Spice It Up

So many times in the past I have found myself eating the same things over and over again because I was "dieting".  I had a general idea of what was healthy, and I knew that if I ate that particular meal, I should lose weight.  The problem was I ate that same meal every single day.  I was in a rut.

I usually got very bored with my "diet", and I had a flavor binge and I failed again at losing weight. 

On June 18, 2012, when I said I am going to do this-no matter what, I had to find a way to overcome the rut.  The diet plan I use(d) is very strict.  It has little room for imagination, but I still found a way to spice things up. 

Breakfast for me is simple.  I drink coffee with a little fat free half and half and 1 packet of Nectresse.  I use flavored coffee to change things up.  One day, I may have Cinnamon Swirl, the next I may have Pumpkin Spice, and the next day, I am drinking Morning Blend.  Regardless, I am giving my morning taste buds something new.

Lunch and dinner on my plan are the same concept, but very rarely are they the same meal.  I have chicken, steak, fish, or shrimp with salt, pepper, lemon juice, cumin, curry, dill, garlic, rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, chili powder, or Cajun pepper to spice things up.  I also eat 2 cups of vegetables whether it's broccoli, cauliflower, celery, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, asparagus, or spinach.  I season the veggies with lemon juice, salt, pepper, or whatever else sounds good that particular moment. 

I also get a few snacks in the day that I have spiced up.  I eat two snacks each day, and they are either a small apple, half a grapefruit, or 6-7 strawberries.  My favorite is to dice an apple, sprinkle a packet of sweetener on it, pour cinnamon all over it, and put it in the microwave for 2 minutes.  It is like a baked apple without all the fat and calories. 

Whatever program you are doing, add your own spice and don't get in a rut.  Don't feel you are limited to a life without taste and flavor.  Make your taste buds do a little dance when you eat.  Diets are not always about stale rice cakes and bland tasting food.  Diets are really about finding the new you, teaching you to eat in a healthier and smarter way.  Diets aren't about losing weight and gaining it back with a few extra pounds.  Diets are meant to kick start yourself to a better feeling you.

They say variety is the spice of life.  I would have to agree.  Without the spices, chicken and fish would have gotten old very quickly, and I do not believe I would have had the success I have experienced.