The Turnaround Plan
Must. resist. temptation. It’s funny how a couple days of eating mindlessly and with abandon start to become the norm. I had begun to automatically reach for candy and cookies. Without even thinking. But, I was determined to turn that around today. The plan was to avoid this…
while making these for the daughters’ breakfast…
And avoid these countertop corruptions…
I enlisted the help of some reinforcements.
Lots of this…
and the “guidebook”…
One thing that has always worked for me has been journaling what I eat. When I was on Weight Watchers, it was a key tool for me in staying on track. Now that I am no longer counting POINTS or “dieting”, so to speak, I do still find the value in writing down what I eat. I notice that when I write things down, I am less likely to go astray and am more aware of the bites, licks and tastes (that mindless stuff) that go on.
***
I wasn’t feeling hungry at all this morning. I thought about eating something small, but decided that I really wanted to tune in to my body and not just eat because I should. What I really wanted was COFFEE!! So, I made a big cup of Peet’s Mocha Java in the French press…
I ended up not getting hungry until about 1 p.m.! I whipped up a tofu scramble in a flash….
In the mix…
- 1/2 block of Nasoya Lite Firm Tofu, crumbled
- 2 handfuls baby spinach
- 1/3 cup Galaxy Nutritionals Veggie Shreds
- tbsp. Trader Joe’s Roasted Red Pepper and Artichoke Tapenade
Served up with a side of Stacy’s Pita Chips (deadly).
I spent the afternoon relaxing to the max! It was so cool to just hang and not have to be anywhere or do anything! The husband and daughters enjoyed the chillaxin’ day, too!
In keeping with our relax mode, I made an easy dinner – Philly cheesesteaks and sweet potato fries. I usually make my own fries, but saw these at the store and decided to give them a try…
They cooked up nice and crisp; very tasty!
The real star of the dinner was the salad! I was given this AMAZING bottle of balsamic vinegar as a Christmas gift from my neighbor…
She sure know how to make me happy! I have been eyeing this up at Williams-Sonoma for a year and just couldn’t bring myself to shell out the money for it ($24)! Thanks, Dana! But, it is so worth every penny. I have NEVER and I mean NEVER been able to eat a salad with just vinegar and no oil, but this vinegar is so delicious that I didn’t need any oil to go with it!
It was the perfect dinner 
The cookies surfaced after dinner, but I just took 2 bites and that was enough for me. I may be officially cookied-out
ONE GOOD THING: I’ve regrouped. I am aware of what I am eating again. I am catching myself if I reach mindlessly for cookies. I am repeating my mantra again: Food does not control me. I’m moving forward with eyes wide open!
Have a great day, everyone!
Question of the day: What is your favorite salad dressing?
Questions? Email me! aloserforlife@gmail.com
30 comments
I did good staying away from the sweets today. I wanted coffee really bad, but I cut out caffeine starting today.
I love blue cheese dressing, but it’s only good as the full fat version. So I don’t have it very often! I’ve always been an italian dressing girl- wishbone please
Good job regrouping!
Right now I love a cucumber salad with a yogurt dill dressing.
Keep going. Don’t let food bring you down.
I cant do the dressing.
lifelong and not a health thing.
it makes me GAG
Ive eaten it once in my life when I was in africa and invited into a woman’s home where she served salad (unheard of. just for us.) laden with dressing.
you KNOW I ate that right up with a smile on my face the whole time—but never again
Oh man do I love the creamy salad dressings. Gross, I know. But a real homemade ranch makes me drool. However, I have become quite fond of just apple cider vinegar and flax oil.
Okay. Fond is a strong word. But I like it okay.
I love love love balsamic vinegar and olive oil though.
great job regrouping girl! you certainly have the right mindset and I can tell you are focused
which is so Key, if you are not mentally there, then you would be less likey to stick with your plan,…so YOU GO GIRL!
My regrouping has started today. Man, does it feel good!
I’ll definitely have to try that tofu scramble. Starting in the new year, I’m going to cut as much red meat from my diet as I can. Any tofu recipes would be welcome.
whew, that was some serious temptation. You did much better than I would have – good job! I love the water chugging action!
Isn’t is scary how fast old habits can come back? :O
Good for you on getting back on track!
I am so ready to put the holidays behind me and move on to 2010 with a new healthy mindset! Not new perhaps, I spent 2009 focusing on being healthy, but wow the holidays can really throw a wrench in that!
I think food journaling is a great tool, regardless of what program you are on. At least for me, I do way better when I am keeping track of what is going in me!
Congratulations on resisting !!! And good balsamic vinegar is like spun gold !!! A reduction of good balsamic vinegar on fresh strawberries is a really special treat ! I make some flavored balsamic vinegar dressings in the summer, and those are my preference as to a dressing. No oil, nothing else, just infused balsamic vinegar sprayed on the salad. Problem is I keep running out of my stash about Christmas time, and then it winds up Wishbone Salad Spritzers Balsamic something or other.
Marisa! It’s been so long since I’ve visited your blog that I haven’t seen the new you! Love it! Love the title, the layout…everything!
Saw the title of this post on Twitter and knew I had to click through. I am going through the exact same thing with goodies everywhere and having to tell myself that Christmas is over! Gah!
Hope you had a great holiday!
Everything you make looks delicious. What is the meat you use for your steak sandwiches? I am philly girl but cannot afford to get the real ones. And I am definitely going to try the italian restaurant on West Chester Pike. Is it BYOB? Again, love your site!!
I agree – this past week the “old” Biz was reaching for anything I could put in my mouth! I have regrouped too. The old me would have continued this eating pattern for MONTHS, so I should consider it a victory that I am back on track today.
My favorite dressings: Paul Newman’s light balsamic and Annie’s Organic Green Goddess!
i want to get myself a journal just for writing down what i’m eating, that’s a great idea!
my favorite salad dressing is greek style dressing homemade. olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, 1 garlic clove, and oregano. so good!
My daughter loves chocolate chip pancakes too! You live in my world – trying to eat healthy with the “pitfalls” of normal life staring you in the face every time you walk into your kitchen! I always hear the advice to clean the offenders out of your fridge, but the reality is, many of us live with families that we don’t have that level of control over. Husbands and teenagers make their own eating decisions, and we often have to contend with younger picky eaters. Congratulations on your staying power – making that work in real life can be tough, but you seem to have a great arsenal of “reinforcements” to help you out!
It’s wonderful that you are connecting to your hunger. But I get nervous when someone isn’t hungry at breakfast. It means the metabolism is slowing (either that or you ate a LOT at dinner). I do think it’s important to eat just a little bit in the morning to break that blood sugar and cortisol spike.
BODA weight loss
Marisa Reply:
December 28th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
I notice it happens to me if I’ve overindulged with the sugar. I always eat breakfast and usually am hungry for it, but I just wasn’t into it that morning. But, by lunch, I was ready again!
I make my own simple vinaigrette with olive oil, balsamic, Kosher salt and black pepper. Bottled dressing just have WAY too many ingredients in them. One of my New Year’s Resolutions is to experiment in making some different home-made dressings.
Hey, Marisa. Sorry I’ve been kind of MIA. Just kind of struggling with everything. But I’m glad I checked in today to see what you were up to and saw your note on my blog that been checking in with me! Love hearing from you.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE balsamic vinegar and oil on a salad and somehow have totally gone astray. But you are leading me back. Think I’ll have it tonight with a salad and soup. Have a pot of soup on the stove no, sort of , kind of like pasta fagioli, but throwing things together and see how it turns out. Using the hame bone and cranberry beans, veggies and ditalini.
Anyway, think my goal this week will be to refocus and get back to the norm with eating, trying to start moving more, and blogging. So see ya soon!
I would have to say my favorite is Raspberry Dressing. It works really well with goat cheese and lettuce
My favorite salad dressing is the toasted Asian Sesame dressing. Man oh man, I could go for some leftover cookies right now…
Okay…these pictures are making me hungry!!!! I’m going to pretend I didn’t see some of these (i.e. the cookies). And that’s great will power, avoiding these when they are there and available – awesome!!! Favorite dressing: vinagrette.
it is SO hard to get out of “the danger zone” and back into the RIGHT zone.. great to hear you’ve regrouped
that dinner looks incredible! i, too, am chugging the water. we can do this 
xoxo
Glad to see you are back on track after all those great meals over the holidays.
My favorite dressing is papaya seed – yummy
Good for you for getting back on track. My favourite dressings is vinegar and olive oil with garlic and for fruity salads, pomegrante/blueberry dressing.
I looked at your Christmas eve post of the pics or your family, gosh your parents and in-laws look so darn young!!! Your family is one good looking one
Food journaling is one of the biggest keys to success…you’re so smart!
My favorite salad dressing? Balsamic. And sometimes if I have a really, really fresh salad I’ll go without so I can enjoy the flavor of every single topping. Cause I’m a freak like that!
I love your site!! Just a quick question about those fries,do you weigh out your portion before or after cooking to determine the points?
Thanks!
Marisa Reply:
January 7th, 2010 at 10:55 am
I don’t count POINTS officially anymore, although I generally know them by heart since I’ve done WW for so long! However, when I was counting, the food scale was my best friend. I would weigh out everything! With something like these fries, I would have weighed them after cooking since I would have made a large portion for my family.
Okay,thanks for the tip!