But it actually changed the way I eat. I have always considered myself a healthy person. I can run a 5K, I can touch my toes, I can maintain a healthy weight. You see, I’ve never really struggled with my weight. I’ve always gotten away with eating what I want. Until I hit my mid-thirties. Now, my pants are tight. And it’s not in the budget to buy a new wardrobe. So I went on a diet. How bad could it be? I found a diet plan that lets you eat a lot. But I still thought that it would kill me.
I found the diet on Pinterest. And you can read more about it here.
OK, so let me just tell you, I DID NOT lose 10 lbs. I lost 3. And I didn’t exercise. The only day I cheated was bananas and yogurt day. I don’t really like bananas and I’m lactose intolerant so no yogurt.
I thought this diet would kill me because there were no carbs to think of and no red meat. But it made me think a little differently about the foods I do eat and how I prepare them. Do things really need to be cooked in butter? Could I omit pasta and still feel full? Do I really eat that few fruits and veggies regularly? The answer is simply, YES!
I always felt full while doing this diet. I realized that I don’t eat enough fruit or vegetables each day. I totally changed the way I go about feeding myself and my family. In this 1 week I realized that being healthy involves healthy food and activity. I think if I had exercised during the diet, I would have lost more weight. Also, leaving fruit and vegetables where they are visible caused me not to reach for the chips. AND, it made me think about healthy combinations packed with flavor.
I think you will see some new recipes coming from me. But here are two that I came up with last week that I loved! And they are easy.
Pesto Chicken Over Fresh Tomatoes
This is very easy – slice up a tomato or two, dice up a cooked chicken breast and add 1 Tbsp. of prepared pesto sauce. That’s it!
Eggs Over Roasted Asparagus
I love asparagus with Hollandaise sauce. This is a great alternative. Toss some asparagus in olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 350 degrees for about 15 min. Meanwhile, prepare some eggs, sunny side up. Put the eggs over the asparagus with a little pepper and cut ’em up. The egg yolks act as a healthier substitute to the Hollandaise sauce. Mmmm!
Now, I never encourage anyone to go on a diet. But what I will say is that if you are feeling like you need one, take a look at how you eat. Are you eating a fruit or veggie with every meal? What do you snack on? Do you drink soda? (never drink your calories!) How often do you exercise? Changing the way you do things instead of these extreme diets could really do the trick!
