I'm Not Losing Weight, I'm Leaving it Behind

Having gestational diabetes changed me.  It changed my mentality toward food and it changed the way my body deals with food.  I know that the diabetes went away once I gave birth.  I know that I am perfectly healthy.  I also know that I crave sweets in a way that I didn't before.  I can't lose weight as easily as before.  That is actually the point of this blog post. 

I've been thinking about the phrase, "lose weight."  And I kept thinking 'this is wrong.  I don't want to lose it.  That indicates I might find it again (as I have many times before). I don't want it back.'  I pondered this for a few days, and then a friend wrote something on her facebook page that clicked with me.  She said, "I left 15 pounds behind in July."  That's it!  That's the phrase!  She left it behind.  She doesn't intend to go looking for it.  It is not something lost.  It is something given up!  Given up for something better.  Doesn't that ring truer in the ear?

 Isn't that a statement of determination and strength. " I'm leaving it behind." This is on my terms.  Not because of a fad diet, or a sense of loss, or any inability on my part. "I'm leaving it behind" indicates that I am in control.  This is not a matter of begging the scale to cooperate.  This is me telling my body how it will act. 

I am actively working on eating in a more healthful way.  I am working on exercise.  I am working on leaving some weight behind.  But more than that, I am working on understanding that I am in control.  I can, at any point, leave this behind.  It may take practice, but it really is up to me. 

I'm accepting a challenge. I might be crazy!

This is not actually the lasagna I made last night.  I was too hungry and didn't take a photo.  This is the lasagna that I made in an earlier post and you can find the recipe here

Alright all you followers in blogger land, what are you eating that is healthy?  Last night I made lasagna.  I added wheat berries and carrots to the lean ground beef.  I used cottage cheese instead of ricotta.  I added about 1/3 the parmesan and mozzarella.  I did incorporate 8 oz of cream cheese to up the flavor and the bulk. I cooked it in the slow cooker and added an extra can of tomatoes.  I did not cook the noodles ahead of time.  It was fabulous.  Am I allowed to say that? It really was good.

 No one in the family noticed all of the extra healthy stuff.   I expected push back, but everyone just scarfed it down. It's like my own version of  skinny lasagna.  I am working on changing how we eat, by keeping what we eat and making it better.

Tonight, I am taking the left over chili, adding some refried beans, and some yams.  Yup, yams.  And I am going to roll it in tortillas and some enchilada sauce.  I'm hoping it's yummy.  It's definitely healthier. 

Back to my question; what are you eating that is healthy?  I need ideas?  I think I also must need a challenge, because if you leave me a comment with a meal that you would like to have made healthier, I will work on that. 

So, if you love pizza or fried chicken or shepherd's pie, but feel guilty eating that item, leave me a comment.  I will work on making a healthier version.  I'll post recipes that I have "healthified."  For anyone who is newly diagnosed with diabetes, and is worried that you might have to give up your favorite foods, this is a great deal!  I'll do all the work for you. 

This is a limited time offer.  And it should be reasonable.  Please don't ask me to make healthy Texas Sheet Cake.  It can be done, but I am eating like a diabetic, so sugar is NOT my friend.  :)  But if this goes well, maybe I'll take on a dessert challenge in September.

I forgot how hard this was/is.

  
It's day two and I have already fallen off the wagon.  No, I didn't make cookies.  No, I didn't eat candy.  I did, however, make cornbread.  And not just any cornbread, my super-sweet-it-might-as-well-be-cake, cornbread.  And I made honey butter.  Seriously, I had 4 pieces.  FOUR!!!!!  I couldn't stop eating the stuff.  I prefer cornbread and honey butter to cake.  And now, I'm going to have to exercise to make up for the calories and carbs.  Oh the carbs.  I LOVE carbs. 

I wish I liked protein and fruits and veggies more than carbs, but I don't.  Darn it! And while I did eat an orange, I mostly snacked on Club Crackers today.  They were the whole grain crackers, but come on, more carbs.  You would think I could make it more than two days.  So guess what?  Tomorrow, I start again. 

On a good note, I did not have cookies, candy, cake, or ice cream.  Yea me! (Little golf clap here, if you feel so inclined.)