Eat This

My sister recently decided to "detox" her body from all the sugar, caffeine and fatty-fried crap for a month. It struck me that this short-term detox of hers sounds a lot like the actual day-to-day diet I usually consume. So, I thought I would give her (and you) some ideas.

First, she keeps referring to all the things she's giving up. This, bar-none, is the biggest mistake that anyone can make when trying to change their diet. If you treat it as a hardship that must be endured, then you will fail. Hell, even the word "diet" has become bad word. Eat better because it makes you feel better.

The second mistake about dieting is the choices. People pick the most bland, poorly prepared crap and then wonder why they miss donuts. Learn to relish simple, well-prepared foods. Little things help and you don't have to kill the budget to do it. Buy or mix seasonings for your meals. A good box of Hot Hungarian Paprika may cost $6 or $7, but it'll last a long time. Fresh garlic makes any meal better. Cook with olive oil. Swap to whole grains.

The other thing I dislike is prepackaged stuff, even if it's labeled "organic." This is especially true for my sister's little detox and for people trying to avoid processed foods for medical conditions like mine. Here's a good example: Salad dressing...even the fat free stuff. Mostly because "fat free" really means "We've piled on the sodium." Substitute? Yes, I'm about to say oil and vinegar. But, this is where the "little things" apply. Buy really good olive oil and a nice sweet bottle of balsamic vinegar. Don't waste it on cooking! Repeat! NEVER waste it on cooking. Pull it out just for those salads.

My friend Posey told me something early on last April when I decided to start losing weight. She said, "Don't starve yourself. You have to eat to lose weight." Now, this may sound counter-intuitive, but she's absolutely right. If you're hungry, eat! Just have to learn to avoid mindless snacking and learn to fill up on whole grains, fruits and veggies. If you don't like carrots, don't eat carrots. Find something you do like!

Good meal alternatives...

At Breakfast:

- Sugar & Cream in your coffee is insanely fattening with essentially no dietary benefits. If you must sweeten and "blond" your coffee -- I know I do -- try splenda and fat-free creamer.
- Fat Free Yogurt of all sorts of flavors is really good for you....If it has "active cultures." Try eating it with granola & frozen (slightly defrosted) blueberries.
- Toast is fine, but instead of butter put on a little peanut-butter. Yes, I know that peanut-butter is loaded in fat. But, it'll stick to your insides and help you get to lunch. It's also full of protein.
- On weekends make omelets. The wife likes spinach & feta omelets w/ garlic, onions & mushrooms. The mistake here is the stuff people eat w/ omelets. Try eating the omelet and nothing else.

At Lunch:
- Skip the lunch grill! If you don't want a salad or more yogurt, try a sandwich. Try whole grain and skip the cheese if you can. Use mustard instead of mayo. Load that hoagie up with veggies.

Afternoon Snack:
- Pretzels are good. Apples are excellent. If you've learned to be good then add on some cheese & some even turkey pepperoni.
- Popcorn. Please, for the love of all things good and holy, not the greasy movie theater butter. This defeats the purpose of eating popcorn in the first place. I like Kettle Corn Smart Pop, but I also have a sweet tooth.

Beverages:
- You've heard it before. Stop drinking soda. Oh, and never ever drink sweet tea. For you northerners, sweet tea is this southern stuff. A tea & sugar syrup is made and blended with more tea. In the winter, I drink lots of herbal tea. In the summer, I drink lots of water. I enjoy an "adult beverage" in moderation when my medication permits.

Dinner:
- One part meat/fish/poultry (protein), one part starch (whole grain), two-parts veggies. Fresh veggies are the best. But you say, "I don't have time to make salad." Here's a tip. Buy some plastic containers. Chop up 2-4 days of salad fixings. Done.

Desert and Treats:
- On a day-to-day basis, Slick likes a peppermint patty. Once a week, we make something naughty and enjoy it. There's nothing wrong with having chocolate chip cookies occasionally or even ice cream.

Enjoy Cooking:
- I admit to a luxury of being home to prepare meals. However, you'd be surprised how fast a grilled piece of pork with garlic served with grilled zucchini, salad and toasted pita bread can be made. You can also make grilled chicken w/ steamed veggies and rice then turn the leftover veggies and rice into stir fry the next day. A good, healthy meal can be prepared in 20-30 minutes. You can cut that prep-time in half by cutting veggies on shopping day.

I know that I can't force anyone reading this to eat better. I understand that people with kids and jobs find it tough to balance nutrition and time. I understand that single people hate cooking for one. But, last month's illness aside, I've shown the long-term benefits of healthy eating. And, if you doubt it by reading about me, then look at my wife. She's lost the same percentage of weight. Frankly, she looks hot...OK, I changed my mind! Stop looking at my wife.

Good luck with the detox dear sister. I hope you get to the end and realize that you should just keep going with it.