Day 8

Eating dinner at 9:30PM --- what happens when your work takes over the majority of my wake hours. I ate this meal in my kitchen alone. I just reheated these leftovers in the microwave: rice, green beans, green and red peppers, onions, potatoes, and beef.

Day 8 - November 18

Highs and lows

So I'm getting better at eating better, eating less. Some days I still fall back into my old eating habits. I'm grateful for the ability to recognize my patterns and being willing to start new each day.

The portion plates are helping so much to keep me on track with controlling my portions.

Today was toast and eggs for breakfast, beef taco salad for dinner

Day 8 November 18

Kimchi Ramen soup tonight for me...nice and hot for a wet cold night

Day 8: Need to go grocery shopping

Tonight for dinner I had a simple pesto turkey sandwich on ciabatta bread. It was simple and delicious. 

1 ciabatta roll

1 tsp pesto

A little cheese

Lettuce

Onion

1 strip bacon

I really need to go grocery shopping so I did not have much for a side. I resorted to a hand full of chips and a French onion dip. Before portion plates I normally would sit down on the couch with the chips and dip and just eat from the bag. I choose to have a set amount that was more reasonable! Yay!  

Day 8 - satisfying low sugar snacks/ desserts

I'm making a list of things I can reach for to satisfy sugar cravings without refined sugar. Feel free to add suggestions!

Pomegranate 

Raspberries 

Blueberries 

Figs 

One of them, pomegranate, for lunch dessert! I am more satisfied if I eat more than one thing for lunch, which means less craving and snacking in the afternoon. 

Linda, Carly, and Alison, Bemis interns that work with me, come tonight! Dinner chopped and prepped so all I have to do is bake it when we are hungry and want a break from studio work. 

Day 8 - One week Reflections

True confessions . . . My eating has not changed much at all. I've still been eating a lot of sugar even though reducing it was my goal. I have been posting meals, but in between those meals, and after them, it's so easy to just grab chocolate or ice cream without photographing it. Inspired by Amy who has decided to instill a life change through this, I'm going to photograph EVERY sweet  that I eat - in the plates, in my hand, snack, with a meal. I think that will keep me more accountable and allow me to reflect on my patterns and/or change them.

I will admit I've successfully eaten all the chocolate, fudge, ice cream, and sweets I had around so I'm also setting the goal that I will not buy more to have around.

Last, I have realized I no longer desire sugar for breakfast. Sugar at the start of the day makes me crave sugar all day. Lately I've gotten in the pattern of green smoothies, homemade sweet potato or bran muffins, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, yogurt and granola, or toast with pb rather than jelly. It is a MUCH better way to start the day rather than pancakes with syrup or even cereal.

Here are my two favorite muffin recipes mentioned above:



Bran Muffins

http://www.food.com/recipe/the-healthiest-bran-muffins-youll-ever-eat-451212

Sweet Potato Muffins

2 ½ c. whole-wheat flour

¾ c. sugar

2 t. baking powder

1 t. ground ginger

¼ t. baking soda

¼ t. salt

¼ c. melted unslated butter

¼ c. vegetable oil

1 c. pureed or mashed cooked sweet potato

1 egg, beaten

½ c. buttermilk

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 12 muffin cups or add paper liners. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, and salt. In a bowl, whisk butter, oil, sweet potato, egg, and buttermilk. Fold wet mixture into the dry; stir until just combined. Fill muffin cups three-quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes.