A Few Tips for Healthy Eating

It's been nearly two weeks since this began.  Writing and cooking simultaneously is becoming second nature.  Calculating recipes is definitely a more productive way to spend my time.  Oddly, it's very satisfying, and it feels like I might be getting closer to figuring out what I want to do with myself.
I'm very grateful that I found "The Complete Food Counter" at the library and will probably be ordering it online here soon.  It's been most helpful, especially for things that don't come with a nutritional label like fruits and veggies.
Every meal hasn't been a success. It's hard to balance healthy with tasting good and if the recipe doesn't pass the test, then it's not going online. It's difficult, though, to establish something that may taste good to me equaling something others might enjoy.  I feel like I have retrained my taste buds. I've been slowly retraining my brain as well and it's been a long process that hasn't always been successful. I used to be, and sometimes still am, a bit of an over-indulger. I think that is pretty typical for most people these days. Moderation?! Screw moderation.
If you think about how much time we've spent over the years slowly increasing our portions sizes you can imagine the time it's taking to re-wire my thinking. You really need to read the back of those boxes and pay attention to serving sizes. At first it may seem small and you WILL feel hungry, but in time, you will learn to feel satisfied and even full! Knowing the difference between being hungry and having an "appetite" is a good first step to get you on your way.  Pay attention to your body. Is your it your stomach or your brain that wants to eat?
Knowing your triggers is also helpful. A big trigger for me is boredom. If I have some spare time when I'm not doing anything, I feel the urge to snack. Filling up your time with productive tasks is a good way to avoid boredom.  Take it one step further and get out and do something active with your body, even if that means going for a 15 minute walk. Every little bit helps.
On the opposite end of boredom and another big trigger for me (and probably almost anyone these days) is feeling the need to constantly multi-task. If you're not doing 10 things at once, you feel like you're not doing enough.  Slow down and enjoy the here and now.  This definitely includes mealtime.  I used to have to have the tv on,  be reading something, and be catching up with my interwebs when I was eating anything.  This will almost always lead to over eating. Turn off your electronics, put your books and newspapers down, sit at the table and just eat.   Enjoy your food. Taste your food.  If you're eating with someone, enjoy their company.  Ask them how their day was. Enjoying and tasting your food can go a long way to helping you feel satisfied with your meal.
Well, it's almost lunch time here.  Time to turn off the interwebs and figure out what I am going to eat. Ciao!