GIRL GUIDE'S MOTTO: BE PREPARED

Not every day fits into the mould of perfection.  Every day is a challenge.  Today I focused on a child friendly meal that my grandchildren would eat and added some heart-healthy additions for the adults.  That was the plan.  The lunch was great and I was gratified that my grandchildren actually ate and enjoyed it as well as the adults.  There were enough choices for everyone.  At the end of the preparation, I actually fell into the children's food category as did my son, Noah and my husband.

I was thinking how I could make fun food healthy for the little ones.  I took ripe bananas and cut them in half.  I melted Nutella and first rolled a half of banana in it and then rolled it in a casserole dish of crushed bran flakes and put them all in the freezer for about a half an hour.   It was delicious for everyone and I had a half too.  My slender daughter-in-law, Erica made a valid suggestion that I could cut the bananas in slices to make smaller pieces.  I still think big but I am always open to a good suggestion like that.  First it is a good idea to freeze it a bit or else it becomes a sticky mess.

Then to put more nutrition into the pancakes, I put in a whole container of ricotta cheese and mixed in a little water instead of milk to thin it a bit.  I added mashed bananas and cinnamon sugar which my grandson, Linc loves.  That went over well.  I ate 3 small pancakes myself.  Also, for the kids I made bacon.  I was pleased to see I could buy bacon with 33% less salt than regular.  I must admit I did share that very well with the kids and my guys.  I did account for everything though in my tracking and didn't eat breakfast prior except for a small iced skim latte.

I made hard-boiled eggs for my go-to meal but chose to go with the kids' meals instead.  Erica said she could eat a whole bowl of  hard boiled eggs.  My granddaughter, Chase also loves them.  Well, I didn't eat the eggs but I still have a few left over that I will pack with me tomorrow to eat after my workout at the gym.  That will stop me from eating evil muffins that I so enjoy.

I also made a fresh fruit salad this morning with apples, oranges, watermelon, blueberries and raspberries.  It was delicious and although I didn't eat it for lunch, I had enough leftover for a mid-afternoon snack plus I think I will put some in a container tomorrow to eat in the eating area at the gym after my workout.  Some of the meal may have been decadent but the good, healthy stuff is still available for me to eat tomorrow.

For the most part, I have always tried to be prepared, something I had learnt as a young Girl Guide.
It is a constant, that can never be let up in every part of your life.  It is organize, organize, organize so that you are prepared when you walk out that door whether it is take-along eats or what to know before you dine out. 

I have maintained my weight for the last month which is not as bad as gaining.  Of course, there were ups and downs but the net as of yesterday made me even and I was pleased about that since this month entailed travelling, eating out, partying with friends which can be more daunting food wise than the 3 months of gala events prior to that. 

Some of the tricks of the trade of dieting involves carrying food with you.  Life is busy and sometimes it is good to stock my car with a few essentials in case I am caught in traffic or can't make it home after working out.  I really have to have things I can eat with one hand since I am driving.  So even though the single-serve fruit cups or apple sauce sounds like a good idea, it doesn't work well.  So I carry bananas, apples, raisins, cheese strings, baby carrots and the like. 

Another idea is to pre-track.  Write down what you plan to eat before you put one bite in your mouth whether you are at a restaurant or at home.  It makes you less likely to overdo it and helps to budget points.  I tried for 3 days when I was away not to track at all but that didn't work for me. People who plan what, where, and how much they will eat are more likely to be successful at weight loss.  That is a fact. 

Whether or not my blog is funny, it is basically for my own self-expression.  Journaling helps me explore my feelings and thoughts.  Sometimes, simply identifying them can prompt me to act on them directly.