So since I started this blog, I had used healthy eating and exercise to lose a pretty good amount of weight. I lost around 40 lbs and while I still had 20 to go to reach my pre-hysterectomy weight. Since having the surgery, I suddenly had to work at maintaining a healthy weight. When I ate healthier (i.e. home cooked from scratch, no preservatives, etc) I felt better. At my peak I had quit coffee, soda, fast food. Then it happened...
There was a sale, clearance actually. on a wooden bookshelf type thing that had glass doors. Regular price was in the upper $200's and it was less then $30 but the catch was I had to leave now to get it. I hemmed and hawed. I really could use two of them if I could get them. Then off I went cruising down 87th heading towards Cicero. When I got rear ended by a truck! I was at a dead stop when the impact occurred. Instantly I had a severe headache which had increased to migraine status within a couple hours. Even worse, I had no insurance so there was a lot of out of pocket costs. The guy admitted fault but my medical condition deteriorated very quick. I was dropping things, had no balance, I would forget what I was doing walking the ten steps from the living room to the kitchen. The headache NEVER went away. I was miserable, getting depressed at everyone telling me this was whiplash when my Chiropractor saved me. He convinced the MRI place to bill me (never done) due to the extreme worsening of my condition. The MRI discovered that I had a disc that had herniated and pressed into my spinal cord creating a syrinx in my spine. After another month and so much more bad luck I finally qualified for medicaid and was able to schedule to surgery I needs to repair the herniation. My surgeon Dr. Ghanayem really listened to me and had done his homework on my case. After my 1st of 2 potential spinal surgery, my constant headache was finally gone. In the meantime, I obviously had not been cooking much and had gained back about half the weight I lost.
Which brings us to now. It is almost one year since the accident and while I am still possibly facing another surgery (hoping an MRI this month will tell me) I am ready to get back on track to eating better. I need to get my routine back so when I do go to work FT I am not so tempted to hit the Wendys.
The first step to getting back on track is retraining my taste-buds. I learned what we like has a lot more to do with habit that really not liking something. For example, I was a hardcore Dr. Pepper addict for many years. In all that time I NEVER drank water. I did not like the taste at all (don't laugh it does have a taste!). So when I quit Dr. Pepper I started drinking Crystal light. Eventually the crystal light was too sweet (I hate the fake sugar taste) so I transitioned to plain bottled/filtered water. Now 99% of what I drink is water, I LOVE the taste! Now when I order a soda (once in a blue moon or longer) I cant stand it. I taste how sugary it really is and the other chemical too (plus it gives me the hiccups from the first sip).
My Goal this week: Homemade 7 days! No cheating!
Mon am - chicken salad I made and lettuce
Mon aft - Jamaican jerk salad (green & red peppers and onions in a homemade jerk sauce)
Mon pm - Roast night. Potatoes, Celery (add to as many meals as you can), carrots, onions
Tues am - homemade apple cinnamon oatmeal made with some steel cut oats (I like Irish). Cook the apples in a bit of butter and cinnamon in a 350 degree oven until tender and mix into the oatmeal along with any juices from the apples cooking.
Tues aft - Falafel/hummus wrap with lettuce, giardinara and a hint of feta.
Tues pm - Turn leftover roast into pulled bbq beef sammies or wraps (I will have a wrap, my son wants his bread lol).
Wed am - Fried egg, turkey bacon
wed aft - homemade smoothie (water so cold its almost a slushie, handful of fruit, yogurt, matcha, chia, flax, leafy green (lettuce/spinach). Blend all together and be super full
wed pm - cook a whole chicken, rice, asparagus, broccoli slaw
Thur am - biscuits and gravy
Thur aft - tuna salad (load up on veggies when you make it)
Thur pm - Chicken fajitas (with leftover chicken)
Fri am - pancakes
Fri aft - chicken fajita salad with leftovers
Fri pm - Breakfast for dinner: Pork sausage and potato's
Sat am- scrambled eggs with some turkey sausage
Sat aft - chicago beef sammies, home made tater chips
Sat pm- homemade pizza (make your favorite)
Sun am-French toast
Sun aft- soup and salad
Sun pm - ribs, salad, beans
So wish me luck y'all. Commit your list to writing, it holds you accountable. Incorporate leftovers into NEW dishes (keeps from getting bored eating the same thing) and flavor with herbs not salt. Learn where you can make healthy substitutions: i.e. olive or grapeseed oil in place of veggie or canola. I use coconut oil to make my pancakes (gives a great flavor and good for you).
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