Oh Spring You Bringer of Fruits! How I love thee!

I joined Weight watchers a few weeks ago. My weight got so high, and I felt so out of control with my food habits that I needed something. Some guidelines, some rules, some structure. I haven't met a person who has done weight watchers, did it dilligently, and not loved it. I love that it's not a diet plan, it's a lifestyle change. Probably the only affective way of eating I've found in the past is counting my calories. 

The problem with this, is I never allowed myself to have treats, and if i did I sacrificed everything else for that piece of Pizza or that piece of pie. And even when I was sticking to my allotted caloric intake, I still found myself really hungry. And so eventually I would break and stuff myself. Then I would feel so guilty about it. I'd feel like the very hungry caterpillar! (especially at the end of the book, when he looks like a big caterpillar marshmallow.)

But thanks to the very inspiring words of my friend, McKella, who has worked through bouts of depression and eating disorders, and isn't afraid to own up to it and talk about it, I found inspiration and knew that it was up to me to do something healthy, to change the way I eat and most importantly, LISTEN TO MY BODY!

I have yet to feel hungry with weight watchers, and if I do, I eat some fruits or veggies (both are worth 0 points) and it keeps me going till my next meal. Sometimes, I have problems eating ALL my points, because I'm eating enough veggies and fruits to not have any points at all.

The first week was easy, It was new, exciting! I lost 6 pounds. But this last week, the second week, it was harder. I wasn't getting much sleep, so my body wanted quick, fast calories, and lots of them. I also was running around to school, to work, to play, but didn't seem to have time to pack lunch with healthy things like I normally do. But I stuck to my points anyway. I even allowed myself some ice cream. :)

But today I went to my first meeting and it really gave me an oomph of excitement. My mom picked me up (my car is in the shop) and on our way home I told her i wanted to stop at the store. By the time we left, there wasn't one thing in our cart that wasn't a fruit or veggie.

Ever since my first year at college, I've absolutely loved buying fruits and veggies. It's one thing to cook for yourself, but it's so awesome when it's healthy. Makes me feel all growed up! :) There's something about smelling that carton of strawberries, or figuring out how certain flavors go together. I love picking up fruit and veggies, touching them, feeling them, smelling them and figuring out what I want to do with them.  

I decided when I started Weight Watchers that once a week I was going to try a new veggie. If I liked it, then AWESOME, if not, then I don't have to eat it ever again. I love the website, Produce Oasis which has tons of info on tons of veggies, the varieties, tastes, what they're used for, recipes and nutritional facts. So today I came home from my weight watchers meeting, determined after the hard week I had, not to give up. I was going to cook a healthy meal, and I was going to LIKE IT! :)

A few weeks ago, my cousin terri convinced me to try some brusselsprouts at a family dinner and you know what!? I really really liked them! So I decided to make a stir-fry of veggies for lunch. I included Asparagus (YUM), Brusselsprouts, scallions (green onions), red peppers, tiny bit of onion (mostly for flavor) , the new veggie I was trying, parsnips...and...I added some red bartlett pear to the mix. 

The mix was great! I added some Coriander seeds, basil, and about 2 TB of olive oil.  I stir-fried for about five minutes, then turned the heat down and steamed the veggies for about twelve minutes. 

AND I LOVED THE MIX! I couldn't believe how great and subtle the pear was in there. I didn't care for the parsnip (tasted like carrots, which I'm not a huge fan of either.)

I also made myself a fruit salad to celebrate the arrival of spring. I opened the window in the kitchen, stood in the sunshine, turned on some Jack Johnson, and snuck pieces of raspberries, mango, and strawberries as I chopped fruit. After i had mixed the fruit i wanted, i squeezed orange juice, lemon juice, and lime juice on it. And you know what? IT WAS INCREDIBLE! Each mouthful was a surprise! The textures, the tastes, the sweetness, the tartness! I couldn't stop eating it.

All in all, it made me excited to have so successfully made myself a delicious, yet healthy lunch. I also grilled a chicken breast in my George Forman grill, adding lemon juice and all-spice. But I was so focused on eating my delicious veggies and fruit, I forgot I had meat. (That never happens to me.) It took about two weeks for my body to adjust, but I did it! I'm now loving the taste of fresh and natural foods. I can't wait to plant our garden this year! I can't wait to try new veggies! 

If you know of any great veggie combinations, great recipes that are healthy and not even necessarily easy to make, leave me a comment! I'd love to hear about all of them!