Food

I like and appreciate food, especially healthy food.

I am a very lazy cook.  The last thing I want to do when I get home after a full day of work and, often, a workout, is spend a ton of time prepping and cooking.  However, I strongly believe that you can eat well yet still be lazy.

I am not a skilled cook.  What I make tastes fine but it’s almost always very simple as I lack the ability and desire to do something more complex.  Therefore, I am always on the lookout for simple, quick, and nutritious recipes.

I like the taste of real food. I prefer most foods in their more natural states and prefer dishes without a great deal of heavy sauces/dressings.

I think eating should be enjoyable, delicious, healthful and full of nutrient-dense foods, and stress-free. I don’t like to count calories.  I might occasionally count to get an idea of where I stand but otherwise I rarely read the calorie part of a nutrition label.  It is easy to get too focused on a number that is not necessarily best for your body.  Rather, pay attention to your body’s signals and how you feel at different weights.

Along the same lines, I only weigh myself a couple of times a month at the gym.  Again, I do it to get an idea of where I stand and make sure I’m not eating too much chocolate.  For my body, a fluctuation of a couple of pounds throughout the month is normal.  As long as I stay within the ballpark of my current weight I feel great.  I have lots of energy and strength and I like how my clothes fit.

Food is fuel.

I almost always eat whatever I want whenever I want.  Most of the time what I seek out is healthy.  I like red meat, turkey, and fish but I usually find myself naturally choosing vegetarian dishes.  As a result, I try to supplement with other protein sources and healthy fats.

Portion control is important.  Eating too much of anything is not healthy.

I don’t believe in feeling guilty or bad for less-than-desirable food choices.  Obviously, junk food should not be all one eats.  However, if most of our choices are healthy, I think it’s important to delight in the occasional unhealthy items without guilt. Rather than scolding ourselves with negative words, we should focus on choosing the richest, highest quality, tastiest item we can when we do have a treat. I eat dark chocolate almost every day (bonus: dark chocolate has health benefits!).  As I said, among other things, food should be delicious and enjoyable!

Check out my blogroll for some of my favorite healthy-and-easy-to-make food blogs and links.