I have a giant jar of dill pickles on top of my fridge. Considering the amount of earthquakes we have in Oklahoma, this is likely not the best location for my giant jar of pickles to live. I bought this giant jar of pickles mainly because an entire, big--giant, enormous pickle checks in at a measly 5 calories, give or take a few depending on size, of course. The only problem is, it's one of those foods I must be in the mood to eat and the mood strikes me about twice a year. I don't care for pickles most of the time, obviously, because there the jar sits just waiting for a minute long 4.0 to send it crashing to the floor in a flood of pungent pickle juice. Aside from cleaning up the mess, it wouldn't break my heart, only the jar.
I have a few other foods like this, celery is one, lettuce another. I've never subscribed to the "I'm trying to lose weight so I must eat things I don't like simply because they're low calorie and maybe I'll learn to like them" style of thinking. This doesn't mean I'm opposed to trying new things! After all, many of the things I claim to not like are things that have never actually crossed my lips. I've never tried cauliflower, not once--not even a bite, ever!!! It looks like a little white brain...not interested. Brussels sprouts--nope, they look like miniature heads of cabbage and I despise cabbage (unless it's shredded, stuffed inside an egg roll and deep fried--then it's perfectly delicious).
If you placed my list of food dislikes next to a list from a seven year old, you would likely have a hard time picking which one belongs to the forty-two year old man. My food maturity level never really matured, mainly because I didn't want it to mature. I have a very "Peter Pan" type attitude when it comes to food selection. I never grew up in this area. I didn't want to grow up, really. And when I try something for the first time and I actually like it (asparagus), I get wide eyed and excited like a kid.
My point is, I eat what I like. The challenges before us along this road are far greater than food selection. The mental and emotional dynamics we're dealing with are the biggest we'll face. These "biggies" might have similar surface dynamics, but are often very personal and unique for each of us. Considering this, why would we ever want to complicate things by forcing ourselves to eat things we cannot stand simply as a means to lose weight? It doesn't mean we don't try to eat better along the way, of course we do--this isn't about holding onto the addictive junk--it's about allowing our good choices to naturally evolve over time within the boundaries of our likes-dislikes and the occasional "okay, I could try that."
This journey can be difficult enough without self-imposed rules and guidelines in place solely because we think they belong or are required for success. Being ourselves is required. Self-honesty is required. An open mind for changes and adjustments is required.
I still like to experiment in the kitchen and soon I'd love to try a cauliflower based pizza crust, but I'll be sure to have a good backup plan ready to go in case I'm repulsed after the first bite.
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I ran out of time this morning to eat before my broadcast, so I plated the food--wrapped it up and took it with me. Making sure I get what I need is critically important to me.
Tonight was all mine and Heather's. We enjoyed a beautiful evening out together, a nice dinner we both felt good about and the Woody Allen film "Magic In The Moonlight" starring Colin Firth at an indie art-house movie theater. I'm a huge fan of Colin Firth since his turn in "The Kings Speech," and Heather is too! Plus, Heather, aside from being an accountant for a major corporation, is a professional actress too, so naturally she would enjoy a good film like this one! Beautiful fit! Great evening. I'm a lucky man.
Today's food Tweets:
Eggs (3) prepared over-hard, large peach and juicy pear. Yum! 368 cal. pic.twitter.com/OBxY4H3tgM
— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) August 23, 2014
Gluten/wheat free pasta (1.25 srv) w/sugar free marinara, turkey breast (2oz), mozzarella-baked. Fuji apple. 543 cal. pic.twitter.com/Ftpw3QtP5K
— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) August 23, 2014
8oz Sirloin (5oz consumed), fried okra 3/4 cup, steamed veggies. Carrots!! 496 cal. pic.twitter.com/fcZWEgsHcv
— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) August 24, 2014
Small banana. #lastfoodofday 72 cal. pic.twitter.com/f0td6EJTiP
— Sean Anderson (@SeanAAnderson) August 24, 2014
Thank you for reading,
Strength,
Sean
Cauliflower mashed potatoes made with laughing cow cheese...to die for. Promise!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try it VERY soon. Thank you!!
DeleteI like the cauliflower pizza crust when there's lots of good things on top like tons of mushrooms, onions my favorite, Canadian bacon and pineapple. I always add fresh oregano and basil and you can't tell it is not real crust. And as J shared above, I steam cauliflower and put in the blender with salt, pepper and laughing cow garlic n herb cheese and it is incredible. :) I think it is MORE than okay to not try to eat those things you don't like though. A very wise person who lost 200 lbs and has kept it off since 1980, told me way back then that her one rule was this: "Don't do anything you can't keep up for a lifetime, a day at a time." Wise advice. She didn't get unbelievably rigid in her eating but believed in moderation and portion control. She cut out her binge trigger foods but enjoyed those things she did love and could eat without it causing a problem. Like you, she did not eat anything she didn't like...just for the sake of losing weight. She lost 200 lbs and has never gone back. She felt the same about exercise and always told folks to find things they loved and to do it in moderation and consistently but always to keep it within reason so you had time for good sleep and time to enjoy your family and friends. She was and is an inspiration to me, and is in her 70s now and still doing well. She didn't diet to her goal weight, but enjoyed the journey and developed a lifestyle that worked. I see that in you, Sean. Too many times, overeaters are swinging back n forth from bingeing and gaining or rigid dieting and neither seem to work very long. Your posts help so many folks and your pictures of food give us a visual of what healthy actually looks like. It helps...thank you, friend. Shirley from TN
ReplyDeleteOh my-- I must do this pizza crust soon!
DeleteShirley-- The woman you describe here--wow... that's the kind of successful attitude and life I hope and pray to enjoy for the rest of my life. I will make it very important each day--like she says, one day at a time.
I sincerely appreciate your kind words and support, Shirley. It is my passion--my truest passion to share this experience--number one because it helps me in monumental ways and of course, because I hope my sharing helps someone else along this road. It's a beautiful win-win, I believe.
I am relearning this lesson (every day it seems) of eating what I really like and feeling satisfied versus eating what I should like because it will help me lose weight. Every darn day. The thing is I forget all of the things that I might like and enjoy. So keeping an open mind and trying things is a treat ( but always with an exist strategy if I don't like it. ). I really like roasted vegetables or grilled and have even gone to very nice restaurants and ordered roasted veggie plates versus the steak and sides I would normally want. It's a struggle to make that choice but sometimes it is what my body wants and my taste buds and accepting attitude wins out. I win out.
ReplyDeleteYou are doing great. Your meal photos are inspiring me.
And how was the movie? I usually end up loving Woody Allen films. I certainly like the look of the previews for this movie.
PJ-- It takes practice and intentional choices, for sure. Yes indeed---an exit strategy is very important for me too! The carrots last night were nice. I usually don't do carrots but for some reason, these were really good. And we ordered the veggies without butter--simply steamed. If grilled veggies are an option--I get 'em every time!!
DeleteI'm glad you enjoy the meal photos!! I'm really happy I decided to include these on a daily basis!!
The film was very good. Colin Firth is a master at his craft. Emma Stone is delightful in this character. Highly recommend!!
I am much the same (except I still don't like asparagus or brussel sprouts. LOL) I used to 'hate' cauliflower and broccoli! I can't say I 'like' either now, but I DO seek them out! I respect them for the healthy super foods they are for me, It's an amazing world, huh?
ReplyDeleteRe the pickles? I live in REAL earthquake country, southern California. I kinda giggle at you thinking a 4.0 is knock a giant jar of pickles down from a high place earthquake. LOL That said, back to the pickles, if you only eat them twice a year, throw them out. Go out and buy a small jar WHEN that twice a year itch hits. Don't worry about it until then. Pickles are not that expensive. LOL ;)
Great pickle advice!! Thank you Gwen! ;) You do live in real and natural earthquake country. Ours come from the energy industry practice of "fracking." They are quite frequent in certain parts of our state, sometimes several a day. We've yet to have a big one. Likely never will. I wrote this post before the 6.1 struck in Northern California this morning... Not sure I could handle big ones like you have out there.
DeleteSmaller pickle jar--in the back of the fridge--Got it!! ;)
Hi Sean. Thanks for sharing. I do love your blogs. They help me so much. I had peanut butter, preserves, banana sandwich this morning for breakfast. I had been wanting one for a while so this morning I had it and it was as great as I remembered. I think we like foods we ate as a kid every once in a while. Why I don't know. My husband likes mustard and crackers. I don't think we really ever grow up . How dull if we were not child like sometime.
ReplyDeletePat
I agree 100%. Certain tastes and smells have incredible power to transport us back in time, revisiting memories in a way that's beyond our control--it just naturally happens, it seems. I suppose it's different for each of us, yet remarkably the same in the dynamics--A certain taste or a food I typically avoid, takes me back to a simpler time when these things were at the top of my list of concerns, far separated from the challenges and struggles of adulthood. It's interesting and sometimes fun and exciting. Thank you for the comment, Pat. Very much appreciated!
DeleteI have been getting into pickles a lot lately....they seem to take the edge off of my hunger when I get home from work while I prepare dinner. I am a big fan of eat what you like, just watch the calories. I truly believe that this will not work unless you can keep it up forever, so no forbidden foods anymore, and no foods I don't like! I WOULD like to try the cauliflower crust...LOVE mashed cauliflower, too! Sean, I think you would be amazed how much it tastes like mashed potatoes. I did not believe it until I tried it!
ReplyDeleteDede
Dede--I'm convinced. It's on my "must-try" list!!
DeleteI love how you use and enjoy pickles!! Pickles are good for that!!!
I'm lucky that my mother pickles her own cukes in the fall, so I get her to make me a small jar of them. She'll also sell them as well as jams, mustards and relishes at craft shows or bazzars. Maybe folks in your area do the same.
ReplyDeleteThe way foods are prepared can also change the taste drastically. Also keep in mind taste buds do change. Glad you are at least open trying new foods every so often :)
You're so right, Nikki--things do change--and taste buds change for sure!! I think a lot of people around here do the same.
DeleteI am open to trying new things!! It's a very good thing!
I made cauliflower "fried rice" recently and it was really nice. I don't otherwise like cauliflower at all but I love broccoli! I don't remember the recipe but there are lots on the internet.
ReplyDeleteI've tried making cauliflower mashed potato and didn't like it, it seemed really grainy. But maybe I made it wrong. And I didn't put cheese in. Mmmm, cheese.
Oh, yes--cheese...yum. To me, cheese makes everything better!! If anything can make mashed cauliflower awesome, it's cheese!!
DeleteCauliflower fried rice--interesting, Natalie-- very!