Step One: Eat Better

When I finally woke up and realized that I had a problem with my weight I will admit that I floundered for a bit. I really had no knowledge of any way to lose weight safely, and while I had lost weight before playing on my high school's volleyball team, I never really addressed the real problem. That would be my eating habits.


America is fond of  convenience. I could go to the grocery store and easily buy over 100 items for dinner that all is required is for me to put it into the microwave and press start. For a long while I accepted this as normal, and that it was fine to eat that for dinner. Then, I started reading books and magazines about healthy food choices, and wouldn't you know it, but none of those insta-dinners were on the list? I started reading about healthy substitutions for things I had always loved. For example, rather than using ground beef in pasta sauce, I now used ground turkey. And instead of all pasta, I now use thin sliced zucchini for some of the "pasta" It really does taste great!


My other problem was just over eating. Did you know the average size of a human stomach is about the size of an adult fist? It can expand greatly to hold more, but just because it can, doesn't mean that we should! My first step to tackling my overeating problem was to use smaller plates and bowls. When I limited myself to those smaller containers, I found myself eating less. I was inclined to not fill the giant plates, and when I finished eating I found i was sated, not stuffed.


The other thing that happend was I met some truely wonderful people. These friends of mine own small local farms, and I have learned a lot about local food, both plants and animals. Last year was the first year I had ever planted a garden and had eaten anything out of it. This year I plan on expanding that garden, and increasing the kinds of plants I will grow. From fresh tomatoes to all kinds of squash, to different herbs, and corn. Onions, carrots, potatoes, stawberries! Anything I can get my hands on and plant! In fact, we are building a greenhouse to start off some of our plants early, and I can not wait until it's finished!


So remember, eat smaller portions, watch your fat content, and your sodium levels. The more color in your veggies, the better they are for you, and fruits are always good! Don't completely deny yourself of the foods your enjoy (like chocolate) But rather, eat them in moderation. Enjoy your food, but don't go crazy.