Food

I love that I’m eating better.  I love that I want to cook.  I have always enjoyed cooking; I have just found it depressing to cook for only me lately.  But I’m changing that.  It’s not depressing, it’s good for me!  Now, I’m enjoying it again.  Today, for instance, I cooked some chia seed and cranberry muffins made with sweet potatoes and applesauce.  Seriously, these are the best muffins I’ve ever eaten.  I also made hummus and a chicken & broccoli casserole (which will be my lunch or dinner for the next 3 days). 

I’m not sure what exactly what I will make next week, but it will be quite yummy and healthy.  Probably another casserole.  I’ve found a few great recipes on www.SparkRecipes.com for casseroles.  Making casseroles is a great way to save money and eat for a few days at a time and avoid having to cook every day.  Time is kind of a commodity on the days that I work because I work a 12 hour shift from 6am to 6pm.  I get home at 7pm and go to bed between 8:30 and 9, and I like to get in a 30-45 minute workout and a shower before bed time.  I simply don’t have time to cook on work days.

By choosing my casserole recipes from the Spark Recipes database, I get full nutrition information, so it makes it easier to work into my daily calorie range.  And I can greatly vary what I eat by using Spark Recipes for my meal planning.

Most recently, I checked out a few recipes for dessert items like apple coffee cake and bread pudding and cookies that I plan to try out over the next few weeks.  I have a little bit of a sweet tooth, like most women do, so I have to take care of that so I don’t binge on something less healthy.

Food is a large part of getting in shape and losing weight.  It’s more important than working out, actually.  They say that losing weight is 80% diet and 20% exercise.  That’s pretty important.  That’s why I have to be vigilant with what I put in my body, which is something that I haven’t been too good about over the past 2 years.  Over the past year, I was a little better about it than the previous year, which is when I gained 60 pounds.  I managed to struggle through losing about 35 pounds last year.  I hope to repeat that feat this year, but within 6 months’ time instead of a whole year.

I’ve come up with some rewards for myself.  I will reward myself every 2 months.  The first 2 month mark, I will buy myself a pair of matching tattoos on the backs of my upper arms (wings).  At the 4 month mark, I will have a spa day with a friend that is coming to visit me at the beginning of May.  At the end of my 6 month journey, I will buy myself a $280 handmade crochet and tutu skirt.  My progress will hopefully be at least 11 pounds every 2 months to reach my 33 pound goal within the 6 month timeframe.