Going to the grocery store used to be my least favorite thing to do. Do you ever walk in Kroger, grow overwhelmed, and grab either way too much or way too little? You know, you only went for paper towels, but somehow you left with everything in the store with the exception of paper towels...
Do you find that you like the idea of eating healthily, but you find the process of researching recipes, buying ingredients, and preparing the food to be a bit daunting?
I've been there. I have a few tips that have helped me become excited about researching recipes, motivate me to get to the store, and make me excited to prepare the food.
Before Leaving the House:
- Find your motivator. There are few upsides to being Diabetic, in my opinion; however, it gives me a HUGE incentive to watch what I eat and know exactly what is going into my body. The law of odds would suggest that the vast majority of you reading this are not contending with Diabetes. That being said, there are a variety of motivators that can be used to catalyze your journey into healthier eating. Does your family have a history of hypertension? Do you really want to lose weight? Do you find that you lack energy? These are just a few of the reasons that you should be excited to try new, healthier foods. I never really ate junk food 100% of the time, but I always indulged in that which I was craving. That means that I understand the magnitude of the sacrifice. There is nothing fun about saying good riddance to weekly trips to TCBY or nixing the full-bodied lattes at Starbucks. Here is the truth that I always found hard to believe, until now - give yourself a week without it, and you won't miss it. That only works if you have found satisfying snack replacements. They are out there, so dedicate yourself to the transition. I wouldn't know 75% of the things I know now about food if I weren't incentivized to investigate. Now, I blush when I think about my old meals a Chili's. The calories, salt, fat, sugar, and carbs add up quickly. Several of those meals provide more than you are recommended to have in one day, and most of us can consume it in thirty minutes. You do get to chart your path. No one can make you give up any one food. Your doctor can't. Your parents can't. Your spouse can't. You have to find your motivator. If you're not motivated, the rest of my advice is a waste of time. To you I say have an extra scoop for me :)
- Research & List. There are so many ways to access recipes and healthy ideas these days. Whether you google it, search it on Pinterest, or use old-fashioned cookbooks, you can find appealing recipes. If you think of recipes in terms of what you'll eat for a given week, then you won't find it all that daunting, especially if you don't mind leftovers. You may also find pre-prepared grocery lists online or in some diet books. They give you suggestions as to which foods to buy in the grocery store that provide you healthy options at home. I use one of these, because I forget all the ideas I come up with in a given day. Also, google printables. So many websites have cute lists you can printout yourself to make the process more fun.
- Eat before you go. It's true. If I grocery shop on an empty stomach, I am likely to purchase the entire store. Not only that, but I am likely to want the junk. Frankly, when I am hungry, anything sounds like a good idea to eat. If you're full, you will look at that bag of Doritos and think the idea of eating a Dorito right now makes me want to gag. That bag of Doritos will not be invited into your basket. Crisis averted. That is easy for me to say because I have always hated Doritos. In fairness, I probably should have said ice cream.
While at the Store:
- Here are a few staples in the Holt kitchen that I have grown both to depend on and love.
Wasa crackers, Laughing Cow Cheese, Apples, Bananas, Grapefruit, Watermelon, Chia Seeds, Ground Flaxseed, Protein Powder, Ground Cinnamon, Sea Salt, Edamame, Kale, Olive Oil, Lettuce, Low-Sodium Tuna, String Cheese, Sugar-Free French Vanilla Coffee Creamer, Cauliflower, Carrots, Light Veggie Dip, Hummus, Peanut Butter/PB2/Almond Butter, Black Beans, Sugar-Free Strawberry Preserves, FiberChoice Chewables, Avocado, Stevia, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Coconut Milk, Carb Smart Yogurt, Cottage Cheese, Eggs, Ezekiel Bread.
Do I suggest that you go buy all of these things? Certainly not. Create your own unique pantry based on the things you know you like or are willing to try. I was not an open-minded eater, but I've learned be one. If I hadn't opened my mind, I would never have tried cauliflower mashed potatoes, which I love. I would never know that you don't actually need flour to make pancakes. I would never knew that you can get very full on a salad full of vegetables. Don't be afraid to try things or make substitutions. You'll be so pleased when you discover that the healthier things can be just as satisfying!
Home with the Grub:
- If you find a meal you like, eat it twice (or more). When I make taco salad, for example, I typically have a lot of leftover meat and beans. It would be very easy for me to eat the meal again rather than waste half the food. Invest in some tupperware, and make your grocery purchases last for you all week! I never used to like warmed-over food, but I've learned to love it (some more than others).
- Organize. There have been times when my pantry and refrigerator were so cluttered that the kitchen actually stressed me out. I never knew if opening the pantry was going to result in an avalanche of cereal boxes. Andrew recently organized both, and it has made cooking and eating a much more pleasant experience. I know where everything is when I need it. Also, I think I have mentioned that I am a marketer's dream. Knowing this, I display healthy foods at eye level, so that I don't forget that I bought the blueberries.
Hey, no one is holding a gun to your head and making you walk into Whole Foods. There are folks out there that can go an entire lifetime eating McDonald's and never suffer from it. I find it hard to believe, but I am sure they exist. I think eating is an emotion-rich experience. Most of us actually feel happy when we eat. If eating junk food is deeply intertwined with your happiness, it is not my job to talk you out of it. It is your doctor's job, so I'll let folks like Andrew talk you out of it. My intended audience? Those folks who want to eat healthier but don't know where to start. I've been there. I am still working through it. Truthfully, no one is holding a gun to my head and making me eat healthier food either. As a Diabetic, I may eat whatever you eat as long as I can compensate with the proper amount of insulin. That doesn't mean I should. Diabetes has served as my motivator, or my catalyst, to choosing nutrient-rich foods. Please believe me when I say...if I can do it, you can do it.
These things rock. They probably wouldn't rock quite as much without the spread. The spread may look like butter, but this is much less Paula Dean. It is Laughing Cow Light Swiss (0 Carbs & 35 Calories). You see the nutrition for crackers above. These are not club crackers sizes either. They are pretty big rectangles! YUM...
These don't really look appetizing. Truth be told, they aren't great. I was doing some research on making rolls that were Diabetic-friendly. These are made from 3 eggs, Stevia, and Cottage Cheese. I didn't use large enough spoonfuls, so they are, well...disks. If you miss bread, and are looking for something similar, try it out. It was way easy. It also served to be my only positive experience with beating egg whites.
I have a sweet mom. She knows I don't do much in the way of cooking, so she offered to make me roast. The cheesy number in the back is actually cauliflower mashed potatoes. This meal was extremely filling, despite having no potato!
This was the wedding cake topper that Andrew and I dug into on our anniversary. I've heard horror stories about how nasty people's cakes are one year later. This cake was still amazing. This has been one of my favorite exceptions to the "you probably shouldn't be eating this" rule.
PLEASE feel free to share websites or recipes with me. I cannot get enough ideas!
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