Menu - Extra Special Sunday Breakfast and Dinner

I do not want to make this blog a daily-menu blog, but I can't help but post today's menu. Why ? Just because I thought it was extra-special, and because I want to make Sunday the menu-day. So let's see what was on my plate today.

Breakfast- Peanut Butter toast, with 4 dates, applesauce, cottage cheese, and tomato beans.


There was no lunch (OH MY GOODNESS ! What was I thinking ?!) for the simple reason that I got up wayyyyy too late, and ended up having breakfast around 11:30. Instead, decided that I would just grad a snack around 3:00PM and last until dinner.

Snack- A juicy and sweet pink lady apple.


Phil and I went outside, this afternoon. It was bright and sunny, and it was a perfect day to take a walk. Warm enough to wear a hoodie instead of a winter coat. It rocked ! Then for dinner, I decided that we could enjoy tacos on lettuce leaves (instead of corn tortillas) with cress, cheese and salsa.

It was the first time I tried tacos made this way, and frankly, I won't go back to greasy and messy corn tortillas. Iceberg lettuce made a crispy, healthy and fresh wrapping, and I could stuff a lot more meat and veggies than regular tacos. What a filling dinner that was ! I had a hard time finishing the second taco. I should have left what was left over in the plate, but I didn't. It was too good ! Thanks goodness, I don't do that every day.

And then for dessert, my No-Cook Vegan Chocolate Pudding with sliced strawberries and bananas. It was DECADENT ! I never realised how much better a homemade pudding was compared to store bought. Plus, my husband loves it. Yes... My veggie-hater of a husband loves veggie burgers and tofu. He's weird, don't ask ! So here's how the plate looked...

So that's it. My kitchen is closed. It's 9:00PM and I'm still stuffed from dinner. I guess I should have eaten a little less :)

Dieting and my Relationship with Food

I know I haven't posted in a while, but I was in the middle of a BIG change. Some of you might know already, but I was on Weight Watchers since December 2008, and my weight loss efforts we not doing THAT great.

So I had to think and find WHY it was so bad, WHY I wasn't able to do it. I mean, points are easier to count than calories, no ? What made it so difficult ?

And then I realised, even if WW is about changing your lifestyle, it is still about counting your food and writing down what you eat all the time. By using these methods, it IS still a diet, even though they are saying the opposite. There has to be more to eating than writing everything down ? Eating normally and having a healthy relationship with food is not writing it down, or calculating every single portion to make sure you don't have 251g instead of 250g ! A healthy relationship with food is knowing what's good for you, eating WHEN you are hungry, and make sensible choices.

Now, now, I am not bashing Weight Watchers. It just wasn't for me, I guess. But there are things I learned from the program that I have fully integrated in my lifestyle. I must say that WW was more of a learning curve for me. Learning to drink more water, to eat more fiber, to choose multigrain/wholemeal options over refined flour/sugar options, etc. But it didn't help me have a healthier relationship with food. I was becomming obsessed. Writing everything down, thinking about how many points I had left, depriving myself during the week, because every single week-end restaurant meal was going to burst my points budget for the week, and even binging out of frustration. I had enough of all that.

I took the decision to cancel my Weight Watchers subscription and get in contact with a registered dietician. That's what my father did a couple years ago when he had to lose 30-35 lbs in order to keep his cholesterol and blood sugar levels under the critical marks, and I must say, he is maintaining his weight and has had a lot of success without counting and becomming obsessed with food labels. (Good job dad !)

So there I was, March 2nd, waiting at a dietician's clinic, not knowing what to expect. Well, I was quite surprised ! My goal used to be 125 lbs, she made sure that I understood that the right weight for me would rather be between 135 and 140lbs instead ! She also explained that my goal was not only to reduce my weight but to reduce my waistline to 31 inches or LESS. It is not only a matter of weight, it is also a matter of measurements !

So finally, I got out of there with a couple guidelines :

I am prohibited to count any food, except my breads and substitutes (It's the food group that is causing problem in my case) and then again, I can only count them for the first two weeks, just to be more aware of what I put in my mouth. After that, I will be prohibited to count EVERYTHING.

Why ? Because I will be 24 years old next week, and at my age, I shouldn't be counting food. I should be working on listening to my hunger signals.

I can eat as many portions of (lean) protein as I wish. But I have to listen to myself and STOP when I am no longer hungry.

Why ? Proteins will keep me full for a longer time. I was scared, at first, because I am guilty of the gluttony sin... But I must admit, protein fills you up a lot more than anything else and I realised that it was easy to tell when I was full or not.

I have to STOP drinking as much juice.

Why ? Juice contains a lot less fiber than a whole fruit or vegetable. Therefore, it is digested very quickly by your body and you end up being hungry very fast as well.

I have been feeling much better this week. I have stopped worrying about my food intake, and I have started listening to MY BODY. I eat when I am hungry, and I do not eat when I'm not. End of the story.

Oh, and I saw a loss on the scale, because I peeked before Weight In day. (I weight in every other week, now.)

I will finish this post with a recipe I got from a co-worker, it's vegan and full of protein goodness. Plus, it's chocolate-flavoured.

NO-COOK VEGAN CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Ingredients :
1 package of semi-firm silken tofu, drained,
2 ripe bananas,
1/3 cup cocoa,
1/3 cup your choice of sweetener.

Instructions :
Dump in blender, blend, refrigerate for about and hour, then enjoy!


This recipe is husband-approved, mostly with sliced strawberries and bananas on top.