For years I have tried all types of diets, all of which simply constrict some sort or type of food. South beach is a bit complex but in a nut shell you cut out most carbs. Atkins is similar, no carbs at all. One issue I have with any diet, is that there is less emphasis on eating healthy than there is on not eating badly. Of course sugar and candy and fatty foods are bad for you but so are processed cereals and granola bars and Lean Cuisines. All processed with salt and sugar for flavor. So yes while you can lose weight by eating a Lean Cuisine for dinner every night are you really putting the best food into your body? In years past Weight Watchers used to assign a point value to fruits, for example a banana was two points. Who would want to waste two points on a banana when they could have some chips or something else for the same point value, something they are really craving. Well now they have changed things up a bit and all fruit is zero points. Finally a push to eat better as opposed to just not eating badly. I have never been a fruit eater, it was not in my house when I was growing up, we ate chips and nutty butty bars and other extremely delicious crap. It has not been until recently, since I met my wife, that I have started eating more fruits. Now I eat four to five servings of fruit a day. I have tried to replace all daily snacks with fruits instead of processed foods. Weekly we eat strawberries, bananas, cantaloupe, peaches, cherries and tomatoes (yes tomato is a fruit), just to name a few. I have to say that the tomato has changed my life. I liked tomatoes even when all we could get were the mealy ones from the grocery store. Now, again thanks to my lovely wife and for her introducing me to the amazing farmers market, my love for tomatoes has grown exponentially. There is not much better in the world than a perfectly ripe heirloom tomato. When in season I eat a tomato just as a snack with salt and pepper, or on the side of my soup and sandwich for lunch. The past two years, in addition to the farmers market we have started to grow our own tomatoes in our own garden. What a treat this has been for the summer months. Here is our most recent harvest, we pull about 10 tomatoes off the plants every few days. I like to pull them a bit early and let them ripen in the house so the animals don't eat them. I have also included a few pics of the plants themselves. In addition to the tomatoes we also have a hot pepper plant and three dwarf basil plants.
Not only do we eat the tomatoes as a snack we also make salads with the different colors and some basil. Just add a little balsamic vinegar and you have a delicious zero point addition to your dinner.
We also buy as many fresh fruits and vegetables from the farmers market as we can eat in a week. You may pay a bit more than buying from the grocery store but the quality and flavor do not even remotely compare. Plus you are supporting local farmers and their families. Below are some plums, nectarines, and peaches. A minor assortment of what we keep stocked in the house.
Recently Hila found a recipe for
Baked Eggplant Parmesan Boats with Sausage (white eggplant also purchased from the farmers market), the stuffing is sausage, crushed tomatoes, seasoning and cheese. We have enjoyed this for dinner the past two nights. Beyond amazing and only 6 points!
All this rambling is to make one simple point. Eating healthy means more than just counting calories. Add fruits and vegetables to your diet, make them a staple in your life and try eating less processed foods. It is a difficult transition to make (believe me I know it has taken me years) but in the end you will be healthier and feel better about your decisions when it comes to eating food and living a healthy lifestyle. Good luck!
