Day 118 1/4: See Less of Bo: The Cape Fear Heart Walk Journey withy s Adam Freeman and O2 Fitness!

I have had a few things on my mind lately about eating all these changes. I just went to the grocery store and thought I would write some things down.

First, I was putting away some things in the freeze and buried in the back were two left over packs of stauffer's potato au gratin side dishes. I bought those over the holidays when Michael went to his mothers..no i bought about 10 of those types of meals, Marie Callendars, Stauffers, all with the intent of eating them while he was gone. Guess I missed to. It is sort of like giving up drinking or drugs and then finding that bottle of vodka months or years later in the attic or under the kitchen sink that you forgot you had hidden "just in case". 36 grams of fat per serving and this has the audacity to say it has two servings!! Please, that would have been one of two I would have eaten with the meal that evening! And while things have certainly changed and I do not think about things like that or even look at them when I am shopping these days...when I saw them in the freezer, I thought for a brief moment.."one won't hurt". BULL! What I have learned about me and what I have learned about health in these months and what i want for me, I know that that crap is not what I need.

But it got me to thinking about the things I am doing and trying to do to stay on track...as was said this week..it took a lot of years of doing it my way that got me here...and it is taking replacing those habits with new ones, one day at  a time to make these changes.

1.) I am not even leaving healhier snacks out on the counter. If triscuits, wheat thins, or anything that I have in my eating plan that I enjoy is just laying out and about...well, I am gonna nibble. It is who I am and I am changing, but it has helped to put things away. Do you know for the first time in years, boxes and bags of snacks have lasted over a week! In some cases they have lasted two or three! That never happened before. I would sit down with the package and eat until they were gone.

2.) I portion out my snacks. I am not taking the package with me and eating out of it. I am portioning out what I can having. While it does not always work...it usually does and I am usually satisfied and enjoy them more. Serving sizes are on the box or bag. Not a hard thing to do! :)

3.) I keep apples in the fridge and I also keep no sugar added fruit cocktail, peaches and pears in the cabinet. There is never any excuse for me not to have something sweet...a fruit...with those on hand. I used to buy fresh fruit and it would go bad becuase i would forget about it or ignore it. Now, at home and at work I ahve these choices that are awesome and last a long time and are always there and they satisfy!

4.) I keep sugar free fruit pops on hand. I LOVE THESE! these are often my salvation and I love them. They are tasty and a treat and when I can't pray away or just get through a craving they really satisfy! I love them and they are 25 calories. Sure, i can overdue on them like anything, but they are great alternative to a box of cookies! HELLO!!!!

5.) the other "treat" which I have to be more careful with, but which I enjoy emensley are the sugar free eskimo pies. They are 100 calories but only 1.5 grams of fat. Again, I can overdue it doing more than one, but they are a great treat.

6.) for veggies, I hear a lot how expensive fresh veg are and its true. We supplement our with having my favorite veg, Mixed greens in the can by Martha Holmes. I could eat those all day and they are so rich in vitamins and minerals! I love them! I keep a good stock of canned veg and look for sales and yes fresh are better, but these are well seasoned and learning to season things is the trick.

7) I am using the non-stick pan and have broken the dependency on oil and butter and of course we have the grill and i love to grill chicken! I am working stilll on getting more fish in our diet, but the chicken is great!

8>) speaking of chicken, the best alternative to cooking is picking up a rotisserie chicken on the way home...take the skin off and they are perfect..protien and left overs are perfect on salads! the lowe's in the nieghborhood does the breasts only and i Love them!

9.) we have found restaturants that are heart healthy: Pita Delite, Hibachi Grill, Chris's Cosmic Kitchen, some Sweet and Savory cooking, and some Items and McCallisters (they use low fat ranch!).
it is about looking around for the right places so we can go out still!

10.) and lastly for where I am right now with food...it still is about wanting to eat too much. Sure it is a little bit spiritual, a little bit mental, and a little physical. It all is. I have spent the last 21 years growing in understanding that I am a three fold person...mental, spiritual, physical...no different than anyone else...and my afflictions and blessings are often the same things just not revealed to me as such until the right time or until I can see. Regardless, it is all a process and I am trying one day at a time....