Christmas Eve Day 73

12/24/2009
Day 73 of 182

Christmas Eve and I am busy getting ready for Christmas and for work. One last day, then I have three days off. I just need to get through this shift. . . . and I'll bet it is going to be busy.

I just received a comment about my blog from an acquaintance of my husband, concerning my daily intake of vegetables and fruit. As you may or may not know, I only eat fish, grains, dairy and fruits/vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are a crucial component of complete health and I work very hard to eat the right amount each day. Each day, when I catalog my meals, I often write "large salad" or "small salad" because I eat them at work. When I make my salads, I use two cups of romaine, 1/4 cup of cucumbers, 1/4 cup of tomatoes, bell peppers, fresh pineapple, fresh mushrooms, almonds, pecans and a small amount of cheese for a large salad and half that amount for a small one. Additionally, when I get a sandwich from Subway, I put a ton of spinach, cucumber, tomato and bell peppers. I generally get half the regular amount of tuna and subsidize it with veggies.

There are days where I may not get exactly the right amount of fruits or veggies, but generally I do. When I reflect on my meals, I tend not to interpret my veggies as a hardcore calorie source, solely for the fact that it requires more energy to digest them. I am sorry if I was not as clear as I should have been on the components of my diet.

Simple Secret # 4:
Keep Healthy Foods Handy

People eat what is available to them. If you don't regularly buy junk food, like chips or ice cream, how often would you want some so badly that you would actually drive to the store and buy some. . chances are, not often. Being strategic with your food choices when you are not hungry will cause you to be much more health oriented when you are.

I really focused on this when I first got started. I have watched a program on the BBC called "You Are What You Eat" and the nutritionist basically ransacks peoples home, eliminating all foods that are "bad." She severely restricts their diet for six weeks, then slowly integrates other foods. I mimicked her actions when I began and discarded all sugars, high fat foods and other non nutrient rich foods from my cupboards, eliminating my access to these items. It has become easier to recognize the good from the bad and I only occasionally crave the bad.

As a side note, I recently read that foods high in saturated fat also contain a chemical that inhibits the hormone produced by your stomach that communicates fullness. Eating a diet high in saturated food helps you gain weight because your body doesn't actually ever feel full. (Interesting)

Meals
Life Cereal
small salad
7 0z salmon fillet
1 martini
(I was very busy with work related things,. had hardly any time to eat.)

Activity
1 mile