I'm on the right track to achieve one of my new half marathon goals. I'm making an effort to eat better, to make sure every bite I take is nutritious for my body and provides the fuel I need. Basically, I want to eat to run and not run to eat as I have been in the past. So I've made three major changes that seem to be working (and I've discovered my healthy eating doesn't work when I don't follow this plan).
1. I make my breakfast and lunch the night before. I'm a zombie when I wake up. I commute almost an hour to the school where I teach and I have to be there-- and back to the land of the living-- by 7 a.m. I've been using Ellie Krieger's cookbook So Easy for a while. I got it as a present for Christmas last year. (It's a great book and is organized for busy people to cook healthy and delicious meals. Check it out HERE... I know. This is probably the 4th time I've mentioned it, but seriously, it's a great cookbook!) I'm posting my favorite breakfast recipe from her book below. It's so tasty and satisfying and takes no time to make. Before, I'd eat breakfast and be hungry in 2 hours. Now, I have at least 4 hours before I need to eat lunch (which helps me cut an extra 150-200 calories out of my day since I don't need a mid-morning snack).
2. My husband and I have been planning our dinners for the week when we grocery shop. We also talk about what we're going to have for dinner the following night. This way, we make sure the meat (or in most cases for us fish-- we've been eating a lot of salmon and tilapia) we need is defrosted. This has helped us cut back on our last minute meal planning which usually consists of fast food, delivery food, or processed box crap. While sometimes the calorie count is a little higher for our dinners-- 550-700 calories-- we're eating healthy foods and I feel good about that.
3. I've been trying to track my calorie count each day. I've done this in the past and found it to be very successful for losing weight. If I had an Iphone, I'd use the Lose It app, but alas, I do not have an Iphone. This time I'm using the Calorie Count (see it HERE) website to track my diet. It's wonderful! Not only does it have the best database for foods, and not only does it track my calories for the day, it tracks my calorie output which includes my activity for the day. And this site gives me nutrition information about my diet that no other site I've found does. It tells me if I've had too much, too little, or just the right amount of sodium, potassium, calcium, Vitamin C, protein, carbohydrates, fats... basically it tells me EVERYTHING (and give me a grade for my daily diet). It is incredibly thorough, but the most wonderful thing about it, it only takes a minute for me to enter each meal. Oh, and I forgot to mention... IT'S FREE!
So here's that promised recipe:
Cinnamon Raisin Toast with Honey-Walnut Spread
1/2 c. walnut pieces
1/2 c. plain Greek-style nonfat yogurt
2 tsp. honey
8 slices cinnamon raisin bread
1 peach, pear, or apple sliced
Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium-high heat stirring frequently until fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Allow them to cool slightly and then chop them finely. (I have been just leaving them as is to save time.)
In a small bowl, add walnuts to the yogurt and honey and stir until well combined. This spread keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Just stir well before using.
When ready to serve, toast the bread and cut the fruit into small slices. Spread about 1 tbsp of spread onto each piece and top with fruit slices.
YUMMY and perfect for fall.
thanks for the recipe!
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