My family and I took our last trip to Sweden on a, what they call here "harrytur". For the past couple of years we would go to Sweden to buy meat, chicken, beef, etc. because it is quite a bit cheaper there than here. AND at the store we go to they also have an American food section. I used to LOVE buying stuff from that section but after starting a healthy diet, there's nothing I really want from that section anymore. OH I still bought some generic fruit loops for my kids though and for me. You know, for those times I want something sweet to munch on :-)
Anyway, we had dinner at the mall and I always really dread eating out somewhere because everything is SO unhealthy!!! I could have ordered a salad but all the dressing, ugh. No. So I ordered a chicken burger. It had mayo inside and came with some fries. I thought I was really going to go over my calories for the day if I ate ALL of it. So, instead, I just ate the chicken inside, the salad it came with (very little!) and munched on some of the fries. I didn't bother eating the bun it came with. So, I might have been "ok" on calories but way too high on sodium. But you know what, it's ok! I didn't beat myself over this. I felt GOOD about the choices I made. I chose not to eat the bread, saving me what...200ish calories probably? I drank water too. I told my husband "Sorry I have to be so picky now about my food" since I left the bread and half the fries at the end. <em>246</em> but I was satisfied. (we ate dinner at about 4pm) Later that night I had melon, some apple slices and a banana as a snack. Mmm loved the melon! So, I went to bed feeling good and satisfied. Now, rewind 8 months ago...there's NO WAY I would have been satisfied with eating just fruit as a snack. NOPE! Forget it...especially after leaving half my plate of dinner!
So I was sitting here thinking about the food that I make and eat. You know, it hasn't changed all that much from before BUT I do make stuff from scratch a lot more now than before. And I eat more vegetables now too. Before I would buy packaged soups and stuff that you just add this or that. Stuff loaded with sodium and lots of calories! I also always used taco seasoning for when I made tacos. Now, I mix my own taco seasoning with the spices I have here at home and my tacos taste pretty darn good! I still eat tacos :-) Usually just one taco or two, or I fix myself a taco salad, or eat it in a whole wheat tortilla and make myself a burrito instead. Use low fat cheese, low fat sour cream or plain yogurt, lean ground beef or my new favorite ground chicken (only 5% fat) LOTS of veggies on top!!! Tastes pretty darn good if you ask me.
So, I still make my favorite dishes but try my best to make them healthier (adding more veggies or changing to whole wheat, etc.) AND my portions are small. Well, smaller than before. I know what a portion size is now and always try to stick with that. I don't count calories anymore so I have to just SEE it on my plate and then I usually know if it's too much or too little. I usually go nuts on the veggies though especially if it's my favorite. (..asparagus, zucchini!!!!) :) You know, I never thought I'd get to this point but I stopped counting calories last December because I just couldn't keep up with it anymore. And I've lost about 30 pounds since then. And guess what? I still enjoy chocolate, soda, sweet bread, or any other "bad" food every now and then. ;-) I just don't eat them ALL the time. Just once every couple weeks or so. Or if I feel like I've been good on calories all day, I enjoy a small piece of chocolate in the evening.
I'm just glad I can make the right choices now. I'm surprised I get full a lot sooner than before. I never leave the table feeling "stuffed". If I'm feeling extremely full it's probably because of all the water I drink either before or after my meal. Usually one or two glasses of water. It really does help. :-) I think I've found something that really works for me. And everyone is different. You will eventually find something that works for you.
I'm looking forward to seeing my parents reaction this summer though when it comes to me eating. I'm sure they are going to think I'm not eating enough. For ALL my life they have seen me eat, well, a lot more than I do now, keeping me the way I was (well...ya know...overweight). I'm sure it will be a bit of a shock at first. I'm slowly preparing myself, more mentally than anything else, for that new challenge. I can't wait!
Oh but wait...that means I have to say goodbye to everything around here. So sad. But that's another story. :(
~L
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