Food for Thought

“I am a better person when I have less on my plate.”
― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

Today I have been feeling a bit philosophical and devote this blog post to food.  Food is essential to life, it is not like a drug that is unessential to our being yet used for similar satisfaction to food.  Yet food can be just as addictive, if not more.  We have to eat to live- period.  What power food is given just in that thought.  It is only natural for food then to become a means by which we express ourselves.  Now I could go on and on about this topic, blah blah blah - but I believe you understand exactly what I mean.  Food has gotten me to this place in my life- overweight.  Yet it is not foods fault, it is mine and I accept full responsibility for that. 

It is the way that I thought about food on some conscious or subconscious level that has gotten me into trouble. 

Here are somethings that I have learned about food this week:

1. If I eat really well for breakfast and lunch, I have more to play around with for dinner and snacks.

2. Counting calories keeps me accountable for everything I put in my mouth.

3. My body feels different, it is a different kind of full I have to get used to.

4. My running shoes now replace the purpose I gave to food.

5.  I have a new purpose for food- Eat to live, not live to eat.

6. I can hold myself more accountable for what I eat.

and many other cliche's and inner musings that keep me going in the right direction.

As far as the food portion of this crazy, life altering journey I am on, I have decided to count calories.  I am not good at any kind of structure so counting points, weighing and measuring, eating only certain foods and eliminating others doesn't really work for me. I don't like being told what I can and can't eat.   I have tried many fad diets, weight watchers, Diet Workshop, you name it, I've probably tried it.  Ya see me skinny?  Nope, me either.

So counting calories is easy, along with the great APP to keep track of everything, My Fitness Pal.  All I have to do is make different choices about what I put in my mouth.  I start with what I know I like but are also relatively healthy.  A BLT sandwich, green peppers, capresi salad, hummus, Stacy's Pita chips, Greek Yogurt with added granola and all kinds of fruits.  I made sure that I had these things in my cart when I went shopping.  

Now I am not a cook, don't have the time to devote to all of it's requirements and it also falls in that deep pit of structure that gets me every time.  A friend recommended a website- skinnytaste.com and I found a recipe there for Summertime Vegetable and Sausage using chicken sausage (surprisingly good), baby red potatoes, peppers and onions.

 I am good with one recipe but to have 4-5 to make throughout the week would be so hard for me- maybe my next challenge? I am making a roast in the crock pot for tonight because I had taken the roast out the freezer on Tuesday and I had the onion and potatoes.  I am scared to check the calories for the amount of this beef I want to eat (my favorite all time food).  But I have a training tonight and I am trying to conserve some of my calories too because I am pretty sure I will want to dig into it like JLo in the movie, The Back-Up Plan (great movie btw). 

****Side funny story- I had forgotten the name of the movie, but could clearly visualize JLo slopping up stew with 2 peices of bread, so I asked Anna what the name was and she and Kieran are watching it- right now.  WEIRD!!  Beyond creepy (said in my teenagery voice).  Anyway.....

So with a few staples under my belt, I am learning to navigate the world of healthy food.  From past experience, and years of getting to know myself, I am trying not to set myself up for failure.  I am changing the power that food has over me.  

I would welcome any low calorie snack suggestions as this will probably one area right now that will be the most difficult.

Dinners are a bit too daunting for me to tackle completely at the moment.  Baby steps.

Until then, 

Feeding my inner skinny girl