About two weeks ago, I decided to change how we eat: how much I cook, how much we go out, what I cook, what I eat for lunch, etc. It started out as purely financial - we're building a house and want to save as much for a down payment as possible by the time that it's finished (Augustish). So we started eating out less and cooking more. Then I saw a picture of me from my sister-in-law's shower. At first I told myself it was just an unflattering photo. Then I stood on the scale and it told me that no, that picture was actually very accurate. I started thinking about what to do about that and I decided to start with food.
Let's be honest - I love food. I know they say that you are supposed to eat to live, but I live to eat. Not necessarily to gorge myself, but to eat good food. So for me, any major change in regards to my weight and health always starts with food.
I sat down and planned five meals. Normally, I cook about three meals a week and we would eat out between three to five times a week. And when I eat out, I eat all the bad things. Especially if it's Mexican. I have no self-control when it comes to queso.
Taking on cooking every night during the week while working full time is a big commitment, so I planned meals that I would like, but that were under 500 calories. I also stick to meals that are said to take 40 minutes or less because who actually is as quick as the recipe says? If you are, I give you serious props. I really just wanted to be excited about our dinners and for them to be doable so that after sitting in traffic, I still wanted to come home and cook. I also planned out a snack for the week. Pastries are my downfall, so I made some berry lemonade bars to eat throughout the week. The rest of my snacks became fruit, not processed foods like my usual Special K pastry crisps. I stopped buying Lean Cuisines for lunch because I don't really like them and they don't fill me up. If I bring a Lean Cuisine for lunch, I'm 50% more likely to not eat it than if my lunch is leftovers from a meal that I like.
The change? After the first two hunger-filled days, I got used to my schedule. Breakfast, banana at 10, lunch at noon, some other fruit around 3 and dinner around 630-7. I was good with eating between 1200 and 1400 calories. And I actually ate my leftovers and didn't go out to eat at lunch. And I lost some weight.
These are fairly significant changes, but not hard. I still eat three meals a day, they're just between 300-500 calories. I still have a morning and afternoon snack and I still drink my latte everyday. But I look at portions. I do count calories because it helps me plan better. Thanks to my new snacking habits, I'm pretty much getting a minimum of three servings of fruits and vegetables a day and getting five servings at least 2 days a week.
So, why am I writing this? Do I think I've found something new? No. But I'm a girl that's had a love/hate relationship with food and weight for most of her life. I'm writing this because I feel like I've finally, at the age of 29, found a good place, a good balance of the two (though I still have a long way to go). I'm also writing it because many people don't cook anymore, they think it's hard. It's not. It does definitely help to have a husband that washes dishes because I use all the dishes when I cook. But making dinners, dinners that you want to eat, every night is very attainable.
But I'm also writing this for me. To be able look back, if I forget, and remember how to get back to this place.
Also, to give you my favorites of the recipes I've used this week:
Seared Flank Steak with Blue Cheese Polenta
I love steak and the flavor was awesome, but the polenta is where it's at. Polenta is a lot like grits. I'm still making the polenta to go with other meals.
Smoky Shrimp and Chicken Gumbo
This takes a while to make, mostly because of the roux, but is worth it if you like gumbo. It does have a bit of heat to it, but I don't think it's a lot. It looks more like soup when you first make it, but then the rice soaks up the moisture and it becomes much more gumbo-like (very scientific term). It also makes a ton! So far, we've had this for 2 meals and I've eaten it for lunch 3 times and there is still some left!
Dark Chocolate Banana Bread
Chocolate Covered Katie is one of my favorite blogs because she does dessert makeovers. It's a great site for restricted diets as most of her recipes can be made gluten free, vegan, low-fat, high fiber, oil-free and refined sugar free. I ended up making this recipe because I had overripe bananas to use and the rest of the ingredients I already had on hand, but I will definitely be making this again! Very filling and super chocolaty. Be warned - if you put this in an online calorie counting program, it will give you much higher numbers than she does. I trust her numbers, though, because I've eaten this every morning for breakfast and still lost weight.
Sausage Spaghetti Pie
This came out of one of my cookbooks and I've made it quite a few times for Aaron and I. It's really quick and really good. I also love that it's under 400 calories.
Roasted Broccoli
This is not the actual recipe that I used, but very close to it. I got this recipe from Papa Spud's, my local produce box, but they require you to be a member to get their recipes! Before this, I ate broccoli, but did not love it. This will make you love broccoli. It tastes nothing like the broccoli you grew up with. I actually go back for seconds with this recipe.
Note - All pictures come from the links to the recipes, I don't take any credit for the photos...mostly because I inhaled my food before any pictures could be taken!
Oh and I still most definitely live to eat. I'm just eating better :)
