So one post in and I realize I am a liar. In talking with my co-workers I remember what actually started me eating more fruits.... I thought I had scurvy. Yeah you read that right. The disease pirates were known to get. (Hmmm 2 posts where I mention pirates. That isn't odd at all.) I am a bit paranoid about my teeth so I check them frequently when I brush. Hey we all have our quirks, no judging. I saw a weird looking spot on my gums so immediately I thought, "Oh crap I have scurvy". Because that's what any reasonable person would think right? So that was one of the reasons I knew I needed more fruit in my diet. Because scurvy is scary.
I also realized I don't eat 3 meals and 3 snacks a day. I do try to eat 3 meals now. I used to skip breakfast quite often. It turns out not eating enough puts your body into starvation mode so it won't burn off calories. This means eating enough is important if you want to regulate your body properly, or if you are looking to lose weight. So 3 meals, check. Now the 3 snacks, that is debatable. I do eat one in between breakfast and lunch. I also know I eat one between lunch and dinner. At least on work days. When I am bored at work I tend to look for things to munch on. I have had to curb that a little but usually I just try to replace the crap I was eating with real food instead. Reduced fat triscuits have become a staple for that. Lots of whole grain and only 3 ingredients in them. (Whole wheat, salt and something else that I forget) If I crave something sweet I eat some raisins. Raisins and almonds are my fall back snacks. I also try to bring various fruits (bananas and apples) to keep from getting bored with my choices.
The snack after dinner I do not always get. Mainly because I have been trying not to snack at night. This is my weak spot. Sitting on the couch and sucking down food without thinking is a problem I have battled in the past. If I am going to have a snack I make sure it is at least 2 hours before I am going to bed. This is supposed to be better for you. I have also replaced ice creme with frozen yogurt. I found one that tastes just like the ice creme but has less sugar and fat. Remember is it less a "diet" and more about making changes to my diet. I am eating things I like because who wants to live longer if eating isn't enjoyable? Screw that.
I wasn't trying to lie. I just forgot. I forget things often. My neurologist diagnosed me a few years ago with "white migraines". Those are when you have a migraine without the excruciating pain. The no pain part is good, however it makes other things happen. Like you forget things. Sometimes it is just a word, sometimes you can't talk or form a sentence. (That gets fun at work sometimes.) Sometimes you lose vision in one eye or write gibberish when taking notes. Or maybe you get twitches in parts of your body. The list is long and varied. I had to go through many tests for him to come to this conclusion after a few scary incidents. I thought I was having strokes. My favorite test was when they put needles into my muscles and gave me electric shocks to see if I had nerve damage. Yeah that was a lot of fun. (Well I didn't before the test, how are my nerves now??) Of course it didn't help when I asked the doctor if it would hurt and he said yes. Yes??!! I told him to practice this sentence, "It may cause discomfort for some people". He said he didn't like to lie. Gee thanks. But I digress.
Check out the awesome book a friend found for me.
It has a lot of great info in it. Like this gem: "Did you know that eating a handful of nuts a few times a week can reduce your risk of having a heart attack by at least 15% and perhaps as much as 51%? Even if you smoke, are overweight, and never exercise. That's how powerful some foods are."
I love that kind of info. Nuts, who knew?! The fourteen foods on the superfood list are:
Beans
Blueberries
Broccoli
Oats
Oranges
Pumpkin
Salmon
Soy
Spinach
Tea ~ Green or Black
Tomatoes
Turkey
Walnuts
Yogurt
If you don't like some of those they do offer some close substitutions. So far I have gotten through the bean section and just started on the blueberry. (FYI did you know peas are considered a bean?) I can't wait to read more.
Another thing I can credit a co-worker/friend for is turning me onto this company: http://www.nakedjuice.com/ They are a little pricey but are worth it for what is in their juices. I had their "Green Machine" formula for dinner. I wasn't planning on it but I over extended myself with a movie and a meeting and didn't have time to grab anything else that could be healthy. The dinner my husband had in the oven wouldn't be out in time so I grabbed one of the 3 Naked juices I picked up at the store today. (In Hannaford they are in the cut up fresh fruit section of the cooler.) This one has a very apple taste. I also grabbed Berry Blast and Blue Machine to try. I'll be sure to report on how they taste once I do.
I went to a movie today with my brother and dad. I grabbed myself a kids pack (small popcorn, and small package of M&M's) and got water instead of soda to drink. I've always gotten the kids pack because it is the right amount of food for me. Now I just substitute water because I am no longer drinking soda. To be honest I have passed the hump where I miss it. I only wish they had iced tea as an option. (maybe they do in other theaters)
I did get on the scale today because I was curious as to the average amount of weight I am losing per week. I was down another half a pound. I think that is great! Losing weight needs to be gradual if you want to keep it off. Also I haven't been able to exercise since my back is messed up. I can't imagine what it would say if I could exercise. I also expect to level out at some point which could be soon. Plus with using weights (arms) I have to remember that muscle weighs more than fat so I can't always rely on the scale. Not that I'm going for an Arnold Schwarzenegger look. (How much do I love spell check!) I'm not planning on getting on the scale for at least another month now.
Now I'm off to check my settings. I will un-moderate my comments for now if I can. If I get to many spammers or crazy people I will change that. Until next time, good eating!
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