New Way of Thinking, New Way of Shopping

As I get back into the mindset of using food as fuel and sustenance and not simply enjoyment, I find that my grocery shopping habits are changing. Rather than creating a shopping list of canned goods, produce, meats, etc, creating one with categories titled proteins, fats, and carbs works better sometimes. I think of my meals in this way as well; today, for example, I looked at what I lacked in nutrients and what I had too much of by the end of the day and ate a dinner that filled in the categories appropriately. Choosing foods based on nutritional needs rather than "what I have a taste for" is happening gradually, but naturally. I don't try for an exact balance daily, however. I think a balanced week is more sane for me.

Now that I drink water regularly, I can really tell when I'm becoming dehydrated. My head starts to hurt a little and other little symptoms crop up that I probably used to diagnose as signs of hunger or tiredness. I now keep water with a slice of lemon at my desk all day at work, and refill it throughout the day. I buy bottled water so I can easily grab some H20 when I'm going to be out of the house for awhile in the evening or on weekends. I can't say I get 8 glasses a day yet, but I'm getting there! I haven't had pop in a while, although at times I want some just to get a break from plain water. Perrier and Pellegrino with lemon or lime helps a bit.

Currently I notice that I want my old foods mainly when I'm bored. If I keep a variety of flavors in the house and keep myself occupied, though, my mind doesn't wander to eating. When I was thoroughly into eating raw last year I wouldn't think of food much at all for hours at a time. I'm certainly not at that stage yet this time around, but I'm looking forward to it.

Just What the Doctor Ordered

I had the most wonderful weekend, hanging out with my friend Cindy. She made a great dinner, of course, grilling mahi mahi and shrimp (see photo), and preparing a healthy coleslaw, couscous, and corn on the cob. The next day we went fishing- one of the items on my "one day I'd like to do this" list. You can't really call what I did "fishing" since I spent most of the time bugging Cindy about how to do this or that, and getting the line caught in the rocks under the water. But I did learn how to cast the line and reel it back in. We didn't catch anything because a storm blew in, but I hope we'll go fishing again and actually catch dinner.

Today I started my new nutritional plan. Following my nutritionist's suggestions, I created meals balanced in protein, starches, vegetables, carbs and fruits. I had 2% cottage cheese with fruit for breakfast. For lunch I made a salad with 2 oz of grilled salmon, tofu, 1/2 oz. of Stilton, and veggies. For dinner I had 4 oz of salmon, some brown rice, and I grilled some bell pepper slices. (Whenever I eat healthfully I feel like an adult. I don't know if that's good or bad...

The longer I stay overweight and less active, the more I worry about high cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes. I've taken a giant step by making a doctor's appointment for this week. I'm getting bloodwork done, and also checking to make sure I don't have blood sugar problems. I know that seeing the numbers will motivate me to do improve them. I love to compare and contrast my "before" results with the consequences of changing my diet for the better.

I may start my journey back to raw very simply, starting with one raw meal + two less-than-100% raw meals a day. That is easily done by eating a salad as my raw meal. My raw diet this time around won't be like my previous one. I've probably mentioned before that I'm not really into the faux-cooked foods made with raw ingredients, except as a treat (like an occasional meal at a raw restaurant). I don't plan on making raw "burgers" and fake tortilla chips, etc. Those can be fun to do, but the more I process foods into semblances of cooked ones, the more I get away from the reasons I'm turning to a raw diet again. I want to separate myself from the processed foods mentality. Over time I'll be giving up even my beloved sodas and will probably drink only water and teas. I think the only "mechanical" processing I'll do is use the dehydrator to make flaxseed crackers and dried fruit, and use a food processor/vitamix to make smoothies and cold soups.

Off to My Vacation!

I am looking forward to my California vacation. I will be enjoying Mexican food, sushi and I think a visit to the Cheesecake Factory. I am not going to worry about my eating plan while on vacation, but enjoying activities such as walking on the beach, dancing and sightseeing will be helping me to burn calories. When I return I will head for the grocery store with my list of groceries and will seriously embark on the plan my nutritionist has set up for me. One thing I will do on vacation that she recommended is take the antioxidant vitamins she gave me. She also wants me to drink water with two tablespoons of lemon or lime juice every morning. I will probably forget to do that while on vacation, but I'm gonna try to remember it. It's supposed to help your body rid itself of toxins.

See you next week!