The Meal Minimalization

I used the beginning of the calendar year to make some dietary changes. I did not tie this to a New Year's resolution. I kept that really simple with trying new recipes each week of the year. I created myself a small list of behavioral modifications I was going to stick to. I added a routine of daily exercise that in no way resembles a fitness regiment. This is just me gaining a little bit of cardio fitness that I could build into something more. Simple stuff like riding the exercise bike daily and taking walks. Beyond that I eliminated from my diet sugary foods like Little Debbie cakes. 

That may not be the most effective place to start my dietary transformation. It was an important step though because those foods are wasted caloric intake without good nutritional value. They are also something that challenges my self control. 

Today was a hungry day. I hate when they happen. Luckily, I don't have too many days like today where I am consistently hungry. Those cravings sometimes defy reason. I ate my typical breakfast of a bowl of Raisin Bran followed by a banana. I took my vitamins after. For lunch I made myself a turkey sandwich with a little less than a handful of sour cream and onion potato chips and an apple. By five pm I was starving like I had just come down the mountain from a day of hiking. 

On most days with that type menu I am not hungry until the late part of the evening if at all. The belly was grumbling though so I gave in and had a bowl of chili. This is probably not a gross amount of over eating even if it was a good sized bowl. It finished off my chili leftovers which was satisfying in a different way. That got me thinking about portion control and the next steps in my journey which, I believe, are going to be different than what I intended.

I had to stop getting myself snack cakes and sugary snacks because they compromise my self control. I end up munching three or more snack cakes a day if they are here while still eating full sized meals. What I know about habits informs me that removing the snack cakes from easy access will greatly reduce the likelihood of me eating them. Oddly enough, my kid, who doesn't go overboard on snack cakes, can have a box of Little Debbie cosmic brownies hanging out in the cabinet and I feel no desire to eat them. My brain thinks of those as 'not my food,' and it is almost as if they aren't there. No sugary junk food is a good move for me though it may not be having the impact I want it to. 

If I am replacing the calories I would have taken in snack cakes with other foods I am probably not gaining a whole lot. Sure, a bowl of chili won't spike my sugar levels the same way that a few star crunch would have, but pound for pound eating too much is still eating too much. 

Last year I stumbled into a book written by a doctor that advocated a modified Mediterranean diet as the most healthy. I paid attention to the suggested meals that it put together and I still think about them as I prep food now. My rough measure of Raisin Bran is about 25% more than suggested. It suggested a half sandwich for lunch. I admit that I went with a whole sandwich. This is better than two sandwiches though even the limited portion of chips aren't great. I take the win that I didn't munch away half or even the whole bag. I have a hard time with the diet plan suggested because I don't care for fish and cannot eat nuts due to an allergy. 

Now I am working my way through the beginnings of an idea about cutting down the amount of available food I have in order to also cut down the amount of food I consume at a setting. It is convenient for me to make a crock pot full of soup, chili, or meatballs. However, is it the presence of a ample amount of food that encourages me to take and eat more. When I make up a batch of spaghetti it isn't the worst or best thing in the world for me. When I eat a big plate of spaghetti covered in cheese every day for a week I am not doing myself any favors. 

I want a simple concept here like 'Save the Cheerleader, Save the World." I don't think my physical fitness is going to be anything like that. It is a nice thought though. Maybe it isn't as simple as, 'Cook less, eat less,' but I want to do something that helps reinforce the concept of good portion control. I know enough about psychology to know that large plates and bowls encourage me to get more food. Once the food is in front of me I am going to clean my plate. 

Yes, like most of my posts, this blog is just a freeform expression of the thoughts going through my head on the subject of me eating too much. Let me recap what I have come up with thus far in bullet points so I can examine where I am. Maybe then I can figure out where I want to be. 

• I can remove temptation through absence.
• I need to cut down on the portions I am eating to improve my nutrition.
• Having a large quantity of food encourages me eat more per serving and maybe pushes me to eat more servings.
• I will eat whatever portion I get out for myself. Smaller serving dishes might help me. 

I need to work out how to make smaller volumes of my favorite foods. That will prevent me over eating on the initial meal and with leftovers. That makes me so tempted to change the title of this post to the Spaghetti Incident. Guns N' Roses fans will understand why I am not going to. I might also get away with coordinating my cooking with some sort of portioning system that allows me to get an acceptable amount for a follow up meal or three. 

A career of leadership and coaching has taught me the importance of measurement. I haven't been applying any measuring beyond learning or trying recipes. When I took a look at the diet book last year I actually learned what a cup of Raisin Bran looked like. I 100% could not stand eating that with a half cup of milk. Dry cereal to me is worse than needing to take the time to make eggs in the morning. 

I need to take some time and do some research. There are meals I portion better than others. There are also recipes that I am comfortable making a small amount of. I believe I can start making a few simple adjustments and have a better impact in the right direction. 

Look at me applying a little bit of grey matter to make some changes.