Bunso Goes MWL

[bunsofaluminum]

did good yesterday

B: cheezey steel cut oats
L: cheezy steel cut oats
S: banana
D: crispy smashed potatoes* and peas
S: grapes

that's right! NOT ONE NIBBLE off plan!

*the crispy smashed potatoes really are good, but I chose potatoes that were too large, so they were still not smashable on the inside. I want to make them again, using uniform pieces/potatoes. DELICIOUS, though!

TODAY'S PLAN:

B: ??? not hungry. Maybe some leftover peas
L: curried red beans over rice; green beans
D: curried red beans, rice, roasted cauliflower
S: grapes? popcorn?

I watched Mike T's VSH presentation, and it really struck me when he said "you can't help but lose weight if you will drop ALL OILS from your foods" and since then, I've been very aware of oils. I think, if I were presented a dish of food, I would ask about oils first, and refuse them if the food had oil in it, or was cooked in oil. I even put back some whole wheat tortillas, because there is oil in the ingredients list.

Thinking about doing an all potato fast for a work week, see what happens. Maybe not, though.

Oh, one other thing: I bought some green tea with berries at the store yesterday, and when I got it out to have some this morning, there is SOY LECITHIN in it. In TEA? Not to mention the modified corn starch... so I'm taking it back on my way to work and exchanging it for something else. anything else, except prolly not black tea. I'm off of that, and enjoying green tea.

I think green tea has more of the good stuff, and black tea tends to be acidic, which I don't need. THE END time to go

[bunsofaluminum]

Good day today!

I ate rice and peas for breakfast (I saw an interesting post at a blog for living super frugal, where a commenter mentioned cooking peas til mushy, then mashing them into paste, then over cooked brown rice, and sprinkled with curry powder...I think it sounds really good, and will try it myself soon)

Lunch was the curried beans over rice with peas on top.

when I got home, I added a tsp or so of yellow curry paste to the bean recipe, because I noticed it wasn't very flavorful at lunch.

and then ate a bowl of rice with the curried beans over the top. And roasted cauliflower. I'm gonna roast another head, in time for my daughter when she comes home from youth group. She loves the stuff.

This board helped me a lot today. I visited a lot of journals and said hello and dropped some encouragement, and when I was done with about a half dozen or so such visits, I felt REALLY GOOD. Confident and capable of doing this.

There were a few moments during work when I was tempted to nibble something, but I just didn't.

WHAT IS DIFFERENT? Is it SERIOUSLY because I am no longer premenstrual> REALLY? oh ferpetesakes. gimme a break. But a week ago, I was eating everything in sight, and then looking for more. I was out of control, and couldn't have resisted temptation if they'd paid me money. I was even eating stuff that didn't taste good to me.

Today, and yesterday, and I think Sunday too...all good. I walk right past the still very visible and very available junk at work, stuff that I was wading right into last week.

so, what will I do next month when THAT time of month is on its way? What strategy will I have in place, that will get me through the FREAK OUT MUNCHIES FROM HELL? because I WILL have them again. and I don't want to repeat that pattern. i want to do next month DIFFERENT than this month.

I'm reading through some of the toxic hunger/true hunger threads here and there. What I was experiencing in the three weeks prior to this month's period, was definitely toxic hunger. I knew I wasn't hungry, but I was putting groceries down my neck non-stop. I didn't even like the taste of some of the stuff I was eating, but I still ate it.

well, anyway. i just don't want a repeat. Have to think about what I will do ahead of time, to prevent myself going that direction. It's stupidity. It is out of control. I don't like it.

One of the reasons why I never got deeply into drugs was how out of control I felt when under the influence. "what if I never come out of this? I'll be THIS WAY FOREVER!" and that really scared me, so I just quit without any problem. I don't like feeling out of control, and I hated it when I was doing it in the last week of Oct/first week of Nov. I'm positive the "three pieces of candy" that I ate on Oct 29 were the trigger for my two week binge. So, I can safely say that I mustn't eat candy. Not even one taste. NO SUGAR.

Maybe I'll adapt Mike T's "no oil" rule to include "no sugar." I will look at a label, and if it has added sugar, I will NOT eat it. Ha! I guess Reese's Miniatures have sugar in their ingredients so I don't eat sugar, and therefore...

Oh, phooey. I know I won't go a lifetime NEVER eating Reese's Miniatures. But not today.

and now I'm gonna stop talking about it, because talking about it has me craving...REESE'S MINIATURES. Sheesh.

gonna treat myself to popcorn. sayonara.

[Anna Green]

buns, I've been reading your journal and laughing because I see myself! You are funny! Just keep at it girl, ok? I'm sure you are like me in that not there was a time you couldn't even imagine trying this and yet here you are not giving up. We can do this!

[bunsofaluminum]

TODAY'S PLAN:

B: grapes; two baked potatoes w/grainy mustard and cooked peas
L: rice with curried red beans and spinach
S: baked potatoes
D: aloo gobi (cauliflower, spinach, potatoes curry)

I need to get more greens in. Looking pretty starchy these days.

[janluvs2heel]

TODAY'S PLAN:
B: grapes; two baked potatoes w/grainy mustard and cooked peas
L: rice with curried red beans and spinach
S: baked potatoes
D: aloo gobi (cauliflower, spinach, potatoes curry)
I need to get more greens in. Looking pretty starchy these days.

Buns, you are funny. The days that I eat less greens, heavy on the starches are the days when I lose the most. Go figure, huh?

Have you not been pre-menstrual most of your life? I mean women have hormones, that is why men dont get it. When you no longer have your cousin charlotte as you call it, you will have other lovely symptoms & yes, some that cause you to want to eat. The thing you need to do is to learn how to not deal with them by eating. That is the challenge. It is hard. I hope you find the yellow brick road this time. I hope I have found it, too. Right now I have been traveling down it for a while, very comfortable, no detours!! But I am on the lookout for that bump in the road!!

[MmmCarbs]

Hey buns, you just reminded me I want to try roasted cauliflower. I was wanting it the other day and forgot about it. Sounds so yummy and something to bake besides taters.

Glad to year you finally got relief from the PREMENSTRUAL MUNCHIES FROM HELL!!!!

[bunsofaluminum]

double post

[bunsofaluminum]

Yesterday I ended up eating as planned BUT I had a rice krispie treat at work Sheesh.

Oh, I ate stir fry with Thai Peanut sauce over rice for dinner, instead of the aloo gobi. Busy busy busy busy busy day.

TODAY'S FOODS:

B: grapes; stir fry with Thai peanut sauce over rice
L: curried red beans, rice, spinach
S: rice krispie treat; grapes; baked potatoes
D: curried red beans, rice, spinach
S: popcorn, grapes

I was craving something sweet and wishing I had some butter toffee almonds...then I grabbed the grapes and at a bundle of them. YUM! Now I feel full.

I don't know what the stupid rice krispie treat was about. ...the thing is, "my" client is the one who always wants to make a treat on Wednesdays. It's his day off, and he loves working in the kitchen. LOVES to bake. So he chose RK treats and we made them yesterday. I had some yesterday, too.

Today, I was putting them in an airtight container, and a co-worker came in and had one. My client had one, and...I had one.

it was the only off-plan thing I put in my mouth today. I even have raw almonds in the cupboard and didn't have any.

Today was "Domino's Day" for Mr S (my client) ... he delivers flyers to doorknobs, and I go along with him as job coach...and they sent us to a sweet little community in the country. It was so pleasant. The air was a bit cool, and the sky was overcast not sunshiney much, but there were stately old trees letting go their leaves, and one house felt like a sanctuary.

As we approached, I noticed off to the side there was a dovecote! There were pigeons inside, and several pigeons outside, fluttering near the domestic birds, making their trilling coo sound to each other. There was a slight breeze, and leaves were drifting down through the air.

Near the dovecote was an arbor, with two seed bird feeders, and there were chickadees and sparrows coming and going there. As I observed the birds and felt the peaceful atmosphere, a silver and white long hair cat came over. After a brief introduction, she got right up under my hand and let me pet her. I sat on the edge of the porch (It had built in benches around the perimeter) and she jumped up and snuggled right up with me and let me pet her. Sweet fluffy thing.

As we left that place, I thought "I want my home to have this peaceful sanctuary feeling to it" Even though no one was home, it felt welcoming and serene. Very nice.

This was in a hidden little neighborhood, just west of a major highway, but no traffic noise at all and very quiet, very calm. Older homes. Deep porches. Long driveways. Old trees.

I always enjoy going out on the Domino's job, and today was one of the most pleasurable walks I've had in a long time.

***

Cellulitis is staying away. I wear a pressure sock every day on the affected leg. Today I feel sleepy, so I'll be hitting the hay early. There's a nasty head cold circulating at work and I DON'T want it! Getting out the neti pot, and increasing my oil of oregano to five drops, twice a day, while the germs are flying.

I'm going to make the aloo gobi tonight, so there is good food ready for tomorrow. I also have two eggplants RATATOUILLE TIME! WOOT! and a spaghetti squash to go with it? heck yes!

[fulenn]

The scene is the little neighborhood you described sounds nice. It's too bad that more places aren't like that now.

Fulenn

[Dissolution]

I'm going to make the aloo gobi tonight, so there is good food ready for tomorrow. I also have two eggplants RATATOUILLE TIME! WOOT! and a spaghetti squash to go with it? heck yes!

Hey I had aloo gobi tonight! Thought it could have been spicier, might have to try and make it some time.

I haven't tried ratatouille yet, not sure if I like eggplant or not....

[bunsofaluminum]

Dissolution, I used to dislike eggplant, but now it's one of my favorites. It has a meaty texture. Lots of "ballast" and very filling. I think ratatouille is probably my favorite dish, because of the flavors, but also because I can make a whole bunch of it at one time in my big ex-turkey-roasting pan. Which I did last night right before bedtime. Two big eggplants two yellow summer squash, two onions, five cloves of garlic and three cans of tomatoes. Italian seasoning blend. And cooked at 350* for 90 min, covered for 60, uncovered for 30. PERFECT!

I didn't have any last night (too late) but this morning I cooked a spaghetti squash (poked it all over, put in 350* oven for an hour, let it cool, then cut it in half and scooped out the seeds. Then scooped out the cooked spaghetti flesh. ) That'll be for lunch. Ratatouille over spaghetti squash with parmesan not-cheese sprinkled over it.

(Parmesan not-cheese: chopped raw almonds, nooch yeast and a pinch of salt in a nut/spice grinder [used to be a coffee grinder] until powdery. YUMMY!)

For breakfast I had nuked taters with black bean and corn salsa, and a bunch of grapes.

TODAY I WANT TO STAY FREE OF THE SAD NIBBLES. Right now, the RK treats are no temptation. They're sitting on the counter top in the kitchen, but I'm truly not interested. Right now.

I brought three nuked potatoes in case of munchies later this afternoon, and some grapes. Those should tide me over.

It occurs to me: Not long ago, I announced that I would be participating here less, and that launched me into quite a trend of more wordiness and more forum visits than usual. Dunno why, other than participation here DOES help me mentally. I want to keep my mind in the game, and that's not easy if I'm not tracking myself, peeking in on others, and paying attention to the ones who are succeeding.

[toadfood]

Your food sounds so yummy. I'm glad you've been participating so much -- it's great to read your posts.

[Rosey]

mmmm your last post made me hungry. BIG HUGS!!!

[bunsofaluminum]

Hm, this is toxic hunger: I ate to COMPLETELY stuffed for lunch. Ratatouille over spaghetti squash, two big servings. That was lunchtime, from 12:30 to about 1:00 ish...and here it is about two hours later, and my stomach is saying "feed me"...but I know I'm NOT HUNGRY.

But I was genuinely hungry by lunchtime. I'm not going to eat anything right now. There are grapes and baked potatoes if I REALLY need them, but I'm not going to feed THIS beast just yet. If something reaches out and grabs me by the throat and says EAT ME (like the RK treats or some other stupid SAD treat at work or at home) then I'll eat a potato, but not just because my appetite is acting like a monster.

looking forward to making some Indian food this evening. Saag aloo, aloo gobi, maybe some samosa filling

[bunsofaluminum]

okay I just realized, I had ZERO off-plan treats yesterday

Something is happening to me mentally, too: I am having flashes of myself, thin. Not sitting down and concentrating or focusing on it (though I plan on some of that today) but just glimpses of what I'll look like at my proper weight (140?) and in a size 10 (8?) jean.

Because of the Great Grape Haul at the discount store yesterday (I wrote about it in the Foods and Recipes forum...but, it bears repeating.) Red seedless grapes, crispy, sweet, and juicy for the price of .33c a lb is WORTH repeating, eh? ...so I bought a case of grapes, which comes to about 18 lbs and I have been buying them pretty cheap anyway at the local produce stand and eating them every day, frequently, to stave off The Beast That Awakened at Halloween but now my fridge is stuffed with grapes and I can eat them to my heart's desire...and share them with my kids ... if I want...

The main point being, because of Sugar Cravings that hit two weeks ago, I want to really satisfy both the sweet tooth and the "hand to mouth" physiology of munchies, and grapes are perfect for that!

I also made a big pot of aloo gobi last night. I felt like a Food Network star, with multiple pots and pans going at the same time, and a chopping board on the counter with a sharp knife and a colander in the sink and me going from spot to spot getting things done. Today I'm going to cook black beans. I have garbanzos in the fridge, and want to make hummus with some, and use some in a sweet potato stew.

The black beans will go in a three sisters soup, since I have a huge variety of squashes in the house...another purchase at the discount grocer. I have a golden nugget squash, a swan white acorn, a golden acorn, a butterCUP squash...well, I have eight in all, of less well-known varieties of squash and I'm happy about it. I also have a small hubbard holding down one corner of the kitchen floor. LOVE hubbard squash! Anyway, black beans and squash, in a soup with tomatoes, kale, and some corn and spices. I'll probably make that today. AND putting away the grapes, i discovered a cauliflower at the back of the fridge and I thought I was all out.

It snowed last night, so today really is a good day for staying home, getting some housework done, and doing some cooking. I plan on making bread, too. Hm. Energy. Feels good.

TODAY'S FOOD PLAN:
B: rice and grapes
S: grapes?
L: aloo gobi
D: ratatouille over spag squash
S: probably some baked squash just to see what it tastes like