The Best-Laid Plans

by Kathy Sena | Comments

Small Changes


Ellie suggests going through your kitchen and starting with a clean slate by tossing stuff like the "mystery meat" in the freezer and canned foods that have been in the cupboard since you moved in. Not to worry. She doesn't expect you to run out and buy everything on her healthy shopping list (which includes almost 200 foods!) in one massive, budget-breaking trip to the grocery store. Just pick and choose your favorites.

So I made my list. Then real life intruded. (Doesn't it always?) Unexpected work issues kept me scrambling in the office. Then we discovered our dog, Charlie, probably had an ear infection. So it was off to see the vet after work. Suddenly, it's 6:45 P.M., my husband and son are waiting at home for dinner (and there's precious little in the fridge). And here I am, leaving the vet's office with Charlie in the back seat, shaking his head because he hates the ear-cleaning liquid.

Grocery store? I don't think so.

In my former life (well, before I committed to this new way of eating and started the blog yesterday), I would have brought Charlie home, ordered a pizza and decided "I'll start the diet tomorrow." But there's nothing like next week's weigh-in (and having to report the number to you!) to keep a girl on the straight and narrow.

So on the way home, I hit the drive-up window at El Pollo Loco and thought "What would Ellie order?" I got grilled chicken, pinto beans, rice, salsa and steamed veggies. (Oh, and some flour tortillas and  mashed potatoes and gravy for the guys, so they wouldn't start a revolt and think they'd be forever deprived now that I was starting this new life.)

My usual EPL meal? Not a steamed veggie in sight, but lots of mashed potatoes and gravy and sometimes even a tamale along with the chicken. And I'd always down my share of the flour tortillas.

This new meal was surprisingly tasty. I went easy on the beans and rice and loaded up on grilled chicken, salsa and steamed veggies. I was satisfied but not stuffed. And I woke up actually hungry this morning. For the first time in a long time.

Today? Off to the grocery store. Here's what ended up in my new-and-improved pantry. It's a real fruit-fest around here!

tomato juice
strawberries/grapes/cantaloupe mixed-fruit salad
mandarin oranges
skim milk
low-fat yogurt
shredded parmesan cheese
whole wheat bread
Raisin Bran (Ellie suggests whole-grain cold cereal)
brown rice
whole-wheat flour
black beans
chicken breasts (I buy them with the skin on to save money and then remove it before cooking)
cod fillets (not breaded)
low-fat turkey sausage
tuna in water
frozen corn
frozen green beans
peanut butter (We buy the natural kind made with just peanuts and salt; no sugar or hydrogenated oil. You have to stir it when you first open it, and you have to keep it refrigerated, but it tastes great.)
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
low-sodium soy sauce

Well… I also couldn't resist buying a package of Popsicles in the new diet-soda flavors – A&W Root Beer, Orange Crush and Diet Dr. Pepper… Something has to replace those chocolate chips! And they're only 15 calories each.

What healthy foods will you buy this week?

    Kathy Sena