So as I continue to think through this meal planning stuff, I think about how I was doing it when on the South Beach Diet and what worked and didn’t. I would literally plan my meals alongside a SBD cookbook, and probably in the course of a week, I would intend to cook three recipes.
Well friends, let me tell you – that did not work so well. Now, my pantry and fridge were still stocked with SBD-friendly foods, so I did still manage to lose weight. The thing is, I probably got around to cooking just one of those meals each week due to time constraints, poor planning, whatever. And, a good chunk of the food went bad before I could manage to cook it. I did remedy this some by making two day meal plans (which inevitably lasted me 3-4 days by the time I had left overs, or a company sponsored/catered lunch or whatever). The thing about RECIPES is they require time – and never the 30 minutes the book promises. They always slip in ingredients like “chopped onions” but don’t take into account that it takes this girl a good 10 minutes to chop an onion properly… and that time was not built into the overall recipe.
This got me thinking about my grandmother. She was my rock. She was borderline diabetic for as long as I could remember (which if you know me, goes back to when I was like two years old), and only officially crossed over into diabetes in her early 80s, when I was in college. Well, the thing about it is she really is a good example of how to diet (and not the weight loss kind, per se). I would spend spring breaks and parts of my summers at their beach house and pick up on every little thing she did. I often laugh when I find myself eating 3 cups of popcorn out of a pyrex measuring cup or ice cream out of a stainless steel one.
The thing is, I don’t remember her cooking all that much. I know she lived the diet I’m trying to get to (in terms of portion control, good carbs, proteins, etc.). Even though I was gifted with her Joy of Cooking cookbook, she either had a few recipes memorized or just grazed on whatever was available.
Here’s what I’m trying to say: every meal does not have to be an ordeal. I do not have to try three new recipes each week. I don’t even have to COOK each week. Honestly, if a plate is supposed to be one-half plants – put raw carrots or broccoli down. For the ¼ carb? Last time I checked whole grain bread is a carb and can literally pull it from the bag and place it on my plate. Protein? Lunch meat, yo. NO cooking. Dinner is served. In under 5 minutes. Boom.
Is it the yummiest, most exciting dinner ever? Obviously not. Is it better for me than a burrito, burger or chicken nuggets? Hells yeah. If I’m honest, that meal really does not excite me – but it’s the most EXTREME example of how to make it fast and easy. I could HEAT some broccoli, scoop some left over quinoa, and figure out some kind of protein (though the quinoa has a TON protein – fyi).
My grandmother was 80 frackin years old. She did not cover her plate in beautiful, gourmet food. She did not slave away in the kitchen. She had generic, high fiber cold cereal every day with a spoonful of wheat germ on it. She weighed cheese and other stuff on a scale EVERY DAY. And even though she did eventually get the ‘betes, she staved it off for 20 years!
So, I’m going to take a few notes from my Ninny and stop over-complicating my meal plans. I need to own the fact that I’m constantly on the move (and away from my house) and carry food in my purse as best I can. I need a list of healthy things I know I can go to on the run…. Like a list of on the run food ideas I can reference.
I’m getting more and more excited about my new-found meal plans (even though I have not yet heard from my nutritionist on my “lost” email).
My rec: grilled chicken breasts, steamed veggies, and some kind if whOle wheat carb, like whole grain rice, cous cous, etc. This meal literally takes five minutes tO prepare, comes in bags for microwaving and is yummy! We do it all the time. Uncle bens has the bagged 90 sec rice with two servings, and an 88 cent bag of veggies at heb has at least three generous portions. Bake off two or three chicken breasts with a little evoo, s and p and any other favorite spice and you have at least two very healthy, yummy, super cheap meals. Plan Put the week on the weekend and maybe even cook one or two meals on Sunday so they’re ready to eat for your whole week. And AVOID TEMPTATION! Especially in the early stages of a diet and wanting to lose, you just have to suck it up and avoid the snacks or lunches out at work, fast food, desserts, non- salad meals at restaurants, etc. You listed all the excuses people give in a past blog, so avoid using them. You are doing all the working out, but partaking in the ice cream or lunch out oR whatever could negate all that work. Splurge a few times a week and you’ve negated all the workouts. You can work in treats when you’re closer to a goal but at the beginning, commit to being balls to the wall hard core and kick butt for yourself!
How on earth does it take you ten minutes to chop an onion?
lol
I know I’ve sent you several quick and easy recipes, and we have definitely talked about turning one chicken into three meals. And I agree with Laura – avoid temptation. I should never have said to have a tiny bit of ice cream yesterday because I was not putting myself in your shoes. Looking back, when I lost the vast majority of my weight, I did NOT cheat at all for at least six months. And you bet your ass there were temptations. I know that NOW I *can* have those tiny bits of dessert or tempting items here and there, because I have really made a total lifestyle change, even if I slack from time to time. I’m sorry for saying to eat some ice cream. It was wrong of me and I need to think before I speak sometimes.
I think your recommendation for just half a cup of ice cream was actually sound – IF i limited to 1/2 a cup and if it was my snack for that portion of the day. Instead, I ate a full cup, with fudge. Don’t feel bad – I make my own choices. Ya’ll certainly give me things to think about, and challenge me, but ultimately i put the food on a spoon and put the spoon to my mouth.
Yes…there was a lot to be learned from Ninny about food and eating and vitamins. Be it right or wrong she believed in supplements and additives (like wheat germ) and took her share of them. You’re correct, her eating was all about proportion and moderation. Like I said before, she would eat just about anything she wanted but on a schedule and correct proportions. She always had snacks in her purse for emergencies. She would never order fries. She would steal ten…”just ten, only ten, no more” of your fries. She would tell you dessert was taboo but that didn’t stop her from taking a bite…”just a bite”… of someone else’s. But when that one bite was in her month she would make it last as long as possible and truly savor it with a look of heaven on her face.
Guess what I’m trying to say is always be conscious about how much and what goes in the mouth, be prepared for emergencies and always have ziplocs in your purse for doggie bags because restaurant food is definetly served in extra large proportions.
It sounds as if you are on the right track and making a dedicated effort to learn as much as you can about nutrition, food, exercise and how it all works together and how it works for you. I have no doubt you can do it. Keep up the good work.