WOWZA!

Kamut & Quinoa Pasta with tomato, spinach, basil, chicken and YUMMINESS!



Ok, the last couple of weeks have been filled with discovery! I am soooooo excited!

I have gotten back on track with eating whole foods only, but I still wasn't 'there' yet - meaning I was missing a key point...well I found it!

I was eating the right kind of foods, but haven't been eating them the right way. I'm telling you, that is the key! First I will tell you what I have experienced in that last 2 weeks, then I will tell you the how and what.

I have had the biggest energy surge in the last 2 weeks...you do not even understand - I am constantly in need of burning off energy! I walk everywhere! And when one of the ladies at work asked me if I wanted to 'do the stairs' (we work on the 21st floor) my brain was saying "are you mad?" while my mouth said "SURE!". And ok, I am nowhere near doing 21 flights of stairs in one go, but I am getting there! I am slowly but surely getting there! All I have to say about that is I now 'bound' up the stairs at the subway which is pretty freaking awesome for someone who huffed and puffed her way before! (Lord I am just remembering Tokyo and Seoul with all their public transit stairs!)...

I feel great! I also have mysteriously lost this sweet tooth that has plagued me all my life! Craziness I tell you!

Now for the how....I was in a slump and let's be honest! Although my main goal wasn't to lose weight, I surely do need to lose some (more than normal)...I have actually gained weight since switching to whole foods, and that is not a good thing - so I decided I needed some help. As you know I read Clean Eating Magazine like it's gospel...well, they are always advertising this "Eat Clean Diet" book by Tosca Reno... and because it has the word "Diet" in it, I thought it was just a fad thing and never paid much attention to it - I have tried everything in life to 'get thin' and nothing ever helps (for the duration) so I gave that up years ago and never looked back, instead focusing on liking myself the way I am...well, I was at my favorite bookstore and decided to take a peek at this book to see what it was all about. It has the worst title ever because it isn't a 'fad diet' and it should be called "Clean Eating for LIFE" or something way better that "diet".

Egg whites with tomato, spinach ,and tzaziki on a sprouted whole grain english muffin with tea.

I read it from cover to cover - and although it isn't the greatest book in so far as the recipes are kinda crazy (specifically the portions are all messed up! but the recipe ideas are great) and the meal plan and shopping list need some review and editing, the message is AWESOME!

This was my problem: I was not getting enough protein - like, we're pretty lucky if I even got 1 serving of protein a day - the book says you need 5-6. FIVE TO SIX! The author also promotes eating 6 meals a day - yes folks SIX meals a DAY! HOLY CRAP!

I'm a grazer, so I can appreciate having to feed every few hours...obviously, I was eating the wrong stuff because although I was feeling better, I was not feeling GREAT (like I am now).

So, basically, every 2-3 hours I have a meal (obviously not a restaurant portioned meal but something pretty close!) And there is a ton of food to be eaten! Protein and a complex carb at every single sitting! Craziness! BUT IT WORKS!

Marinated lambchops with golden couscous and green beans

And obviously, the protein has to be lean protein - like chicken breast, turkey breast, tuna, white fish, beans, tofu (but not for me), etc etc etc. And the carbs have to be plant based natural carbs like fruits and veg and whole grains...but everything MAKES SENSE! It makes so much sense in fact that for the past 2 weeks I have been eating like a pig and --- here's the best part --- 10 pounds fell off my body! TEN POUNDS! I know that a healthy amount to lose in a week is 2 pounds, so to be specific I lost 8 pounds the first week and 2 pound this past week...and I am not hungry - ever- and I get to eat yummy foods all day long - and I get to have protein at every meal (I love my chicken!)

Turkey scallopini with veggie and golden couscous

GAWD! I sound like an infomercial! I don't mean to! I just wanted to say that you need to think about HOW you're eating as much as WHAT you are eating!