Substitutes: Yes You Can (part 2)

I have always known that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It gets your metabolism going and this is what makes your body work the way it should throughout the day. In order to keep your metabolism up you must continuously eat and drink as well as keeping up with physical activity.  The old adage that not eating will shrink your stomach and help you lose weight is quite the opposite.  As I said in “part one”, if you don’t eat you produce stomach acid which is painful and can cause stomach problems. About 15 years ago I was eating an orange and drinking coffee every morning. I started to notice my stomach aching everyday. The pain finally got so bad I found myself at the doctor’s office and eventually found out that I had reflux and a small ulcer. I was advised at that time how to eat to repair the damage, and keep it under control. The acid from the oranges mixed with the coffee would definitely have to change. I needed to get more substantial food into my breakfast routine: eggs, cereal/oatmeal, whole wheat bread, milk, etc. I also learned to stay away from high acid foods such as tomatoes and citrus. Yes, these are good for you, but for me it had to be in moderation to correct this problem. I also learned to eat slower which helps with overeating as you get full quicker. Another good tip was not eating less than a couple of hours before going to bed and keeping your head slightly elevated while sleeping. I took all of this information to heart, and my body started repairing itself slowly but surely.  I still have reflux but it only flares up when I have eaten too fast, or too much. I love tomatoes and they are not a problem for me anymore.  I know when I have a lot of indigestion it is usually due to not having enough food in my stomach, or eating to fast. 

So, let’s get back on track with substitutes for lunch and dinner. Bringing lunch from home is always the best way to control what you are eating, however if you don’t choose to go in this direction, like me, there are still good choices you can make. Most of the eating establishments today are much more health concious, and always have lite and healthy menu items. The key is to make those choices. If you know that you will be too easily swayed by the high fat items, choose to go to healthier places, or just bring your own food. You have to make the effort to make the right choice most of the time. Everything in moderation, as “they” say. My favorite places are centered around the good choices I want to make. Sushi is always a great choice but watch out for the fried items such as shrimp tempura, soft shell crab roll (spider), and the mayo sauces. Try to stick to the raw fish, avocados, cucumbers, edamame (soy beans), miso soup, salad, and green tea. The rice in the rolls is ok but try and keep it to a minimum. Green tea is full of antioxidants and very good for you.  Some of my other favorite places and food choices are:  Panera Bread-Thai Chopped Chicken Salad, Schlotzskys-smoked turkey on wheat, or chicken salad with lettuce, tomato, and lite mayo, or any of the salads, but be careful to choose a lite dressing with as little sodium as possible. I also frequent Gourmet Gang for the Sante Fe Chicken sandwich. I get it on a wheat wrap as opposed to the multi grain bun, and I increase the roasted red peppers, and decrease the red pepper mayo. On Saturdays I usually go to Taste Unlimited, which I have been going to since I was a child. Everyone knows how famous “Taste” is for their house dressing. The blackened tuna is the best, as well as their many healthy salads, and the fresh baked breads. My favorite place is a great mediterranean restaurant called Azars‘. I have been going there for the last ten years, at least once a week. The food is so fresh, flavorful, healthy and filling. Lots of veggies, hummus, pita and wonderful sauces. They have the best greek salad with Mama Lina’s dressing, as well as great homemade soups. The chicken soup is my favorite. The wraps are always hot and crispy with the best flavor from the mixture of spices, sauces, meats and vegetables. They have alot of vegetarian choices, including eggplant, falafel, baba ganoush, and so much more. If you like this type of food you should definitely check them out. You will not be sorry.

The main point here is just stick to what you know when making restaurant/food choices. Lots of fruits and vegetables, lean meats, chicken, fish, whole grains, wheats, and oats. You just have to apply this to the menu. Instead of white bread and pasta,  ask for wheat. When ordering a salad always ask for dressing on the side, and opt for the lowfat, fat free dressings. Watch your serving sizes. If you get a large plate of food, cut it in half and take the rest with you for later, or split it with your lunch partner.  Eat slower to get full faster and avoid overeating. Drink while you are eating as this fills you up as well.

Please keep on reading to part 3.

Substitutes: Yes You Can (part 3)

I usually eat dinner at home during the week. I keep chicken, shrimp, and meats in the freezer as I buy them in bulk. I usually buy fresh seafood when I am really in the mood for something specific, and I cook it that night. I like fresh veggies but they go bad fast so I only buy what I will use for about a week at a time. I always have a bag of broccoli florets, baby spinach, grape tomatoes, and onions in the fridge. During the winter I like soups and casseroles; comfort food. I like to make my own but I do buy cans to have on hand when I don’t have time to cook or I am just getting home from the gym and want something fast and easy. Some of the soups I buy are Amy’s organic soups; lowfat split pea, black bean vegetable, black bean chili, vegetable barley. They are very healthy and flavorful but be careful of the fat content in some of them. My son is a vegetarian and he loves her chili made with vegetable protein. The consistency is just like meat but it’s a little high in fat. I also buy the Campbells Healthy Request soups; Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, and Italian Wedding Soup. These are my favorites but there are many choices. You have to buy what you like or you will not eat it. I also love little smokie sausages. When I was a kid we would make sausage sandwiches all the time. I was so excited when I found Hillshire Farms turkey smokies. They are great and the fat content is so much less than the pork or beef smokies. Recently I found chicken smokies and they are even better, with the same fat content. Substitutes, substitutes, substitutes. I add the smokies to the split pea soup and it is great, as well as adding a boost of protein. Grab a handful of reduced fat wheat thins or a peice of wheat or pumpernickel bread and you have a quick balanced meal.  I also buy the Indian vegetable packages such as Spinach Channah, or Madras Lentils. These are great to add to your meal as a side dish or a topper for fish, chicken or meat. I forgot to mention that I do go to Nawab, the Indian restaurant, for lunch about once a month. The food is fresh, with lots of veggies, good spices and sauces, meats and chicken. I don’t go more often than that because it is a buffet and I always tend to eat to much and want to take a nap by the time I get back to work. Everything in moderation.

I do like to go out on the weekends since I have eaten home all week.  I can find just about anything I want at any resaurant and fit it into my food plan. Once again I try to only order what I will eat, unless I am going straight home and I can take the leftovers, or I can split the dish.  I order what I like, keeping in mind the basic food groups; protein, carbs, veggies, as well as lowfat items. I do let myself go sometimes if there is something I really want that I would not otherwise eat on a regular basis. About every 6 to 8 weeks I get a pedicure in the evening, and next door to the nail place is an Uncle Al’s Hot Dogs. It’s usually around 7:30pm when I’m  done with my pedicure, and I am hungry, so I go next door for my usual indulgence; one hotdog with hot mustard, chili, and onions, and an order of sweet potato fries with an unsweet tea. It is just enough and I do not feel guilty as it is only once in a while. EVERYTHING IN MODERATION!!

You shoud always enjoy eating. I was raised to appreciate good food, and have been exposed to the worst and the best. The point is that there are good, healthy, satisfying, flavorful choices that will fit into your lifestyle.  Stick with what you like, but be willing to try new things. You never know what you might be missing!!

Living and Loving Food