BambiS — Good job on the garage. Sounds like you ate as well as you could, given the circumstances. I'm sure you'll get focused again without too much trouble. You know what to do!
Rebecka22 — Planning is one of the major keys to success with this way of eating. Getting caught without a plan is a wide-open path to caving in to temptation. All those YESes are a tribute to your planning skills. Well done!
Starflower — Sorry to hear about your bout with the virus. Putting food aside as a contingency plan is a good idea. I freeze soup, brown rice and other simple, easily digestible food for times like that.
I'll give you another idea for a soup that might taste good when you're not feeling well, in my comments below.
Artista — Welcome back -- glad to see you here!
Batch-prepping salad or soup is a great idea. Saves a lot of prep at mealtime, which can throw off your intentions for pre-loading your meals.
I'm the same as you are on sugar. A little can derail me easily, so I avoid it. Your taste buds adjust, and fruit becomes as sweet and satisfying as those sugary treats used to be. Sugar sprinkled on food is OK for those who don't find it problematic, but I think from what you report, you made the right decision.
Congratulations on eliminating those troublesome soy foods, as well as the dried fruit. Huge victory for you there!
Doing this way of eating in a way that's sustainable is very important. You've realized that you're not "on a diet" -- you're making changes that will form the basis of a lifelong eating plan. Once you reach your weight and health goals, you may make some small adjustments and changes for maintenance, but the basics always stay the same.
VegSeekingFit - Another great report, Stephanie. We've had unseasonable heat down here in central Illinois, but the rain and colder weather are here now too.
Your soup sounds delicious. It has some of the same ingredients as Jeff's
Longevity Soup, which I've always liked.
I had a good laugh at your description of Halloween pickleball. The costume sounds fabulous -- if you don't trip over your tail!
Gimmelean - Those mini potatoes sound like just the thing! Great idea.
As for the after-dinner snacking, I've found it easier to just clean up after the meal and declare the kitchen closed (to me, at least
). No snacking at all. I used to be a regular evening eater, and now I have no desire for food after dinner.
Those tortilla chips -- can you negotiate with whoever they belong to, to keep them out of your sight? And if they don't belong to anyone, perhaps they don't belong in your house?
Gimmelean wrote:I’ve been so busy, I haven’t had time to hyper focus on adherence but have maintained fairly well. Maybe this is a good sign of habituation taking its course.
Wonderful observation. I think you're right on the mark with it, and it's just what you're aiming for.
Drew*# - Good report. Lots of progress to be proud of. Those YESes are adding up!
Purple potato air-fries sound fun and a nice variation from white potatoes. I make my own
ketchup, which is easy and tasty. Maybe you'd like to try, or see if you like some of the other ideas from the linked thread.
Spit pea soup sounds hearty and good. Soup seems to be popular this time of year!
Drew*# wrote: Besides diet, I am finding that getting adequate sleep helps. There are little things I do before sleep to make sure it is restful.
Excellent point, and one we often don't emphasize enough.
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The seasons are changing, and for those of us in the US, fall is upon us. In the areas where the weather is cooler, it's the season for soups, winter squashes, starchy and veg-filled casseroles or combinations -- all the warm "comfort foods" that can be a joyful part of this way of eating.
Fall can also be the time of increased busy-ness, with back-to-school, projects around the house and yard, work life ramping up, holiday preparations starting. That means a need for extra attention to planning and being prepared, as many of you have noted. Stock those fridges and freezers, and make meals ahead. That way, when you're tired at the end of the day, you're ready with supper instead of looking to carry-out or delivery. Plan for portability as well. What can you take to work or to an event so you don't get caught hungry with tempting goodies staring you in the face?
It's the time, too, for those unexpected bouts of not feeling well, whether it be from seasonal allergies or the inopportune virus. Veggie broth and brown-rice ramen instead of the time-honored chicken soup? It works. Think about what other soothing recipes from your past can be adapted, and keep the ingredients on hand. Or make your favorites ahead and freeze, as a contingency.
Several of you have been talking about soups. I have my standard soups that I make all the time (especially lentil chili and multi-bean minestrone), but sometimes I want something uncomplicated and not too spicy. I just saw a demo of a soup that Chef Ramses Bravo makes for part of the re-feeding process at True North Health Center (where they do water-only fasting). Dr. Michael Klaper devised the soup to be especially digestible.
The technique is simple. Peel a few Yukon Gold potatoes; cut them into about 1-inch pieces; put them in a pot with enough water to cover them and extend about 1/2 inch above; simmer until they're about half-done. Then cut a couple of zucchini (washed but not peeled -- you want the green) and cut them into pieces about the same size as the potatoes. You want about as much volume of zucchini as you have potatoes, maybe a little less. Add the zucchini to the pan of potatoes and continue simmering until the potatoes and zucchini are both tender. Then use an immersion blender to blend everything to the consistency of thick cream soup. You can transfer the contents of the pan (carefully!) to a regular blender to blend, as Chef Bravo did, but I didn't want a blender to clean and the immersion blender worked well. Add more water if you like it thinner.
This soup sounds very bland, but I tried it and I really like it! It's like a potato soup with a green vegetable overtone (and it's a very pretty green, visually). The Yukon Golds make it richer tasting than it would be if you used another type of potato. Chef Bravo says you can use other green vegetables (I tried spinach the second time I made it -- still really good!), but the zucchini is the most digestible. If digestion is not the issue, you could always add spices or things like onion and garlic, but I like the original recipe. It's extremely warm and comforting, easy on the stomach, and simple to make.
If you want to see the episode of Chef AJ Live where
Chef Bravo makes the soup, he starts talking about it and cooking it at about the 5:00 mark.
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I hope you all do well this week. Mark will be back for the next check-in. October is moving so fast -- the fall and winter holidays will be here soon!
Goose