The Chew - Toot Sweet 4 Two

Did I mention that I’m a food blogger? What I mean is that while I don’t consider myself a food blogger, traffic to my site dictates that I am. I post recipes twice a week, but I post other things 3 to 5 times a week. But, visitors to my site check out the recipes more than any of my other posts {sad face}.

I’m really proud of the photos above and below. I took them of my Harvest Pumpkin Chili, which I posted on this blog last fall. It wasn’t easy balancing a spoon full of Harvest Pumpkin Chili goodness in one hand and taking a steady shot with my camera in the other {grin}! Even though I think this is an awesome shot, it was declined by Foodgawker. Anyway, I thought these photos should illustrate a post titled “The Chew” {grin}.

The fact that I share recipes on my blog would explain some of the unusual food choices I have made in this weight reduction journey. Because while I am working on losing weight, I really don’t want this blog and its recipes to be labeled a “weight loss blog”. Plus, I don’t pay too much attention to what I eat. I don’t track calories, fat grams, carbs, etc. In the interest of “keeping it real”, no weight loss plan is going to work for me over the long haul unless I can incorporate my food making, baking, testing and eating routine into my reality.

I do try to watch what I eat and the amount I eat. For example, I strive to eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day, I try to limit the amount of potatoes, rice, pasta and bread plus don’t overload on fats or proteins (higher calorie choices). I don’t eat out much, nor frequent fast food restaurants. So, pretty much, I eat what I want just try to be mindful about it.

And, sometimes I cheat.

If I’m eating pretty much what I want, why do I say I “cheat”? Well, sometimes, especially during high stress times, I’ll eat dessert. Ice cream is my undoing. I try not to keep it in the house, but sometimes, I’ll buy it with the full intention that I’m going to eat it.

I guess that makes me human.

This past Memorial Day weekend, I had a house guest – a dear friend who lives up north, a 10-hour journey. She’s on the Paleo plan. I call it a “plan” rather than a “diet” because she has health issues and her doctor recommended that she change the way she eats to Paleo.

So, I learned so much about eating “Paleo” from her. Before her visit, I had a cursory understanding of Paleo, but not a clear understanding. Now, I’ll be better prepared to “tag” some of my recipes “Paleo” than I was before. Plus we made several awesome recipes during her visit (actually she made them; I watched and photographed them), which I’ll be posting to this site in the next few months.

Recently, I read an article that chewing your food 30 to 50 times (each bite) will help in weight loss. Well, I’m not sure that I can start out by chewing that many times per bite, so I’m going to shoot for 25 and increase that as I go along. Here’s a link to the article: How May Times Should You Chew Your Food for Weight Loss.

Oh, and I’ve started walking everyday. I started that routine on May 3rd, so I’ve walked everyday for the last 25 days. I don’t think that I’ve shared that I have a “health coach”. She’s someone I talk to once a month about my achievements, goals and strategies. It’s a free phone consultation through my health care provider. And, she shamed me into walking!

Not that I didn’t think walking every day is important. I do think it’s important. But, I always had an excuse. Not enough time to fit 1/2 hour of walking every day into my life. I would promise her that I’d “start tomorrow” and then when our monthly chat would happen the next time, I always confessed that I didn’t do it. So, after 3 months of excuses, she hit a nerve in something she said and now I get up every day, get dressed, put on my tennis shoes and walk out the door. I set the timer on my cell phone to 30 minutes and I don’t come back until the timer has rung.

Actually, I love walking in the morning. It’s so quiet and peaceful – the birds are just waking up themselves, the sun is rising in the east and my valley takes on a warm glow. I walk a dirt path around our property looking for coyote tracks and hawks circling overhead.

Today’s Weight: 235 pounds. I’ve gained 5 pounds since last month. When I shared this dismal report with another one of my friends, she theorized that I’ve built muscle from walking and that’s why I’ve gained rather than lost. While she might be right, I think she is just being kind. More than likely that’s not the case. I just ate too many sweet things for my mom’s birthday, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, etc. Just look at the recipes I posted this month:

None of those are “diet-friendly” recipes. All of them are yummy!

So, I should change tactics and start counting calories or fat grams or carbs. But, instead I’m going to try chewing each bite an excessive amount of times and see if that helps {grin}! Plus, I’ll keep walking.

Tip of the Month: Chew your food well – strive for 30 times per bite. Make it a habit and soon you won’t need to count because it will happen automatically!

Tootles,

(other posts in the Incredible Shrinking Woman series)

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