New Recipe Anxiety

I must confess I have made so many alterations to my diet and consumption of food in the last year I think I am not even aware of all I have done. My weight loss journey is something I was openly talking and blogging about because so many people would ask questions (how are you losing it? how much more do you need to lose? how much have you lost? what is your weight? what was your biggest weigh in?) but honestly I got so tired of people thinking they needed to advise me on my intake of food I stopped blogging and talking about it.

Of course when I would share my changes to my diet or how I maintained self-control others would so condemingly tell me some of the choices I was making were "obssessive" or unhealthy. Not trying to turn diet talk and lifestyle changes spiritual but the only way I can explain it is that people are constantly trying to invade my life with their PERSONAL convictions by defining them as sound doctrine. I'm sorry, but I'm just not interested. If you don't like that at one point I didn't keep two weeks of groceries in my house to avoid overeating keep your opinions to yourself. Just because you aren't comfortable with my choices doesn't mean the choice isn't right and beneficial for myself.

Anyways, with Dalen starting school I have now begun grocery shopping for a week at a time. I buy all his lunch items and dinner meals for the week typically on Saturday. I am pleased to say that I have done VERY well with not over eating and it's helped me select better items for Dalen's lunches as well. Anyone heard of Granola Thins? YUM! They are thin squares of granola and the back of then are coated in peanut butter, caramel or chocolate. Did I mention they are only 80 calories? And did I mention Dalen loves them?? I have substituted Oreos with these and substituted ritz crackers with cheese with wheat thins and sometimes I will put Nutella on them.

I am also proud to say I have eased salads in my diet (which I have never been a fan of) and I am trying to ease fish into my diet as well! I am not sure how I will EVER conquer that constant desire to feel so full but I am trying. Salads and fish are so lite that it is helping me eat these things as opposed to heavy and greasy food items such as fried chicken. I also, now have a scale in my house and weigh myself once a day to keep tabs on maintaining what I have lost. I really felt like losing the weight would be the hardest but maintaining the loss has definately been hardest. It's the ultimate test to see whether you have done a diet versus a life change.

Has anyone heard of the all natural hCG diet? I heard of it about 2 years ago from a friend whose sisters in law and mother in law lost tons of weight but never tried it. You supposedly take all natural drops of a hormone that helps curb appetite. You consume only 500 calories a day while your body feeds off of fats you already have present in your body and maintain a feeling of fullness because technically your body is eating off of fats. It sounds really intersting if anyone has info on this diet let me know.

I have done an amazing job cooking EVERY night. I am in constant search of new recipes for the crock pot and trying new things. I have to confess every time I make something new I get new recipe anxiety. I stand over the crock pot wondering if it's going to be a success or fail. Luckily of all of the recipes I have tried only one has been horrible. Here has been an amazingly easy and yummy recipe I tried a few weeks ago.

4-5 lb pot roast
1 packet of dry italian dressing
1 packet of dry ranch dressing
1 packet of dry brown gravy
1 cup of water

mix dressings and gravy together in a bowl then pour water in it. place pot roast in crock pot and pour mixture around and on top of roast. let cook for 6-8 hours and add potatoes and carrots if you want. I usually end up adding an additional 1/2 cup of water throughout the day to keep the roast from getting dry.

Happy cooking!