My Nourishing Breakfast

I'm finding that a good protein packed breakfast is better at carrying me through the day sans hunger and cravings.

My breakfasts of choice has been:

1 whole wheat english muffin + 2 tsp REAL pasture butter
1 egg from uncaged hens

or

1/2 cup oats
7 chopped almonds
local, raw, honey
2-3 TBS heavy cream

I'm convinced that the use of real, healthy fats (butter, whole milk, coconut oil, grassfed meat, free range eggs) is going a long way toward staving off my former cravings.

I still have to check in with my hunger frequently... asking myself, am I really hungry or is this emotional hunger?  Usually I can decide pretty quickly by paying attention to my body (belly growling? shaky?) and thinking about what's going on right now that might prompt me to want to eat (bored? sleepy? stressed?). 

Another thing I've found helpful is dish size... I use saucer size plates instead of the big dinner plates and the smaller cereal bowls (kids bowls, actually).  This way, my dishes are helping to control my portions.

I'm changing my whole relationship with food and eating.  I'm learning why I eat the way I do and how to make the change to a healthier eating lifestyle.

I am still enjoying one cup of my sweet flavored coffee each morning... I know those 160 calories/6grams of fat will serve me better in a more nourishing food but I haven't been able to let go, yet.  Starting tomorrow, I'm going down to half the sweet cream and I'll keep reducing it til I'm only enjoying coffee on rare occasions.

3 weeks, 4 days In: 14.7lbs Down!

As of this morning, I've lost 14.7lbs.

Yay!

I'm still writing down every single calorie and fat gram that enters my body.  It keeps me accountable.

I'm still enjoying healthy fats (real butter, coconut oil, EVOO) to help curb the cravings.

I don't miss the sweets or the soda.

I should mention that this is officially the longest I've ever managed to stay on a weight loss mission... must have something to do with the baby steps I've taken over the last couple of years toward a healthier eating lifestyle.  

Nourishing Foods & Weight Watchers Points

I'm reading a lot of inquiries about how one can balance Weight Watchers with REAL food.  I don't do Weight Watchers, but have in the past.  In order to calculate these points, I pulled out my old materials.  The points are my own calculation/estimation and I cannot guarantee accuracy.  Page references are from Nourishing Traditions Revised Second Edition.  If you don't have a copy, order one from Amazon (I've found it's cheaper than local bookstores, no I don't make money if you click and order).

Don't know what kefir is or how to make it?  Check out my kefir blog, The Kefir Queen.

Ingredients listed should always be:
Whole, Raw Milk (or at least non-homogenized)
Real grass fed butter
Oils- extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or unrefined, organic, coconut oil
Grains soaked 12 + hours
Eggs- Free range/foraged (from your own yard, hopefully!)
Spinach/kale- blanched and drained
Meat- grass fed, organic, local
Fish- wild caught

Breakfast:
*Omelet- 2 eggs + mushrooms + zucchini + 1 TBS REAL butter~ 7 Points
*Kefir smoothie (8oz whole milk kefir + 1 cup blanched spinach + 1/2 cup fruit + 1TBS honey)~ 6 Points
*1 slice Soaked Whole Wheat Bread w/ 1 tsp REAL butter + 1 1/2 TBS lacto fermented berry preserves~ 4 Points
*1/2 cup soaked, prepared brown rice + 2 TBS Piima Cream + 1TBS local, raw honey~ 6 Points
*Nourishing Traditions Brown Rice Pudding (pg. 554) 1/10th of recipe,~ 7 Points


Lunch & Dinners
*Nourishing Traditions Vegetable Fritata (1/4th) pg 442,~ 10 Points
*Grated raw cheese, shredded lettuce, lacto fermented salsa, and sour cream pita sandwich. (1/2 large whole wheat pita, 4 TBS grated cheese. 1 TBS sour cream sauce)~ 7 Points
*1/2 large whole wheat pita, 4 oz water packed tuna, 1 TBS mayonnaise, celery, red pepper, green onions~ 7 Points
*Grilled cheese sandwich, 2 thin slices soaked whole wheat bread, 4 TBS grated raw cheese, 1 TBS REAL butter~ 8 Points
*Sprouted Wheat Tortilla spread with 1 TBS cream cheese, lettuce leaves, chicken, lacto fermented salsa~ 9 Points
*Spiced Chicken Breasts (pg. 283) 8 Points
*Leaf-Wrapped Salmon (pg 270)~without stuffing 7 Points, with stuffing 11.5 Points

Two Week Weigh In & Breakfast

I'm down 10.2 lbs... :) Nine days left until official first month weigh in.  (I weighed in late, so I'll only be 3 weeks in, while everyone else is four weeks. 

Today for breakfast:

1 cup cooked oats
1/2 ounce (about 7) almonds, chopped
2 Tbs dried cranberries
1 Tbs raw honey
1 Tbs cream (oh yum!)
400 calories/ 10.5 grams fat/ 8 WW points (high fiber, but also higher in HEALTHY fat)

What I'm drinking... WATER.  Occasionally I'm mixing in some Crystal Light Pure Fitness (15 cals/serving) or adding a squeeze of lemon. 

Do I miss soda?  Nope.  Amazing.

Fish Dinner... Skinny Girl Style

Fish is GOOD for you... but you already knew that, right?  Wild caught fish is better than farmed fish (that's a no brainer).  Fish is low in fat and calories.  And it tastes so darn good.  To reduce calories further, skip the noodles.  For a more Nourishing food, replace the noodles with soaked, prepared brown rice.

This recipe is from Alton Brown's, I'm Just Here For The Food, with some minor alterations.

Ramen Radiator
Serves 2
Each serving provides 9 grams fat & 370 calories, 8 WW points*

1 tsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil, cloudy is good!)
1 tsp sesame oil (I like coconut oil or real butter here instead)
1/2 lb BROWN mushrooms, washed and sliced
1 package ramen style noodles (or Asian rice noodles for GF)
2 Tilapia fillets (or other mild white fish)
8 ounces scallops *not in the original recipe
2 GIANT shrimp (or several small shrimp)
Celtic sea salt
Pepper
Chili flakes
1/2 white onion
4 scallons, biased sliced
2 Tbs soy sauce/gluten free tamari
1/4 cup mirin (sweet rice wine or other cooking wine)
2 cups vegetable stock

Directions:
Heat saucepan over medium-high.  Add oils and saute mushrooms until caramelized.  Transfer to a plate and set aside.  Line two serving bowls with (recycled) aluminum foil**, leaving excess over the edges for later folding.  Break the ramen loaf in half, place in the bottom of foil lined boils.  Lay fish on top of the ramen, pour honey over fish, season with salt and pepper.  Add a few chili flakes.  Place the mushrooms & onions around the fish and noodles.  Lay the GIANT shrimp on top of the fish.  Top with scallions.  Fold the foil and crimp to seal, leave an opening in the top.  Now, mix the liquids together and pour half into each foil pouch, seal pouches.  Transfer to a baking sheet. Place in oven at 400F for about 25 minutes.   Place foil pouches back into serving bowls, open at table to enjoy aroma and steam.  Enjoy with chopsticks.

*Calorie and fat content will be altered based on your choice of seafood, oils and noodles or rice.
**I simply make the pouches on a baking sheet and skip the bowl step... seems simpler to me!
***Don't forget to have a bunch of veggies with it. 

10 lbs down...

I cheated (are you surprised?) and stepped on the scale this morning.  I'm down exactly 10 lbs in 13 days. 

*Doing a little victory dance*

I'm really trying to focus on the positive... this is working.   If I stop to think long enough (or look in the mirror long enough) I get distracted by how far I still have to go.

I'm looking forward to my first official weigh in on May 8th.

My Nourishing breakfast this morning (and yes, I do measure my portions):

1 whole wheat english muffin
1 egg, over medium w/ pepper & Celtic sea salt
1 tsp REAL butter
2 Tbs grated mozzarella cheese
270 calories/ 13.5 grams REAL fat

How I Am Avoiding Over Indulgence

12 days in.  Wow... the changes already!  (BTW, I haven't weighed again because I don't want to see myself still stuck... so I'll be waiting until Thursday AM, but I feel and see a difference!)

I'm not really craving sweets.  This is an extraordinarily weird experience for me!  I did enjoy a mug of homemade cocoa and a slice of buttered toast yesterday (comfort food!).  Othewise, I've had only a couple treats in nearly two weeks.  Since I used to eat treats daily (because my body/brain CRAVED chocolate), this is amazing!

How I'm avoiding over-indulgence:

I'm eating every 2-3 hours (6am, 9am, 11-12, 3pm, 5-6pm, maybe a light snack in the PM).  This way, my body is nourished so I'm not feeling deprived, although I am feeling hunger. 

I'm adding REAL fat to my meals... too little fat is not a good thing.  I enjoy a bit of cheese, real butter, whole milk, coconut or olive oil.  (I've been enjoying veggies with olive oil and salads with cheese.)

I'm limiting sugar.  We only use SuCaNat (pure evaporated cane w/ minerals intact), Stevia, Raw Local Honey, and Organic Maple Syrup.  That said, I have purchased a couple of "diet" frozen treats... I'm really not sure why.  I can scoop up some nourishing ice cream or real whipping cream and berries just as easily.  

My breakfast consists of whole grains (oats and whole sprouted grain breads), fruit, & protein (almonds, eggs).

For a morning snack, I enjoy fruit.  It's plenty sweet. In the afternoon, I try to switch off fruit to veggies.  I'm eating a lot of veggies and a couple fruits a day.

When hunger strikes, I opt for protein if possible (by adding some almond or peanut butter to my fruit, having a few nuts, a chunk of cheese, real hot cocoa).

I'm altering my thinking.  I realize that 80-90% of what goes into my body is responsible for fat loss (or retention).  That's no small thing.

Did I mention, I don't even miss soda anymore?  Really, I don't.  I am working on some kefir blueberry soda... it'll take a few days, but should be promising!

*Water kefir grains (avaliable at Cultures for Health), turn sugar water into a fermented, healthy, good bacteria filled beverage.   Think yogurt goodness in a soda like beverage.