Quick and Easy

Instead of starting on a new "diet" this year, I've decided to throw caution into the wind and do what I think I know I should do. That's the thing about all of these "diets"...they are for people who know nothing about nutrition, portion control and need something laid out for them in explicit terms. I grew up with a Home Ec. teacher for a mom and along the way she's taught me about food. She never really taught me how to cook, that is surprisingly one of the few natural talents I have. Yes, she has taught me some terms (because really, do we have to have a fancy term for everything?) and a couple of things along the way, but my cooking skills came purely out of experimenting and smelling. Smelling? Yes, I cook by smell. If it smells good together before it's cooked, it's gotta taste good, right? Usually that works.

Anyway, I'm getting side-tracked here. Point is, I know how to cook. And, get this, I am really good at cooking healthy! I rarely use salt unless it's absolutely necessary...and no, it doesn't mean my food is bland. People would be surprised how herbs and spices will actually do the trick in the flavor department and no extra salt is needed. I am pretty exclusive with my olive oil usage with the only exceptions ever being if the strong and distinctive flavor of the olive oil won't mix well with whatever it is I am cooking. Then I will use straight canola oil. Both of these are believed to be among the healthiest of the oils. I rarely use butter when I cook. The only time I use that is in cookies (which aren't healthy anyway) or in mac and cheese. Basically, I use butter in the unhealthy recipes because let's face it, if I'm going to splurge, then I am going go whole hog!

I also prefer fresh veggies as opposed to canned or frozen, but if I need a quick go-to, then it's always frozen first and then canned (rinsed well, of course). I know I need whole grains, fruits and veggies in any given day and I sure as heck know that fast food doesn't provide this. And, if they do, it's often at a cost. Which is stupid, if you ask me! Why does it have to cost $1.30 extra to sub a SMALL fruit cup for a large french fry? I know fruit is more expensive than potatoes and definitely more perishable, but seriously, have you seen those small fruit cups? There is absolutely no way that amount of fruit was really $1.30 more than the the potatoes and oil that went into the large fries.

Point is, if fast food joints would offer healthier options at the same cost, I would be happy. A grilled chicken sandwich (no mayo...not a big fan of the stuff anyway) and fruit cup (even a small one) at the same prices as the fried and greasy option would keep me going there throughout any health kick period.

But they don't. And I really need quick and easy. So, since I'm also on a big budget crunch as well as trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, I've been doing the best I can do. And what do you know? Without really trying or being on any kind of "diet," I've lost 5 pounds in a couple of weeks! The last time I weighed myself, which I can't remember if it was last week or the week before, I was 134 with 18% body fat. This morning, 129 with 15% body fat! I finally broke out of the 130s!!! I can't believe it! It's been probably 2 years since I hit that 130 mark and I've stayed there fairly consistently. And I did this all by doing what I already know to do.

Here's what my past couple of weeks have looked like as far as eating goes:
Breakfast:
Coffee with creamer
1 cup (measured dry) plain, quick oats - prepared with water
Big handful (about 1/3 of a cup) of frozen rasberries, blueberries, blackberries
1 packet of Truvia

Here's where people will knock my breakfast: the creamer, 1 full cup of quick oatmeal and "artificial" sweetener. Here's how they are wrong: creamer has fat, yes, but you need fat to properly digest your food and the get the most nutrients out of it. That's why "experts" will tell you that if you are eating a meal with very little to no fat in it, start with a salad with OIL and vinegar. You need fat, not a lot, but you need it. Plus, the tinsy amount of creamer that I use doesn't have a ton of fat in there. Secondly, I know the label says that 1/2 cup of oats is a serving size. I tried 1/2 a cup. Not enough for me. Plus, you should eat most of your carbs in the morning anyway. Also, I know you should eat the super expensive, take forever to cook steel cut oats. Yeah, I work for a living and I leave for work at 6:30am. Not going to take the time to make 30 minute oatmeal. 3 minute oatmeal is fine and it's still healthier than most of the sugary cereals that get crammed down our youth's throats, right? And lastly, Truvia is actually natural. It's the best non-sugar sweetener out there, in my opinion. Not that I'm an expert, but I do know how to read a label and do research. I've also heard from countless nutritionists that they would rather you use a little bit of artificial sweetener than regular sugar if you are trying to lose weight. I don't even use the artificial stuff. The ingredients in Truvia are erythritol, which is a natural sweetener found in some fruits, rebiana, which is the sweetest part of the stevia plant (a real plant from South America that has been used for centuries for it's sweetening properties) and natural flavors. The natural flavors are probably the scariest part of all just because it is so vague. But, it's not all that bad...and for the record, neither is the artificial counterpart. However, I think Truvia's ingredients are still better than that of let's say, Sweet 'n Low...which is what my company offers. Americans get plenty of corn by-product in our diets that we really don't need much more. Dextrose, I'm talking to you!

Lunch:
Lean Cuisine or Kashi or Healthy Choice frozen meal with a handful of frozen mixed veggies thrown in

The argument: it's frozen! It's processed! It's high in sodium! My defense: it's quick! It's less processed than McDonald's (not to mention the added veggies)! I need sodium anyway because I run and I don't get any from breakfast and very little from dinner! So there! Plus, most of these meals are under 25% of your daily recommended intake. Never do I go over 25%.

Snack:
Either a handful of unsalted mixed nuts
OR
2 Wasa crackers with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter (only PB that is made of peanuts, peanut oil and salt) and a touch of honey
And on running days, I also have Luna bar as I leave work.

Not sure what could be argued here...maybe, "I thought you said lunch was your only sodium intake?" I didn't say lunch was my only sodium intake, I just said it was the majority of my sodium intake. Also, all 3 of the above combined? About 12%. But I never eat all 3 in one day. And again, I actually need sodium.

Dinner:
Baked chicken breast
Jasmine rice
Veggies

The argument: white rice! White rice! BAAAAAD! My defense: not really. Yes, brown rice would be better, but I like the flavor of white...specifically Jasmine...and I do need carbs after my runs. So, it's not that bad. Plus, this is most frequently used rice in Asian countries and they eat it almost every meal. They tend to be skinny and live longer, so surely white rice isn't that horrible, now is it?

Yes, I do have cheat meals still. Last night we had pizza rolls. Basically, I use reduced fat crescent rolls, a little bit of sauce and little bit of cheese (seriously, not a lot at all...won't fit). We happened to have fresh buffalo mozzarella and now I am hooked on the stuff. The crescent rolls are the worst part and yes, I have 4 pizza rolls and Jonathan has the other 4. But come on...everyone is allowed a cheat day! And it's still about a 500 calorie dinner.

My other non-nutritionally balanced dinners consist of homemade pizza (I like lots of sauce, very little cheese and veggies if available) and spaghetti. We are very Italian at home, apparently. But, any cheat meal I have, I make sure to eat very slowly and stop when I first feel not hungry. No, I don't say stop when I feel full, because in my head, that means bloated and stuffed. So, I have to ask myself if that hunger edge has been taken away. Basically, I don't eat the whole dang meal!

Anyway, that's my quick and easy "diet" if anyone wants to try it. I'm going to the grocery store this weekend to stock up on other healthier snacks. I need more veggies in my diet, I know. It's just a pain in the butt to prepare them when the majority of your meals are at work. I'll let you know how this one goes. Maybe this time, I can actually stick to it!