YumYum

So I am feeling in the mood for some food talk. Because I...LOVE....FOOD. I love spices and oils and breads and desserts and really good meat and broccoli rocks my world! I have been blessed to have healthy food around me at home in the past few months, but I will be moving out in just a wee bit.

(pay no attention to the weird formatting above. I don't know how to fix it:)

And then I've got to fend for myself. Getting bored of soups for lunch at work, I have been trying to mix it up a little. Last week I mixed some mango salsa with shredded chicken leftovers and scooped it up in a whole wheat tortilla for a good meal.

On Sunday night I tried a recipe for Thai Chicken Salad from Shape magazine. Due to some leftovers, it was a thai turkey salad, but who's keeping track? Basically, I mixed shredded turkey and shredded carrots with these:

(peanut butter, rice vinegar, and ground red pepper)

The results were meant to go in a sandwich, but I used whole wheat tortillas again. The finished product, tupperwared and ready for the next day, looked like this:
I wish I could say it was awesome, but the taste of vinegar was strong, and the texture was mushy. BUT, I am even more determined to find a healthy peanut sauce out there that I can easily make!

Luckily, I was still excited about a dinner I made the week before, so my disappointment wasn't too bad:)

I wanted to try cooking fish. Cooking meat in general is a tricky area for me where I can make a marinade, but fail at actually cooking it. So I looked in the American Heart Association's Quick and Easy Cookbook to find an easy approach to fish.

Voila. Pan-Seared Tuna with Mandarin Orange Pico de Gallo. Sounds tricky, but I did it! For sides I had steamed broccoli and 5-minute cous-cous(I was bored of pasta and rice).

(That's my plate! The tuna is hiding under the pico de gallo.)

But enough about the successes. Let's talk a bit about the improvement opportunities. I was so proud of my last weigh-in, and the self-control I had on Thanksgiving, I let go on the weekend. I was working and cranky, so I procrastinated on planning meals to bring, be really hungry when I got home, and then loaded up. And I had more pizza than I could handle. Too much pizza=tummy ache.

As my life gets busier, I need to make more time for food planning. I know it's not a great hobby, but I love food, so spending time thinking of delicious healthy foods shouldn't be a hardship.

Lately I have been making excuses about food because it has "healthy fat." I will not shun fat, it is the taste in most foods and your body needs some.

However. I don't need large quantities. I've noticed that when my eating habits veer from healthy, I start abbreviating my food journal. I try to make the page seem relatively empty so it looks like I didn't eat too much. Who am I fooling???

And this is in the freezer. Right now. I really want some. BUT. I had a lot of good food today, and the ice cream will be there tomorrow. So I will wait. I will wait for creamy deliciousness, that is only 100 cal per 1/2 cup serving.

DARN YOU PUMPKIN ICE CREAM!

(Also, I love green tea. Especially when I can drink it out of my mug that is as big as my face:)

Update like you mean it!

So my goals for the past week were 1)do something crazy, and 2)open a Fitday account. I did accomplish both of my goals, but in different ways than I first thought. It’s funny how life takes your plans, does a little twist, and says, “now what?” But enough of my waxing poetic (nothing about waxing is poetic...where did this saying come from?) Here’s what happened:

I went jogging. *gasp* No seriously, I did. For the first time in at least a year and a half. I strapped myself in with two bras, leashed the dog, and alternated walking and jogging for 45 minutes. How CRAZY is that!? Now it gets insane because...I loved it.

(This is me striking a happy Losergirl pose in the backyard, while my

dog tries to catch flies in her mouth. Inspiring, no?)

I had been inside and driving all day and the crisp fall air combined with twilight jazzed me up and I kept wishing I could go longer! Too bad my dog had eaten a dozen muffins (including paper wrappers) the night before and threw them all up in the street. Good times, good times my friends:)

I started an account on Fitday, and am still learning how to use it. I found out that I am eating around 1800 calories on days I don’t have social events, and then I eat (and drink:) around 2100 calories. My intake also fluctuates with my work schedule, so that is something I have been more conscious of. One thing I appreciate about Fitday is that they do a pie chart for every day, letting you know how many of your calories come from fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.

I have to be honest, I don’t enjoy calculating all this stuff out. Every once in a while is fine, but I prefer to just be mindful about what I eat, and try to exercise. This may change over time and as it gets more difficult to lose weight, but I focus on my breathing and sweat intensity on the elliptical, instead of a certain caloric number. And my food choices are focused on healthier foods (fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protein and some tasty fat) in moderation, instead of a gaol number. That works for me.

So figure out your own method. How do you judge your health? Do you count calories expended/caloric intake? Are you cutting back on carbs? On sugar? Not eating late at night? What is your personal living healthy plan?