're eating? For me, being single, I usually eat in front of the computer or the television at night and at my desk for lunch. I'm playing computer games or reading my Facebook feed or the news. The last thing I'm thinking about is my meal. And then suddenly it's all gone and I realize I haven't really enjoyed any of it, so I'm tempted to go get something else that I'll taste and enjoy...which means more calories that I don't need. And when I actually do indulge this idea (which I usually don't), I end up doing the same damn thing: eat it while messing around on the computer! So I still don't enjoy the second round!
This is not earth shattering information. I've read before to spend more time thinking about the taste and pleasure in my food's flavor and texture. But I think this might be the biggest hurdle I have yet to conquer, and I'm guessing it is one for you, too. If you're choosing to focus on healthier eating this January, focus on your meal, not just your diet. If we all do this, we'll be that much closer to our goals, right?
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