SC - OT, OOP Diet was skinny cooks
Bonne of Traquair
oftraquair at hotmail.com
Sun Feb 4 14:36:40 PST 2001
the
>only way to lose weight and keep it off is to eat sensibly and exercise,
>which is
>what I'm trying now.
>
>Kiri
I'm on the strict budget diet plan because I've not been working since we
moved. Eating better and exercising more is a result of not being able to
afford otherwise. We can afford enough fresh, whole food to prepare
breakfast and dinner for a month. The girls buy their lunch at school, Tony
and I have leftovers. There is almost no such thing as snacking. If the
girls want to save their lunch money for other purposes, or there aren't
leftovers, lunch is PBJ or cheese sandwiches.
We can't afford to waste one bit of the food we buy. The bulk of the food
is bought first of the month, and carefully wrapped and refrigerated. We
used to be so careless and threw out many gooey vegetables still in the
cello bag from the store. Prep work like cutting up meat or cooking the
dried beans is done that day. We used go out to eat because the meat/beans
in the house weren't in a ready to cook for dinner state. Leftovers are
packaged up promptly to ensure they don't spoil before becoming another
meal, you know, roast becomes pie. Trimmings and scraps become broth.
The flour is for bread, not cookies. The bottle of oil and 2 lbs of butter
must last the month, so I cook with far less fat. I cut pats of butter for
spreading on bread at table. Similarly, I put measured portions of other
toppings, like salsa or sour cream, into little bowls on the table. The
girls think I've just gone crazy over serving things 'nicely'. But the real
purpose is portion control. It also lowers the spoilage rate since the stuff
is unrefrigerated for just minutes instead of an hour or so.
The only meat we eat is that which is on sale for 99 cents a lb or less on
shopping day, and we eat only the 'deck of cards' recommended serving size.
Our meals contain far more vegetables and breads/grain/pasta. The milk
must last the week and box of tea bags for iced tea last the month so we
actually do drink water between meals. The coffee and cream must last the
month, so we each only drink one cup. (We could buy cheaper coffee and use
milk in it, but then we wouldn't want the first cup.)
We only want to buy two tanks of gas a month, so I'm doing a lot of errands
on foot. I'm not counting calories, but I'm much more aware of my caloric
needs. If I've been out on foot, I take the second helping. If I've been
home reading or doing homework, I pack it for lunch. When I have to spend
the day out of the house, I pack a sandwich and go to a park or the beach
between errands rather than getting fast food. I never fail to eat before
going to class because I don't want to waste the quarters on a snack out of
the machine.
Prior to meals I feel empty, which isn't at all the same as hungry. Feeling
empty is just a function of having digested the last meal before eating the
next. If you aren't snacking all day, this happens. (look of amazement)
The late afternoon hungries are the cue to fix dinner, not the cue to eat
junk food. No, I don't eat while cooking, but dinner is ready before I'm
truly hungry. When do I snack, it is likely to be yogurt, fruit, or toast
w/jam.
I don't know how much weight is gone as I don't own a scale. Enough for
Tony to notice when he hugs me. Enough to use the middle set of hooks on my
bra instead of the last set. I'm considering taking a dart in my waistband!
My birthday money late this month will definately go for new pants.
So, that's the strict budget diet plan. Don't misunderstand, we aren't in
financial dire straits. Living this frugally is a conscious choice for the
time being. Losing weight is a side benefit.
Bonne
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