.
When I first started cooking I learned to make chicken. And when my mom would come to visit we would head to Costco to get their individually wrapped chicken breasts. Et voila, Brooke had what she needed to make whatever chicken dish she could find.
I love my chicken cashew salad recipe. It is so great, easy, and great as leftovers. I have made it for at least 6 years and chances are that I’ve made it for you.
When I lost weight last year I found the easiest way to maintain it (and lose it initially) was a diet low in starchy carbs, high in protein. This is not a diet that can (or should) be maintained for a long time as we do not need this much protein in our diets. About six months ago, once I was finally confident that I would maintain my weight loss, I began working on eating less protein and adding more complex carbohydrates in my diet. <tangent> I should mention that I have added in more mono and polyunsaturated fats into my diet… They fill you up and give your brain something to live on. If I hear “fats make you fat” one more time I might scream!! </tangent> I also had my long standing sugar problem to work on. This fall, I realized that all those sugary vegetables could totally help those cravings. How exciting!
So now I find myself eating very little (meat-based) protein and feeling happier because I am bingeing less on those sugary foods.
When I went to Costco Monday to stock up for Thanksgiving I bought some chicken out of habit. it had been on my Costco list for over a month and I just hadn’t missed it in the freezer. It is crazy though because ever since I put it in the car I realized that I didn’t want it, I didn’t need that much chicken any more and fully bought it because I used to. I even feel some guilt knowing it is in my freezer right now. These days when I make my cashew chicken salad I usually make it with turkey. Local, organic, turkey. A turkey or chicken that lived a decent life. Because I am not going to stop eating protein all together. I don’t find that morally I feel that need. But I do have enough knowledge now to want to eat things that have lived a good life and I want to put things in my body that are going to enhance my experience of living.
What am I thankful for? The knowledge that I’ve acquired to know that I am filling my body up with good foods, treated humanely and filling myself up with goodness as well. I am going to go make my Thanksgiving turkey now that has been brining over night. I am going to dance a little and talk nicely to it as I do. It could only do good right? If mood contributes to who you are it can certainly contribute to what happens when you eat.
Take Care and have a GREAT Thanksgiving!
I actually walked away from a fat book today. For the first time I didn't resonate. So, I put it down, put it in the book return slot and sent it back.
I usually love reading about emotional eating. I feel good reading about people who have problems with eating or their size and then in typical light fiction fashion work through it and are happy. Or, I read the nonfiction variety about how and why people eat and different ways to think about food.
I recently read a book where the protagonist talked about binge eating. Not all fat people binge eat or even have eating issues and not all thin people eat well. In fact most people don't eat well at all. My main eating issues come from hiding and binge eating. I know exactly what I should be eating, but "want" the other foods. You know, the ones that everyone else eats. I hide the bad food that I eat so that no one knows why I am chubby. I eat it so that no one can look at me and know my weakness. It is interesting that being fat is something that you can't hide. So many other addictions can be hidden fully from society/friends/family. Eating badly can be hidden - you can portray all the healthiness you want from your vegetarian/organic/whatever diet, but the resultant habits show up very clearly on your body whether it is bad skin, weight in places you don't want it or in lack of muscle tone.
I used to resent all the skinny bitches out there. Now I don't. I realize they are no better off than me. They have their issues - issues that don't always show on the outside.
I associate with binge eaters even though I am no longer fat. I associate with people who try to eat to feel better. I associate with the lonely stay at home moms who yearn for a community and a place to feel accepted for their choices.
Think about what you hide. Think about what you want from your life. Now try to bridge the gap between the two. How can you make it happen? How can you make what you want from your life into what you have dreamed?
I was sick last week so I was quiet about this. I didn’t think I noticed much at first, but aside from the weird grossness I feel from eating fried foods last night I think I feel better without the dairy/eggs in my life. I feel a little lighter and cleaner. Oddly, last week I was mostly vegan as a consequence of eating dairy free. I had tuna once, but mostly ate veggies, soups and squashes (as befits the season). I think it was easier without hubbend home so I didn’t eat out much – just ate simpler.
I am going to try to go without magnesium this week to see if it is really helpful, but aside from missing eggs for breakfast it isn’t really hard to go without. Although eating outside the home is fairly challenging as well.
I’ll keep thinking about it. Next week I’ll be traveling so I will have eggs, but it might be hard to tell why I am feeling good, bad or ugly and if it is related to eggs or just travel.
I am thinking I will do a whole body/organ cleanse in January this year. That or the whole life nutrition 28 day cleanse which is for the gluten-free people in your life. Who wants to join me?
For most of my life I have wanted more. To be better. I accept that I have limitations, that I am not a super human, but I think that I should be a better yogi, a better mother, a better person. I think I should at least try.
And if I accept things as they are it is like giving up.
Now it has changed a bit. I feel that letting go gives me space for more in my life. More peace, more opportunities (to teach yoga instead of solely try to be the best practitioner)
Now I feel like letting go is a releasing. A peace-ing.
And… breathe.
