It's what you eat that counts
It’s been six weeks or so since the New Year, and I wonder what percentage of the population have given up their ridiculous diets. Last year, I fell into this category. Except my diet plan was a “non-diet” and despite being unable to stick it to it faithfully, those 6 weeks or so I did stay true to my non-diet left me with some lasting impressions… and, incredibly, results.
I’m not the first person to say it, nor am I even the most recent person to say it, but I can tell you it works: it has to do with the foods you eat, not how little or what time of day, etc. So, which are the good foods? It can be difficult to discern what is true with trends, fads, and quack crash diet gurus telling you which foods to eat for your skin, your hair, your waist, ad infinitum, ad nauseum. I can only tell you what worked for me.
My diet changed when I started tuning into what made me feel good after eating it (sautéed spinach, fresh apples), and admitting to what made feel bad/greasy/nauseous after eating it (McDonald’s, Sun Chips), and also being open to some new foods.
Here are some of the best foods you can eat: sweet potatoes, fat-free/skim milk and yogurt, broccoli, wild salmon, brown rice, citrus fruit, squash and gourds, spinach, tomatoes, beans, whole oats, green tea, dark berries, kale, and – double-plus bonus! – dark chocolate.
Now, does this mean you can grab a Dark Snickers and a bean burrito and feel some great health benefits? Puh-lease. It means reworking your diet to include these foods on a regular basis. I ditched my Whataburger breakfast for a packet of Quaker Multigrain Hot Cereal. I carry my Lean Cuisine meals faithfully to work everyday for lunch. In between, I lightly snack on cranberries, unsalted nuts, yogurt, apples, and the occasional SlimFast faux candy bar. Eating six or seven mini-meals a day is actually better for you than three larger ones – or in my case, the one huge one I was eating at the end of the day.
My dinners now are surprisingly filling – and tasty. I mix it up a bit, but my I’m-too-tired-to-cook standby is low-sodium butternut squash or roasted red pepper and tomato soup, a multigrain or whole-wheat roll, and steamed spinach with cracked pepper – yum! I say that not just because I’ve actually come to enjoy the taste of these things, but because I don’t feel weighed down after eating them. I actually feel better, energized, and satisfied. Before I hit the hay, I reward myself with a cranberry oatmeal cookie or a square of dark chocolate. That’s enough to satisfy the desire for a sweet little something for me.
Am I telling you to follow my diet? Absolutely not. That’s the problem with prefabricated diet plans in my book; they leave no room for the individual. I’ve found what works for me. Sometimes my love for hamburgers rears its ugly head and my black bean burger on whole wheat bun just ain’t gonna cut it. I don’t beat myself up, but I also don’t ignore the way my body feels afterward. That’s what keeps me coming back to my “superfoods” – they make me feel good.
I’ve had fun trying new foods and recipes in my new way of eating. I’ve discovering that I love squash and pumpkin and that it doesn’t have to taste either bland or like pumpkin pie. I’ve found out that steaming fresh veggies is as easy as tossing them in a partially-closed Ziploc with a tablespoon of water in the microwave for a minute, give or take. I’ve learned that I’m more energized at work post-lunch if I have some salmon in my lunch. And I’ve learned that meals can be whatever my body needs – even if it is a peanut butter and mixed berry smoothie with a whole-grain bagel and low-fat cream cheese.
I’m not the first person to say it, nor am I even the most recent person to say it, but I can tell you it works: it has to do with the foods you eat, not how little or what time of day, etc. So, which are the good foods? It can be difficult to discern what is true with trends, fads, and quack crash diet gurus telling you which foods to eat for your skin, your hair, your waist, ad infinitum, ad nauseum. I can only tell you what worked for me.
My diet changed when I started tuning into what made me feel good after eating it (sautéed spinach, fresh apples), and admitting to what made feel bad/greasy/nauseous after eating it (McDonald’s, Sun Chips), and also being open to some new foods.
Here are some of the best foods you can eat: sweet potatoes, fat-free/skim milk and yogurt, broccoli, wild salmon, brown rice, citrus fruit, squash and gourds, spinach, tomatoes, beans, whole oats, green tea, dark berries, kale, and – double-plus bonus! – dark chocolate.
Now, does this mean you can grab a Dark Snickers and a bean burrito and feel some great health benefits? Puh-lease. It means reworking your diet to include these foods on a regular basis. I ditched my Whataburger breakfast for a packet of Quaker Multigrain Hot Cereal. I carry my Lean Cuisine meals faithfully to work everyday for lunch. In between, I lightly snack on cranberries, unsalted nuts, yogurt, apples, and the occasional SlimFast faux candy bar. Eating six or seven mini-meals a day is actually better for you than three larger ones – or in my case, the one huge one I was eating at the end of the day.
My dinners now are surprisingly filling – and tasty. I mix it up a bit, but my I’m-too-tired-to-cook standby is low-sodium butternut squash or roasted red pepper and tomato soup, a multigrain or whole-wheat roll, and steamed spinach with cracked pepper – yum! I say that not just because I’ve actually come to enjoy the taste of these things, but because I don’t feel weighed down after eating them. I actually feel better, energized, and satisfied. Before I hit the hay, I reward myself with a cranberry oatmeal cookie or a square of dark chocolate. That’s enough to satisfy the desire for a sweet little something for me.
Am I telling you to follow my diet? Absolutely not. That’s the problem with prefabricated diet plans in my book; they leave no room for the individual. I’ve found what works for me. Sometimes my love for hamburgers rears its ugly head and my black bean burger on whole wheat bun just ain’t gonna cut it. I don’t beat myself up, but I also don’t ignore the way my body feels afterward. That’s what keeps me coming back to my “superfoods” – they make me feel good.
I’ve had fun trying new foods and recipes in my new way of eating. I’ve discovering that I love squash and pumpkin and that it doesn’t have to taste either bland or like pumpkin pie. I’ve found out that steaming fresh veggies is as easy as tossing them in a partially-closed Ziploc with a tablespoon of water in the microwave for a minute, give or take. I’ve learned that I’m more energized at work post-lunch if I have some salmon in my lunch. And I’ve learned that meals can be whatever my body needs – even if it is a peanut butter and mixed berry smoothie with a whole-grain bagel and low-fat cream cheese.
posted by Holly Hoffman at
2:19 PM
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3 Comments:
So what's the deal with peanut butter? I recently asked my mom, a personal trainer for god knows how many years, for some healthy eating and exercise habits. I have the list posted on my corkboard next to me, but it's a little high so I don't see it much. Anyway, she said a lot of the same things you said. She might disagree about amount and time (don't eat a heavy dinner after 7!) but I was always under the impression peanut butter was bad for you. You know the story there?
My personal problem is that after eating a steak or something, I don't feel particularly bad. In fact, I feel quite good. I mean if I eat from McDonalds I don't feel well mentally and physically, but there are some foods that may not be 100% healthy that I feel all right about: White rolls with low fat butter, a quesadilla, lightly fried chicken tenders, a homemade breakfast taco (they don't come in stores round these parts), meatballs in red sauce, and more.
I do tend to stay away from greasy brekfast sausages, pizza, fried chicken patties (I like marinated better anyway), burgers, the like. But I guess this long post (this tiny box doesn't let me see how long it will be increasing chance of rambling) is for three questions.
1) What's with peanut butter?
2) I love cheese. Is there a healthy way to go with this?
3) I eat a crapload of pasta (how can the dining hall go wrong?). Do you know the health stats for that and red sauce/alfredo sauce?
You may not be a dietician, I'm just wondering if you've heard anything about this.
good luck and take care.
Roman:
Peanut butter, besides tasting great, is a really good source of protein and vitamins B3 and E, as well as antioxidants. And while we might think of it as sort of bad for you, think of all the cultures around the world who use it, my favorite being Eastern cultures who use peanut paste in curries and sauces, like Thai or Indian. Yum!
For the healthfully-inclined, there is a healthier alternative - almond butter. Almond butter has slightly more calories, but contains more calcium, less sugar, and less sodium than peanut butter.
My use of peanut butter in my diet started when I was a vegetarian. As a veggie, you have to get your protein wherever you can! Today I love adding it to pretty much anything to ensure I get the protein I need in my diet (I'm still not a big meat eater). It's easy to add a tablespoon to a smoothie or a waffle or some apple slices and it gets the job done. That's the life of a health-conscious convenience eater!
As to cheese, I love it too! I eat it once a day, in moderation. I actually eat a 90-calorie serving every day (snack-sized chunk). I'm a fan of goat cheese, which is easily spreadable onto some multigrain crisps, and it has half the calories and saturated fats of your average hard cheeses, like cheddar.
As to pasta, I'm a fan of that as well. Ask your dining hall if they have whole grain pasta as an option. If not, request it through your school. I personally can't tell the difference between the two, except that I actually prefer the taste of the multigrain. Maybe it's a mental thing. The closer the tomatoes are to whole, the better they are for you. They can add a lot of sugar to tomato sauce, so keep your eyes on that Sugars label. Alfredo in particular can be high in calories, but as long as you keep it light (i.e., don't drown your pasta) and add some veggies like broccoli to it, then I think you're OK.
I'm off the mind that the more processed your food is, the worse it is for you. That's why I no longer eat white bread or rolls - it's been super processed! That's why all the foods in my diet seem so simple - raw fruits, raw veggies, whole grains - they are less processed and so they retain the most nutrients naturally occurring in them.
The point is not to give up the things you love entirely, but find out what's unhealthy about them, and change it to healthy. I love hamburgers. So I get either a black bean burger or a turkey burger on a whole wheat bun with spinach instead of lettuce plus healthy tomatoes. Try substituting turkey meatballs in place of your beef, faux chicken tenders from MorningStar Farms, and load your breakfast taco with veggies and egg whites instead of scrambled with sausage.
Hope that helps!
Did you just say Sun Chips are bad for you? Holly what are you DOING! LOL!
Personally I've been trying to sick to 3 smaller meals and 2 snacks. Mostly Protein shakes for breakfast and Chicken, Fish, Corn, Broccoli, Asparagus and occasionally Brown rice for lunch and dinner. Snacks are carrot sticks with a light dipping sauce (although I'v gotten use to eating them with out the dip) and fruit (Granny Smith Apples are my favorite).
As far as the bad stuff goes...I think you can do it as long as you don't abuse it! I ordered a Cheese pizza last week...and it was GOOD! Plus Chicken wings and Beer(Equally as good!). I just try not to gorge myself like I use too! The next day, I do alot of cardio! LOL!
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