Today I am making some meatless chili. I am trying to go vegetarian 1-3 nights a week. This particular recipe I found online and it was really simple, so I added a ton of stuff to it. I am a ravenous chili eater and have made several good recipes over the years. So I know how to make some healthy, good chili.
Tons of peppers and beans and tomatoes. Yes, some consider beans and tomatoes to be a chili-sin, I lived in Texas so I know. I love them in my chili though. I like having tons of different things in chili, adds variety! This is what it looks like uncooked and in the crock pot. I crock all my chili, ideally for at least 8 hours. Today time got the better of me and I don't get to cook it for quite that long. Ah well. If it turns out to be super tasty then I'll put the recipe up here!
Food is really important. The equation for a healthy body is simple. Exercise + Diet. You can't do one without the other and expect to be slim and healthy. I know this from my early 20's and spending tons of time in the gym but still eating like crap. And the famous "I just worked out really hard so now I can go out to eat and reward myself!" Thus, the weight was not lost. Now that I am serious about becoming healthy I understand the importance of a proper diet. Your body needs the right fuel - protein, fiber, healthy fats, carbs (within reason), vitamins and minerals. Most of which are completely absent in most traditional foods. So I am buying fresh ingredients, fruits, veggies, organic foods, whole grains, lean meats and proteins... and just making everything from scratch. It's so much better for you and often times tastes better too.
Food is a challenge for me. I have always been a picky eater. Growing up my mom didn't make me eat my vegetables and basically let me eat whatever I wanted. We didn't have very many sit down family meals, it was more like telling her what I wanted to eat. Which was usually mac and cheese or chicken nuggets or ramen noodles. And the amount of coke I drank... by the time I was in high school I was drinking 4 cans of vanilla coke a day. It had just come out back then... that stuff was really good! But as I got older, and especially after meeting my husband who pretty much eats anything placed before him, I've started broadening my horizons. At first it was just going out to eat at places I thought I wouldn't like and trying new foods. Now I am challenging myself to eat *gasp* vegetables and salads! And nuts - never did like them much either. I also don't like seafood, so a long term goal of mine is to one day learn to like it. Being picky sucks. It's really hard to get outside your food comfort zone... but by god, I will do it!
Things I have learned about changing my diet:
- Research. There is a ton of information on healthy eating on the internet. Over the past few months I have read alot of articles from all kinds of different sources. I have learned what to eat in order to lose weight, what foods make the human body healthier, the role of fats, carbs, protein, and fiber, what fats are healthy, how to portion meals, what snacks to eat during the day, and the importance of expending more calories than you take in. And I am continuously reading more - I've genuinely become interested in healthy eating.
- Planning. Making a plan of what you will eat for dinner each night of the week will set you up for success. Set a couple nights a week as vegetarian nights, maybe plan to make a dessert or treat meal once a week, etc. Since it's just my husband and I we usually end up eating leftovers for lunch the next day. And as long as I plan correctly we won't ever go "Crap, what's for dinner? Guess we have to order something...." and I don't ever have to resort to pre packaged meals - don't even keep them in the house anymore! Planning also saves me money at the commissary/grocery store - I go in with a list and know exactly what I am going to get instead of just going in there and buying stuff all willy nilly.
- Make swaps. Again, research the internet for some good healthy swap ideas. Here are some I use
- 100% whole grain everything as much as possible, instead of regular white flour
- Plain nonfat greek yogurt instead of sour cream, milk, or cream cheese. A very versatile ingredient that you can substitute with and get a rich, creamy element to your dish.
- Wheat germ for breadcrumbs. This is an awesome one - if I'm making some baked chicken tenders or anything else that's breaded. Wheat germ has fiber, protein, and lots of vitamins. Plus it has a much heartier texture than bread crumbs. I usually go half breadcrumbs and half wheat germ.
- Quinoa for rice. The texture and taste take some getting used to, but it is packed with the amino acids your body needs. And rice is terrible for you. Quinoa cooks just like rice and can be added to lots of different foods.
- Chia seeds. I used these in a salad dressing the other day (the recipe called for poppy seeds) but you can throw them into a smoothie too. They have protein, fiber, vitamins, and omega 3's and are barely noticeable in most foods.
- Almond flour and almond butter. Almonds are great for you! I just made some awesome cookies using almond flour. They tasted great and had a nice texture that you don't get with regular cookies. A good pre workout snack is a few apple slices with some almond butter. You can make your own, just toast about a cup of almonds and blend them with a few teaspoons of olive oil in a food processor. I have not been an almond fan in the past, but I am trying to get used to them as they make great healthy snacks. Just don't eat mass quantities of them - they are high in calories, but also great for energy throughout the day and providing your body with healthy fats.
- Spinach or other leafy greens for iceberg or romaine lettuce. I've been on the spinach train lately! Never been a big fan of salads, but I think I've just realized that I don't really like iceberg or romaine lettuce that much. They make for good taco toppings but that's about it. Spinach just tastes way better to me. And it's much more nutrient dense than regular lettuce. So I've been putting it on sandwiches, blending it in smoothies (barely noticeable!), tossing it into pastas, and making salads with it. I've heard great things about other dark leafy greens such as kale and arugula, but those will enter my life in due time. I am still in the process of getting used to veggies.
- Add veggies! Add them to whatever food you are eating - chopped, pureed, whatever. Your body needs them! Even if you have to mask the taste with other foods, which I have certainly been known to do.
- Raw honey for sugar. Sugar is terrible for you, and it's in most everything we eat these days. And you don't want a bunch of disease causing chemicals from those artificial sweeteners either. So as you are cooking/baking or sweetening your foods and drinks, use raw honey. It has a lower glycemic index, meaning your blood sugar doesn't rise as quickly after eating. Raw honey also has lots of vitamins and may help with allergies. Just make sure it's organic, raw, unfiltered honey. Regular honey's nutritional content is pretty much completely filtered out. Stevia is a great option too - just research it first to see if it's right for you. I can't have it because I have low blood sugar. Stevia lowers your blood sugar, so I end up feeling really sick whenever I eat it.
- Olive oil. Big one here, use it instead of butter and vegetable oil. Most times I don't notice a difference in taste, but it may not be a good idea if you are baking a dessert or something. It has tons of great health benefits - just don't drench your food in it.
- The number one thing I have learned about diet - Change it slowly! Picture this - you walk into your doctor's office. He tells you you're fat and unhealthy and that you need to cut out all the bad food you love to eat and just eat fruits and vegetables. You get scared. So you try to change the way you eat overnight. You will be hungry, you will probably hate the way it tastes, and you will experience physical symptoms as your body is not used to the new food yet. Sounds like a sucky experience. Alot of people go this route when they try to become healthier - they try to do too much at once and then get discouraged and quit. Make small changes instead. Start off by choosing low fat options of the foods you love. Go whole grain instead of white. Add vegetables to the dishes you normally make - throw them into soups and stews, pastas, tacos, make a veggie stir fry with chicken, etc. Cut out the bad stuff like sodas and sugary foods. You will feel like crap at first, but after about a week you will feel alot better than you did with all the sugar. And eventually you crave less and less of it. Make gradual changes, and continually improve your diet over time. Once you're used to your new style of eating, make a bigger move such as reducing or eliminating dairy. I have learned that once I get comfortable with certain foods, my next step is to re evaluate my diet and say to myself "Ok, I'm at this point, where are some areas I can make improvements?" And before you know it, you'll be addicted to healthy food.
Life is about growth. I'm continuously learning and evaluating my eating habits to improve them. It's very hard to change the way you eat. Food is a huge part of our lives! But you gotta do it. I already feel so much better - physically, and mentally because I know I am doing what is right for my health.
