6.13.2012

To eat or not to eat

There are many changes I have made in my diet. First off, I have a fast metabolism. This means I am unable to maintain a stable weight. I shed weight quickly and have trouble gaining. So with my diet and exercise regimen I have decided to not lose but to keep my weight.
I am 5’6 and 165 lbs. I’m naturally slim build but this is the heaviest I have ever been and this may sound funny, but I’m kind of liking the extra weight.

So, I eat often and a high protein diet so as not to lose any weight. I’m not a big snacker and I’m not crazy about junk food.  However, I do have episodes where I have cravings for cake, chocolate (Kit Kat or Almond Joy), soda, ice-cream, chips (Doritos), and whatever junk I see.

I’m concerned about my reader’s thinking I may contradict myself at any point during my posting.
I want you all to know that I am human, I will slip and make mistakes and eat things I shouldn’t.  We all do-but don’t make yourselves crazy about it. If you want pie eat pie, just eat a slice not the entire pie!

Every little thing you eat matters. You may not think so but it does. What you put in your mouth definitely affects your fibroid. I have done a sweep of my fridge and stricken many foods from my life. I know I just made that sound easy like I waved a magic wand and foods disappeared. I have no food allergies or issues with foods. I just removed the unhealthy items.

I am one with my fibroid and at times it speaks to me. It hurts when I run so I know I am doing the right thing. It hurts after I eat certain foods and that also lets me know to stay away from that food.
Research shows that genetically altered foods affect the growth of fibroids for example:  cow’s milk, white sugar, white flour, and chicken.  There was a time when I would drink milk and I was using Ensure and Nutriment (which are milk based) for my after run shakes.  And my fibroid would hurt and have me doubled over in pain! So, I no longer drink milk. I don’t drink any kind of milk NOT almond, goat, cows, soy, nothing, nada.  Not even in my tea.  I’m not lactose intolerant, I made the choice to remove milk from my life for the sake of my health plus it was hurting my body.

I've stricken white flour and white sugar from my diet.  White sugar makes my fibroid hurt too.          
So I stick with brown sugar and honey. Although, I don’t drink milk, I love cheese & ice cream.                                              
At times its difficult for me to resist-so when I crave, I eat in moderation (like a pizza or a slice of cheese on a cracker, toasted almond ice cream on a stick) or find alternatives like soy Ice cream, a slushy or popsicle.
Let’s move on to vegetables. Visit your local fruit market or farmers market. Get acquainted with vegetables-these will help you with weight loss, diabetes, lowering cholesterol and lastly shrinking the Fibroid.
They will also help the body with much need nutrients (since I don’t drink milk I have to get the vitamin D from somewhere). For example I have discovered my love of Spinach (I’m serious, I really really love it) which is high in Iron, especially good for women who menstruate. I also love cucumbers which is high in vitamins A & C and is also a good source of dietary fiber!
Talking about all these veggies is making me hungry, but you get my drift.
When I get to my local veggie mart I write down the names of the veggies I see.  I write down what I like or even what my friends like (like asparagus or eggplant both of which I don’t eat) then I go home and research it.

I keep a few things in mind when choosing my veggies.

1. The good Lord puts nothing bad on this earth. All vegetables and fruits are good for you!
        Genesis 1:9 And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and        
        good for food.
2. The nutritional value of the vegetables I chose.
3. Ways to incorporate my new found vegetables in my diet.

And lastly, once you’ve decided on your newfound veggie you want to also discover innovative ways to cook them. I steam and bake a lot of my meats and veggies. Yes, I know this may seem time consuming but it’s not.
You simply pop the food in the oven, set the timer then take it out when the timer goes off. Oven cooking is a lot better than slaving over a hot stove. I also suggest the small convection ovens which work well too and fit nicely on your counter top.

For a more detailed account of what foods are and are not in my Fibroid –stricken life or how to choose veggies or if you have any questions, please email me.

Cool Runnings,

XOXO

String Beans washed & ready to be sauteed in Olive oil of course!

Sweet Potato, wrapped in foil ready to bake!

Finished, and ready to eat!