Phoning It In

On Sunday I usually cook for the week - at least two meals to have twice each for lunch, and sometimes a dinner or two as well. That means by the end of the day I usually don't want to cook dinner as well. Enter Annie's whole wheat mac and cheese. It isn't the most balanced meal on the planet but it is fast, easy, and relatively wholesome. I like to mix in some frozen veggies (the only time I ever use frozen veggies in fact, apart from frozen peas and frozen corn when out of season). Usually I use green beans/peas/corn but today I realized that mix clocks in at 90 calories per half cup whereas the squash medley I picked up tonight is 20 for the same amount. I'm not going to lie, the veggies were a little mushy. But still a good trade.

So here you have it, times two. I should have stopped halfway through the second bowl I think. Now it's time to get cooking for the week!

Refreshing!

Dear god, I forgot how hot it was here in the swamps. I was only gone 48 hours but still, it came as a shock to feel like I was swimming through the air again. I went straight to the grocery store from the airport so I'd have everything I needed to cook for the week and wouldn't have to motivate to leave the house again later. My reward: juicy juicy watermelon for an afternoon snack. Pricey but so so good! Tastes like a nice cool shower on a hot day. It may be spring up north, but it's definitely summer here.

Cold Bread

I object to refrigerated sandwiches on principle - there is nothing worse than cold bread! That being said, when it comes to airport food you can do a lot worse than a Starbucks sandwich. This was turkey, cheddar, light mayo and mustard on wheat with lettuce, sharing the stage with some tropical jelly bellys. How many of them will be eaten on the flight remains to be seen!

Introduction

The short version of the story is that over the past three years I have lost almost 40 pounds, very slowly, but surely. I've worked with a nutritionist and followed a dietary exchange method of tracking my food intake, and I've integrated yoga, pilates, and more recently, light running and some elliptical interval training, into my routine.

I've come a long way in my eating habits over this time: I cook most of my meals, and I eat mostly whole foods. But recently I have been having a hard time making the healthy choices that have come to be second nature to me. For the last two or three weeks my eating has felt out of control - in reality it's only a few hundred calories a day more than normal but those can add up quickly. And more importantly I FEEL like it is so much more than that - I am too full, I don't feel as comfortable in my skin, and my energy feels lower. I am trying this as an experiment: maybe blogging everything I eat will help me stay accountable, whether anyone is reading this or not. I want to keep it simple - one photo, maybe two or three, a short explanation. This is mostly for me, but if anyone else is interested, maybe it will be helpful to them too.

So, here we go: first post.

This is a triple espresso over ice with whole milk and splenda in the Albany airport of all places. I am on my way back from a friend's wedding and mulling over love, partnership, and life. Caffeine most definitely necessary. (Usually I carry my own natural sweetener with me but I ran out this weekend.)