Our Health Journey

No, I’m not talking about super sized kids meals without the toy when I speak of Happy Meals for Adults. What I’m referring to are meals that make us happy! Meals that don’t drag us down, giving us that full feeling and leave us without energy. I’m talking about meals that contain smart foods. Pasta, Beans, dark greens, nuts and fish.

Beans of which there are numerous sorts, help to regulate our blood sugar. Beans also have about the same amount of protein as meats and some, such as soy when reduce to flour have more. Beans have great fiber and can be served so many ways. You can use beans in soups, salads, with rice or pastas, you can mash them for sandwich fillers. If you have time to cook your beans from scratch you can choose from two methods. You can soak them overnight and the next day add sufficient water to cook usually for 1 to 2 hrs. Or, you can simmer them for 2 minutes and set aside for an hour to soak, returning them to cook for 1 to 2 hours. Either way, always rinse well first and never boil or add salt because this causes the bean to become tough. You can season after cooking or with vegetables while cooking. My favorite way for cooking almost any bean is to add onion, celery and bay leaf. Black beans are good if when finished cooking you add jalapeno peppers and a bit of cumin. Beans take well to olive oil when added before serving.

We have wonderful pasta’s to choose from to obtain our carbohydrates. Remember that pasta like beans; 1/2 cup constitutes a portion. With greens you can go crazy, having a cup or more. Go for the dark greens; spinach, chard, mustard greens, collard greens because these are the ones that are rich in folic acid, a B Vitamin that is often linked to mood disorders. If you’re not into fish, remember to add the omega-3 fatty acids to your diet.

Eat and be happy!

One of the leading causes of weight problems is that often we don’t stop to think about what we’re eating. We may have a perception that we’re eating healthy, but without any real knowledge of exactly how many calories we’re consuming, or precisely what those calories are composed of - fats, sugars, protein, etc.

Yesterday I was reading this very interesting article posted at WebMD and realized that I was one of those guilty of the very same thing. On occasion when I’m out running errands and hungry, I’ll stop at a Subway to get what I consider to be a healthier alternative to the usual burgers-and-fries fast food fare, and then proud of myself for my choice (and with the thought that I’ve consumed fewer calories), I’ll indulge in a cookie or other treat. Yikes!

Another choice made often mindlessly? Alcohol. While studies show that a glass or two of red wine has several health benefits, it also has on average over 120 calories per glass. And many people don’t realize that while some of the alcohol you consume is converted the fat, the rest is converted to acetate, which your body uses as fuel in place of fat. Which means that the more alcohol you consume, the less efficiently your body can burn the fat you consume, which leads to weight gain (unless you are highly active every day).

I’m not advocating giving up alcohol, or forever swearing off all fast food (even the healthier alternatives), but I do think that if you’re trying to lose weight (or just maintain a healthy weight) it would be wise to be aware of how many calories you are eating from all your daily sources. Keep a food log and write down everything you eat or drink, then look up the calorie and nutrition content online to help you find ways you can modify your diet to stay within your recommended daily calorie intake.

Turn “mindless eating” into “mindful eating” and you’re much more likely to succeed with your diet!