12.11.2009

Dieting Week 3

Au natural.


So the theme for this week is (almost was...sorry) natural foods, additive free, made from scratch.

Coincidently Mrs. B is starting retro cooking month on her blog and she promises lots of made from scratch/mostly healthy recipes. Check it:here ya go

So as a pagan I am going to jump on something that I admittedly should do more of (pagan or not)and go natural this week.

A selection from my week's menu:

Pomegranite and Tangerine Salad

Spicy Indian Veggie Kabobs

(Organic)Chicken Salad with Black Grapes and Yogurt

Roasted Veggie Salad

Winter Veggie Stew

If you're interested in any of the recipes message me and I'll send em your way.

Also, I'm addicted to Yogi Tea's amazing Blueberry Slim Life Tea (all natural)

That's me for the day. However if your are interested in going all natural with more than just food this week check Mrs. B's give away of a $25 Eco Store USA gift card. GREAT stuff!

~Ann

Hmm...Dieting...week 2?

So I belatedly realized that my first week was set to be Thanksgiving. Which as you may imagine did not work out too well.

So I did allow the no refined sugar thing to go into two weeks, b/c week one was an abysmal disaster.

I have discovered that it is nearly impossible to COMPLETELY remove all refined sugars from a (my at least) diet. They're in too many things, seriously.

However I do have to say i had way fewer blood sugar ups and downs and crazy enegry crashes when I was at least limiting myself...so I will continue that trend at least. It is helpful just to be aware of what you're putting in your body. You wouldn't pour just anything into your car's gas tank, right?

~Ann

11.21.2009

Diet Day 1

Here's the deal...I'm on a diet...or will be...or i guess technicall am as of 5 minutes ago. Which is not new or exciting for me or anyone else really.

I suck at dieting.

I am on of those people who has a really hard time forming a (healthy) habit....and also most of the time I just say eff it if something isn't working after say...a week. (Oh shut up!)

However, I both need and want to get healthier. I have a history of obesity and related heart diesease in my family (not so much the good). Also I just really want to be able to wear cute swimsuits come summer...yes I am that person, and I have no real problem with that.

Which brings me to the point. I am going to incorporate one dieting/'healthier lifestyle' (which we all know just means dieting) 'must' into my life every week. (Everything from the 'hey, thats probably a good idea advice' like 'excercise', to the potentially ridiculous...meditating to loose weight anyone?) And yes, just one/week.

If i like it, see improvement, or just feel better using this tip after the week I'll keep it (and add another tip to it the next week).

If not it's toast and we all move on to the next thing.

Pretty simple I must say.

For the purposes of me getting used to whatever foolishness I have infliced on myself, before I have to try to incorporate it into my work week, my dieting weeks will run Saturday-Friday.

I have decided to begin this potential torture-fest by cutting out all refined sugars from my diet. ("Oh, Ann, you have such high goals.") I know, reader, I know.

Ok, so my first thought is- what, exactly, are these effing refined sugars you read so much about. Well I'm pretty sure the answer is obvious, but just to really define it and thus set the tone for all the wonderful things I will NOT be able to eat this week...I looked it up.

Wikipedia's got nada. However, I have prevailed, by reading between the lineson several other web sites that popped up when I did a search for refined sugar, to discover that refined sugar is basically the devil (in sugar form). It has no health benefits and is apparently so full of evil calories it could probably kill you with one bite if it wanted to. Glad I've dodged that bullet for years.

E-how did a handy list of foods to aviod, basically all dessert items (candy, cookies, cake, etc.), sodas (they said only regular...but since diet soda is the spawn of all evil I guess it will be soda free for me this week), foods (like sauces) containing 'sucrose' (read your labels people!), and breads and pastas that are not wheat.

Ok, good to know, a little on the duh side with the research, but it's all good.

So here goes, breakfast was oatmeal (not instant) with honey and cinnamon instead of sugar, a bannana, and skim milk.

And I'll be updating with meals (and results) as the week continues.

~Ann