About four weeks ago I went back to eating healthy. Two years ago I lost 30 pounds eating this way. But after I lost the weight I gradually went back to eating the way I used to eat. It was so gradual, that I barely noticed how the bad habits had crept back in. I was choosing more starches (potatoes and bread are a big weakness for me!) and skipping meals. (Some people struggle with overeating, I struggle with undereating based on a lifetime of skipping meals.) Soon I noticed that I was not feeling hungry at all. That's a big sign for me that my metabolism has turned off entirely. To make matters worse, over the fall and winter, I was sitting a lot while editing the new novel and not exercising because I didn't have time to spare. And I was not eating right either. Not good.
Then I ran into a friend who had lost a lot of weight-- gone from a 12 or 14 to a 2 or 4. She confessed that she had gained all her weight back. And she told me that she felt foolish for not getting on top of the gain before. She said that she almost did when she had only gained like 7 pounds but she chastised herself for being "obsessive." She said now she regretted that. She should've gotten on top of things when it wasn't so overwhelming.
That was all I needed to hear. It was time for me to get back on top of things before I slid down that slippery slope. And so, I started making the necessary changes to get back on track. I know how to eat right. I know what I need to do. It's just that doing it isn't all that much "fun."
And so today I just wanted to share one thought about healthy eating: Take it one meal at a time. Wake up and think about what you're going to have for breakfast. If you eat what you're supposed to at breakfast, congratulate yourself. Speak kindly to yourself. Tell yourself that you did great. Don't get all caught up in what you're going to eat three days from now. It can depress and overwhelm you. Instead just get through one meal at a time. Then feel good about what you just did. This might sound silly but it's been very helpful to me. I think speaking kindly to yourself is underrated and seldom practiced.
And now I thought I'd include this recipe for Taco Soup that a friend sent me that doesn't include beans or corn-- things you aren't supposed to have when eating mainly lean meats and certain veggies/fruits like I am. Perhaps you'd like to make some up and have it on hand to dish out. And then after you have it for lunch or dinner, you can congratulate yourself on a meal well done.
For the next several weeks I am going to be sharing things I am eating, restaurant meals I've found I can eat, and tips on shedding pounds. If you're going on Lysa TerKeurst's Made To Crave journey or simply just want to change your eating habits or stick to your new year's resolution to lose weight, stop back by on the next few Mondays to receive some encouragement.
"Healthy" Taco Soup
1 lb beef, cooked
1 lg onion, chopped
1 can rotel
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 to 1.5 bags frozen mixed veggies (I did half bag of french style green beans and whole bag of mixed with broc, cauli, carrot, asparagus) Just eyeball the veggies
1 10 oz green chilies (optional)
1 packet of taco seasoning (see my substitution below, which I use)
1 pk ranch dressing (see my sub below)
2 cans of beef broth (look for sugar free. I use Pacific (organic), which has no sugar. Eyeball this as well. I ended up pouring basically a whole 32 oz carton of beef stock in there.
Mix all and simmer 30 minutes or more.
Taco seasoning: 2 tsp minced onion, 1tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp red pepper, 1/4 tsp oregano, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp garlic minced, 1/2 tsp cumin
Ranch seasoning: 1 TBSP parsley, 1 tsp dill, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt (optional, and I omit), 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp pepper
Thanks to Jenny B Jones for sharing this recipe!! Her new book Save The Date is out now!!
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