Diary of a Diet: All By Myself

It can be really, really difficult to eat healthy or be on a restricted diet under normal circumstances. But what about when the rest of your household doesn't follow strict dietary guidelines the way you might? I've fallen off the wagon plenty of times, because the contents of the fridge weren't diet-friendly, and the mashed potatoes on the table were just too tempting. Here are a few of my helpful hints to staying on track when dieting alone, even when living with junk food lovers and meat-and-potato eaters.

1. You are not an inconvenience. Don't think of your need to alter the dinner menu or the grocery list as a problem. You don't have to feel guilty for feeding your family a healthier meal, or for opting out of what they are having. Don't feel awkward, feel proud of the food on your plate!

2. Treat yourself to really good food. Buy as many high quality ingredients as you can afford to (within reason). If you want broccoli rabe instead of plain old broccoli, then by all means, have a little splurge. Stop by that farmer's market and enjoy fresh eggs and heirloom tomatoes. The more excited and happier you are about the food on your plate, the more likely you are to want it, and not pizza.

3. Variety, Variety, Variety. Do you know why Chipotle is so damn good? Variety and customization. Imagine having all of those chipotle burrito bowl/salad bowl ingredients at your disposal. Most people don't put that many components into a single dish. Prep ahead of time for the week ahead, or buy some shortcuts (like ready made fresh sweetcorn salsa) and give yourself a really colorful, tasty plate of food. It'll be like restaurant quality, every day. Also, check out these great Pinterest ideas for one-bowl meals, most of which are really healthy and delicious. Just steer clear of the cheese-and-pasta jobbies.

4. Don't beat yourself up. I ate a Reese's today in the supermarket parking lot. I hadn't had chocolate in a week, and I just wanted it, dammit. And I do not feel guilty at all. Thinking of food as "good" or "bad" is part of the diet mentality that causes most people to return to their old unhealthy eating habits, anyway. Everything in moderation, as they say, and remember that even those really special treats are totally ok on occasion. When you don't have them as often, they are even more delicious too, trust me.

Have any dieting tips? Stories? Links to recipes? Share in the comments below!

Warm Welcome

I mentioned in my post last week that I was planning to visit a brand new side of my family. This past Saturday morning, we headed out on the road - not without some trademark difficulties along the way, mind you. About 5 minutes into our journey a  light rain began to fall, and when Steve turned on the wipers in the car, the right hand side (driver's side, here) just sort of flipped itself all the way to the right onto the side view mirror and stayed there. So, a ten minute stop in a garage and a quick tightening of a bolt later, we were on our way to Hastings.

Staying with my husband's other grandmother was so wonderful. As soon as you walked into the home, photographs of family old and new made me aware that I was in a love-filled house. The 1920's build house was full of charm and amazing mid-century furniture, and I simply melted at the sea view from the kitchen windows. Sitting at that kitchen table, sifting through albums of black and white photos and hearing stories about the war, displacement, rations, and her late husband, I felt so grateful to have acquired another grandparent.

We took Millie (the dog) for a walk on the beach after her cramped journey in the boot of my mother-in-law's little car; I posted a bunch of photos from that yesterday. The overcast, late afternoon mist made everything look so dreamy, and we were basically the only ones on the entire beach. The tide was out, and we could walk pretty far out into the water without any lapping waves reaching above the knee.

Later that evening, I had my nerves lubricated with a few glasses of wine so that I could meet the rest of my in-laws. We all packed into a van-style cab and headed to an American style steakhouse, whose massive portions really made me feel at home with the pop culture decor. After much eating, drinking, and laughter, we walked through the night to my mother-in-law's sister's house so that everyone could carry on catching up (and meeting me!).

Weekends are meant for laughter, family, and love, and we lived this past weekend to the fullest.

Never Too Far

One of the things I love most about this country is that it doesn't take very long to reach the shore. Drive long enough in any direction, and we seem to end up on a pebbled beach. For someone who loves the sea as much as I do, this is a heavenly convenience. There is no manmade object or place on this earth that can captivate me quite like the seaside. No matter the weather, you can bet I'll be sticking my toes in the surf.