My love affair with food

I love food. All kinds of food. It's a good part of the reason I have all this extra weight. The thing is, I don't have much interest in cooking. I'm growing to like it, but it's time consuming and time is not something I have a lot of.
So I'm changing my eating habits. I'm not dieting because diets are bad, they don't work. You eat lettuce for 6 weeks, drop 40 lbs and then the first time you eat a cheeseburger you pile the fat right back on. I'm trying to stay away from processed foods. I'm shopping the perimeter of the grocery store - where the fresh food is (produce, bakery, meats, dairy) I'm making more meals from scratch, rather than from a can or box. And I'm noticing a difference.

For one thing, it's freakin' expensive to eat healthy. Granted, there were a few 'start up' costs, mainly spices and such that I just didn't have, but a lot of my recipe's call for. I heard on the radio that in tough economic times like these people tend to get fatter because they eat the cheaper, mass produced, processed food. The first few times I went out shopping to stock up for the week my grocery bill was $250+. For a week!
I'm controlling my portions a bit better now though. Instead of eating a whole chicken breast, I'm eating half and loading up on veg and fruits. I'm not eating nearly as much red meat as I used to. I'm eating a lot more vegetables.

But here's the thing. I've discovered a whole new world of food. I made a side dish the other night called Savory Spinach and Tomato. Normally I will only eat spinach in things, like lasagna. But this was sooooo damn good. I find I'm using spices I never used before and everything is tasting so much better! I'm eating beans (kidney beans, chick peas, navy beans...you name it, I'm eating them)
I'm also cooking. Every single night. And if I'm not cooking it's because I have left overs frozen and I'm eating those. Regardless, I'm not eating pizza, deep fried chicken, 2 cups of rice, and cheese on everything. And I'm actually enjoying it. I actually look forward to eating - not because I'm starving but because it's new and delicious.

I made 6 different kinds of muffins today, all egg free so Connor can have some too. And all of them are healthy. (okay maybe not the chocolate chip ones but I don't see Mary and Emily doing the zucchini/pineapple muffins)

I still spoil myself. I ate some Lindt chocolate hearts yesterday. We had Swiss Chalet for supper last night and tonight we're going to the Mandarin. I still have beer. I still have wings. I still have pizza. But now it's once in a blue moon and I'm not the least bit upset about it.

And my heart, my body and my mind will thank me for it.