The summer is over & so are the excuses. Β In the Green home we eat well to live well but this summer we fell off the wagon – some harder than others. Β There was so much junk food to be had, birthdays full of sweets (at least they were mostly homemade) and donuts & kolaches at every chance.
After Hurricane Harvey, school has finally started & now that we’ve taken care of our kids we parents have once again ramped up our ownΒ self-care. Β Today DH went to the doctor & while his appointment went well, our longtime family doctor talked with him about eating whole foods.
The first thing she asked was if I am on Pinterest.
Then she told him about this “Whole30” thing. I hesitate to call it a diet.
It’s really eitherΒ a lifestyle change or a cleanse.
For theΒ most part for my DH it has been a lifestyle change; he has lost over 50 pounds just by making better food choices & exercising – not a diet in sight.
There are no diets in the Green home but we DO doΒ a whole foods cleanse 1-2 times a year. Β We don’t document them, but this time itΒ seems… different. Β This year on Dr. A’s sidewaysΒ insistence, we are doing it again – with a twist.
DH had his annual physical & gained 5 lbs. He was NOT happy. Β So Dr. A,Β who has also shed pounds & shaped up (she looks aMAZing!), asked him about eating habits. Β Normally we eat pretty great but we both have to admit that this summer was not so good in the nutrition department.
Time to hit the reset button & plan to get back to eating well!
There’s so much information whole 30 information out there, some really rigid regimens & some more flexible. Β We decided to do what we know works for us. Β Over the years we have figured out what affects us most – what works & what doesn’t.
It basically comes down to this basicΒ formula in the Green House:
- ProteinΒ = good
- Veg = good
- Carbs = bad (for DH anyway, especially bread!; our littlest & I β₯ pasta)
- Dairy = bad (except eggs – we count those as protein; also, we LOVE cheese)
- Sugar = bad (again, for DH; we love our homemade cake & cookies! Β So do our friends & neighbors.)
So we plan to cut out carbs – brown rice, pasta (I might sneak some in for the kiddo), bread – and any processed sweets. Β I still have to bake goodies for our littlest to take for lunch or snack; but again, this is not something that we eat a lot of – everyone may get 2-3 cookies (or a slice of cake or a cupcake) at a time, once a day at most (twice on weekends).Β And their sweet tooths are satisfied.
No diets.Β No specialty foods.Β Just getting back to what we were doing right & doing well before the family fell off the wagon.Β Basically we eat:
- seafood 2x a week – salmon, tuna, shrimp, mussels, or lobster
- chicken 2x a week – baked, grilled, or sautΓ©ed unless it’s in a sauce or soup
- beef 2x a week – steak or roast once, then sausage, ground beef (usually mix with turkey)
- meatless once a week – I try for Mondays, but we take when I can get to it.
We’ve already started out great with beef & veggie kabobs for college football Saturday – GO GATORS!
Prepping Kabobs for the Grill
For Meatless Monday we did stuffed Hatch peppers – stuffed with zucchini, squash, quinoa, onions, garlic & tomatoes. Β I’m telling you I could eat this filling by itself. Β I love stuffing things – all kinds of peppers, eggplant, zucchini, chicken, you name it I’ll stuff it.
ExceptΒ for pork. Β I don’t really do pork.
Today is salmon with dill sauce. Β Broccoli spears on the side.
The vegetarian lentil burgers were a hit. Β Shrimp & grits too. Β Variations of both of those will definitely be in theΒ rotation. Β And of course, I love my soups & salads.
Along the way, I will post new things we come up with or try. Β So stay tuned. Β Until then…
