Dana’s Avenue

In the five or so months I’ve been here I’ve learned a lot about cooking.  I know how to cook and bake things that I didn’t before.  And I’ve focused mostly on the baking because I really enjoy it.

Five pounds and a major loss of energy later I’m thinking I want to learn how to cook better (and bake less). 

I don’t just want to eat to fill my tummy, produce my milk, and keep myself alive.  I want to be healthy and have energy.  What clinched it was that today I woke up tired.  I barely made it to Asher’s nap at 1:30.  I laid there with him for 2 hours and when we got up.  I was tired.  I thought, “What is wrong with me?”  The answer?  I’m not eating food that is fueling me - only food that is filling me.

There has to be a better way.

So what do I eat on a normal basis?

Oatmeal for breakfast every day.  That’s good, you say.  Right.  Except the spoonfuls (and spoonfuls) of sugar I put in it.  (I NEVER used to put sugar in my oatmeal but somehow I got on that kick and it’s hard to go back!!!)  Some sort of baked good for midmorning snack and usually chocolate in some form in the afternoons.  As far as meals, I don’t even know.  Usually leftovers and if not that, egg salad or peanut butter and banana sandwiches.  Dinner.  Well.  I haven’t thought about WHAT I’m eating but what I can COOK.  I’ve been cooking a wide array of things.  Tonight is burgers and tomorrow is pizza.  I’m so happy that I can make this kind of food at home here in Africa that I haven’t thought of how unhelpful it is to, not only me, but to my family as well!

So.

I’m changing direction.  I have no idea where to start really.  I googled “eating for health and energy” but…  Nothing really jumped out at me.  I did see one link to a ”new ground-breaking way to eat”.  Yeah right.  I’m not going on a diet.  I’m not cutting out yummy baked goods all together (and definitely not cutting out m&m’s) but on a regular basis I want my food to be working for my body.  Not against it. 

I’m going to have to go with common sense here.  What do they always say?  Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean meats.  It may be a challenge here based on what we can get but I know I can eat better than I am so I’m going to start planning my food better and really focusing on the quality of what I feed myself and my family.  Especially now that Asher will be starting to eat solids!  I don’t want to say, “Eat your fruits and vegetables.  Now excuse mommy while she polishes off this chocolate cake.”  Haha!

So here’s to a new way to eat!  Which is really just the old way to eat…

(Addendum:  I did find one helpful article actually titled:  “Eating for Energy and Health”.  She lost me at “Drink a cup of liquid greens every day” but I caught back up with her at “Eat chocolate”.  I’d say 50% compliance is okay in this case.  :))

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 30th, 2008 at 5:50 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.