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!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
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?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)