I've been tending away from the sugary foods for a long while now, but I've upped the ante a little bit and it's showing; food is just tasting so much better now that I've started eating fresh fruits and vegetables and leaner cuts of meats-seasoned and spiced up all pretty like!
For instance, last night I had a delicious meal at my in-laws house. It was great! And to finish it off, we were presented with some yellow cake with chocolate icing. I LOVE this cake. It's one of my favorites...right up there next to carrot and spice cake. So, I took a half of a half piece, and ate it and enjoyed it. But...I didn't enjoy it as much as I usually do. Typically, cake is like, YUM! But this time, it was more like "yum." And, I considered after I was done, that an apple with brie may have satisfied me more and I would have left feeling lighter and happier with a less calorie laden choice for my nutritional bang. (Have you ever had brie on sliced apples?! Ohmygoodness, it's heavenly and decadent and feels like sinfulness!)
Some people may think I'm off my rocker. Like my husband for instance. But I'm truth telling here people! My tastebuds are demanding to be heard! "Give us the good stuff" they say! And I dare not imply that I don't eat chocolate now and then. I sure do. But wow if my body isn't starting to CRAVE fruits instead of pastries. The resolve is growing. The choices are becoming easier. Passing up that apple fritter in the starbucks baked goods window isn't as hard as it used to be. Cause, you know, I'll peel myself an apple! I'll put some splenda on it! I'll sprinkle it with almonds and cinnamon! I'll bake it! OH YUM YUM! Talk about delicious!
I'm trying to convince my spouse that transitioning over to healthier choices isn't really that hard. A sweet potato rather than an idaho white. Whole wheat pasta rather than white, wheat flour rather than white. Brown rice rather than white. {I suppose we can assume white is a dirty word from now on.} Bran flakes rather than corn flakes. It's just a hop-skip-and jump over to the other side.
And really...it's OH YUM YUM!
Maybe...especially for Mike and the fact that this is a long term process...don't make the leap straight up from white to whole wheat in every aspect...baby steps girlie...start out with a white/brown (wheat, rice, whatever blend...maybe even start out at 75% white to 25% wheat or brown) and then over time transition...higher percentages of wheat to white until the majority is wheat...or brown...I bake a lot and I use about 50/50 for me it's a textural thing and the fact that whole grains tend to swell a bit much for my pathetic pouch...with rice...we tend to go long grain or wild rice to straight up brown...but again you can mix them...and throw in some other grains too...try Farro..it is closer in texture to rice than quinoa or tabouli...and in my opinion it tastes better...
ReplyDeleteMy point is, when trying to convert a non-convert it's okay to go slow...instead of just making the switch and having a mutiny on your hands...lol
Still rooting for you :)
Jil
Good thoughts jilly bean. :)
ReplyDeleteMike pretty much eats good stuffs, but he's still stubborn about certain things he likes. As in, potatoes or chips or white pasta. I'll sneak him on over to the dark side. Literally, darker. bwhahahah.