Deb_N's Journal, 25 March 2014

Funny, but I, too, fall prey to the "eating for the memories" pitfall. Thanks for reminding me about yet another aspect of emotional eating - memory eating! 

Kraft Mac and Cheese does that for me. I have since given up pasta and bread; i have never felt better. :)  

if all people are different, why should all portions be the same? 

You all make very valid points. I've found that the more I know (research) the easier it has become to make better choices. I unearthed some info about my favorite snacks/foods (what's in it and how it affects the body) and, frankly, it just became hard to eat it! For example, I still eat meat but not at every meal -- as a matter of fact maybe only three meals a week! I never started with an interest in Vegetarianism. But now that I'm cooking and eating more vegetables and learned to use more herbs and spices, I honestly don't miss the savory meat in my diet. It's amazing how portabello mushrooms and diff varieties of beans mask in my favorite enchilada recipe. We're not full Vegetarian or Vegan by a long shot, but I definitely have more of those recipes in my repertoire. We're a converted meat and potatoes family. Who'da evah thunk it?!?!? 

I eat Nature's Own double fiber wheat bread, it has 50 calories a slice, 13 carbs and 5 grams of fiber per slice and actually tastes really good.  

Hey LuC2, I know what you mean, I am still a big protein eater but have changed to seafood instead of red meat. I eat red meat about 2 times a month now. I am eating lots more vegetables and have found that seasoning them really makes them delicious. I have also found a healthy, no calorie, salad dressing in many different flavors. I love salads and having this dressing has made a hugh difference in my calorie counting diet. I also eat egg whites now instead of whole eggs and found that many restaurants will make me an egg white omelet if I ask for it. 

All those "little" changes definitely add up to a big change overall! ;)  

CCerza -- LUV eggwhite omelets with sauteed spinach, cherry tomatoes and coarse black pepper. So good! Thought I'd feel so deprived eating breakfast out with husband + sons and they ended up coveting MY breakfast it looked so good! I grew up eating vegetables (usually boiled to death or butter and sugared) and some type of meat at every, single meal. This new eating lifestyle of braised eggplant and sweet potatoes with agave nectar is quite a departure from my upbringing. ;o) 

i will have to try the agave nectar, interesting. 

The amber agave nectar has a maple syrup taste (the light one tastes more like honey). Both have low glycemic index so it doesn't give you a big blood sugar spike when eaten. A baked (or microwaved) sweet potato, split and drizzled with agave and pumpkin pie spice was pretty darn good. My veggie-averse, young son ate it all! Another day, roasted some fresh sweet potato cubes and halved brussel sprouts with agave, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning herb and olive oil. It was REALLY good too. My husband, the former veggie-hater, joined me for a meatless supper. Shocking! (I'll post the recipes in my cookbook).