The Weight Loss Chronicles


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back to The Weight Loss Chronicles. In a more internally serious way

I've been doing a sort of food prepping. To tidy up my physical health. Seeing as I can't go rushing off to healer friends to get sorted health-wise (sigh - I miss them all).

I've been doing food preparation slightly differently from the social media people who prepare their food in batches then have food in containers for up to a week. Gosh, no. That leaves me cold. As do many of the foods used. 

Because it's lockdown in Auckland, I realised that I can't be too precious about having exactly what I want to eat. Seeing as I can't go to the supermarket. I'd like to be "special" and only eat what I like, but instead I am being practical.

I gathered up all of my bits and pieces lurking in the pantry that I could throw together for some muesli to soak each morning. I've finished it now, but really enjoyed this breakfast.

I'm making vegetable soup today, using up last weeks's unused vegetables. I'll freeze containers of it. This is something that I have done for years. This and muesli or granola. 

I made yoghurt again. Cooked up some mince and vegetables and froze several meals. 

it's all about what's in between my ears.... (my thoughts)

But the main thing that I've done as far as food prepping goes, is to actually decide what I'll be having. In other words, prepping in my head. Depending on what I have available. Then I write it into my diary. And I've only ordered good, real food from the supermarket. This might sound like ordinary logic to you, but for a triple air sign (sun, moon and rising), in many areas I can be very disorganised. Scattered. Due to having too much swirling in my head. (despite being a meditator!!) Or, too spaced out to think straight. These are very important reasons why I do the same things over and over. And have routines. They stop me from forgetting that the fridge or pantry is empty. Something which can and does normally happen a lot, if I'm not careful.

So, to bump up my physical health, and use what is available until things are used up, I'm having porridge of oats, and chia seeds, with yoghurt and fruit, for breakfast. Vegetable soup for lunch with cottage cheese for extra protein. I want to eat more vegetables at lunch, and it's too cold for me to have salad. That means that I only have to put some thought into dinner. I'm really pleased with this, it's all easy and doable. Especially for someone who is so over cooking.

I realise that compared to most people, I am really slack. It's okay, though. I'm working on it. Amazingly, when I'm feeding others, I'm really diligent about meals and food. 

so why be careful about diet, now?

The truth is, that my health went downhill over the past couple of years, for various and often unavoidable reasons. And I truly do believe that diet really can make a difference in restoring our well-being. So, what I'm looking at specifically is:

  • nutrients. Thinking of what we eat and drink as sustaining me with vitamins, minerals, and such. When we're lacking in nutrients, we can crave some weird things
  • H2O. I know that I can easily forget to drink enough water. Coffee? Yep, I can remember that, but it's water that I'm working on. Before sleep, as soon as I wake up - which, incidentally seems to have reduced my desire for too much coffee, and before food, as well as whenever.
  • eating enough. Would you believe that when I don't eat enough, and I am quite a small eater, probably because I'm rather short, then I find that at nights I'm really hungry after dinner. So I'm aiming to eat more during the day, so that in the evenings, my body doesn't say: "Oi! You didn't give me enough food!!
  • energy. What is making me tired in the food area? I'm watching the after effects of what I eat. Definitely starchy carbs at lunchtime do this, so I'm gradually cutting them out at this time period

There is another thing about energy: when we have it, we want to move more. For me, I have found that these go hand in hand: diet that gives me energy, and exercise that gives me energy too. 

I quite likely will make a few dietary changes to get it right for myself. I always think that we need to be open to change and growth. I also have to be really stern with myself that I don't fall for all of the latest and greatest to do with food. I don't want to be always "dieting". I want a good, sustainable diet. 

So... here goes!!!

what has worked for you? Any hints?

** an older post on food and diets here

** a food post with muesli recipes here

** post about why to have food routines here


        

Comments

  1. Good luck with the changes you are making! I find planning meals out is the only way to get through crazy weeks with the kids, haha! As I have some allergies I can't always have the same meals as they do so I like to batch cook as much as possible and freeze leftovers for easy meals so after cooking something for them I don't have to cook for myself too, I can just reheat something I made before, haha!

    Hope your week is going well :)

    Away From The Blue

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    1. I have allergiers. too! Tomatoes plus all nightshades make me sick. It's a trick and a treat the whole food thing when you're a mega busy mum, sounds like you have things really well sorted.

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  2. Years ago I used to drink a large glass of water BEFORE each meal and that helped me lose weight - for some reason, I had forgotten that!

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    1. A great reminder. Lockdown has really made me more of an erratic water drinker and eater.......

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  3. My husband and I are going plant-based for the second time (since August) also for health reasons. The first time, we understood the science, but this way of eating was so new, it was a lot of work. And I thought I had food sensitivities, which made the diet even more challenging. (Turns out the only food that gives me grief - in the form of rhinitis - is wheat. But it appears to be dose-dependent so I do eat some.

    Anyway, we came across this book by Eric Adams called Healthy at Last. Diabetes runs in his family and when he developed it, he took a different tactic: plant based eating. Listening to his journey gave us the emotional piece of the puzzle in order to relate positively to this eating style

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    1. That's fantastic. I was plant based for most of my life and I loved the feeling of lightness that it gave me.

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  4. Hubby and I are on an altered diet and exercise plan. We don't really eliminate certain foods from our diets, but we eat in moderation. We also exercise every day. Hubby has lost 20 pounds and I've lots 10. We each have our own ways to get to where we need to go. It's hard work, but it's ever so worth the effort.

    Thank you for joining the Happy Tuesday Blog Hop.

    Have a fabulous Happy Tuesday. ♥

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    1. That's what a really slender person says to me: eat what you like, jus don't eat too much of it .

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  5. Thanks for sharing your journey! I need to prep more myself. Good luck to you!

    https://www.kathrineeldridge.com

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  6. Thanks for sharing your journey! I need to prep more myself. Good luck to you!

    https://www.kathrineeldridge.com

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    1. When we are really busy, as are you - prepping sounds quite good to save more time xxx

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  7. I don't have very good eating habits, but, I did eat more fresh vegetables, this summer, because I grew some in my garden and wanted to eat what I grew! I think it helped - my latest blood test results came out well. Now, onto weight loss! Keep struggling with this!

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  8. I find that planning and prepping food ahead of time are the best ways to keep myself eating well and making good choices. We try to stock lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in the house at all times.

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    1. Joanne, I'm so sorry that it took a while to reply. I agree that we have to keep the correct food in the house to stay healthy xxx

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