What to EAT?

I am anti diet

Great coming from an overweight mom huh?

Ever since I could begin to think about food, I was concerned with chemicals in food. I have never been one to partake in easy bake meals or even much junk food. In fact I really didn't have a weight problem until I went Vegan

HUH??

I know... most people think that vegetarian and vegan lifestyles are perfect, and for some they are but for me they were a one way road to obesity. There is a lot of science behind that (hormones, soy, need for certain fats blah blah blah) The point is, that is when I became obese and have struggled since then.

My Dr is the one who originally put me on Atkins, at that time I was still a vegetarian and it was one hell of a hard transition. However I lost 75 pounds and never felt better. Enter bad divorce, relocation to another part of the state, college, graduate school, five kids and a full time job well... Pizza and Pasta became easy.

I had moved back to a whole foods diet after being discouraged by the "low fat" suggestions of South Beach. I couldn't wrap my head around the concept that eating more chemicals was somehow better for me then eating natural fats and proteins. Like the picture says.. I trust cows more then chemists....

I have long been a fan of Michael Pollan, his rules make sense. Don't eat what your great grandparents wouldn't recognize... Eat food, mostly plants, not too much... Don't eat foods with more then 5 ingredients, ingredients you can't pronounce or high fructose corn syrup.

Add in some Weston Price and the need for whole foods, pastured beef, healthy fats (Hello Coconut Oil!!!) and raw dairy. Now THAT makes sense to me!

And throw in some Tosca Reno... Eating proteins, fats and healthy carbs in controlled manner... Yup.

So the crazy thing is... if I knew all of this why am I so heavy? Well... knowing and doing is two different things. If you came to my house you would find zero junk food. None. Ever. Lots of meats, fresh vegetables, I order organic food from Azure Standard, I garden and can my produce...

But I eat ALOT, and at night, and all through the day. I realize the other day that I had brought a quart of trail mix I made, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, raisins, dates and carob chips.

I ate it in 2 days. Yup. 2 days.

SO, my plan is daily tracking of my food. Eat what I want until I am full. Exercise 5 days per week. Lots of water and NO MORE EATING LUNCH OUT.

Just have to keep yelling that to myself because that is where I can easily pack on a days worth of food...

That amazing Nachos with the chicken and vegetables... and cheese sauce... and guacamole... and sour cream... uh huh... its amazing...

Zero more. Nada. Ok... once a week. I have to go once a week because of a work commitment. But I can choose a salad, or a wrap or something that isn't 2200 calories :)

And uh... I didn't run last night ..... Rain was intense..... bad bad bad