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!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
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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