The Joy of Soymilk

I have fallen in love… with soy milk.

I can’t help myself. I don’t know how it happened… it just happened. One day, I drove up to my favorite coffee joint, Just Cruisin’ Coffee, asked for a Hazelnut Latte and in my attempt to be healthy, I decided to try soy milk as I’ve heard it’s good for you and less fattening than regular milk. As I drove away with a smile on my face because the customer service there is so friendly, I daintily lifted the coffee cup to my lips, took a sip, and all of a sudden, everything stopped - time and space froze. I had just experienced one of the most satisfying and delicious tastes in my entire life and I wanted to cry. I knew right then that this was something special. This… this… soy milk was a thing to be treasured, cherished, savored, delighted in. It was creamy, it was flavorful, and my god, it was healthy. Not only was it beautiful on the outside, it was beautiful on the inside.

But it didn’t stop there. I had to try it again just to be sure that it wasn’t a fluke; to be certain that it wasn’t only a one-time thing; and that this new-found love would be consistent throughout my entire life. So, I kept going back in the days following to become better acquainted with my “crush” and I found that it was as good as I thought it would be. Every single time I took a sip, I would sigh and close my eyes as I experienced a rush of joy and delight. It made me happy, it made me healthy, and it made me confident. Then yesterday, as I walked out of Starbucks with my Hazelnut Soy Latte, I knew. I just knew.

I was in love.

A Treat or Not a Treat

Okay, at this particular moment in time, I am not being very healthy.  I am sitting at the computer with a caramel toffee brownie and scoop of ice cream in front of me.  Absolutely delicious but full of sugar and calories (and right after my paddling coach told us to start eating healthy).  What can I say, I have my weak moments.  Also, I play the justification game.  I exercised 3 times today and I tell myself that I “deserve” to have a little treat later.  “Deserve.” Pfft.  That’s just another way of me feeling better about stuffing my mouth with sugar and fat.

Okay, giving yourself a little treat now and then isn’t bad, but I do it quite often.  I exercise ALOT, and after I think, “Heck, I put in so much time, I should reward myself,” and then I’m off to the refrigerator to look for a little something to satisfy my sweet tooth.  You can eat foods that you like but in moderation.  And I’m thinking that moderation means once every two weeks.

One food that I noticed satisfies my sweet tooth without me eating sugars and fats are grapes.  I love grapes.  That is a mission that I must embark on - finding healthy alternatives to satisfy my seemingly insatiable sweet tooth.  I’m off!

Empty Calories

Hahaha!  I’m such an idiot!  Whenever I heard the term “empty calories” before, I always thought it meant there were no calories in the food/drink being consumed.  Wrong.  What it actually means is that there is no nutritional value in the calories being consumed.  I often hear that alcohol has empty calories… hmm… taken as a once in a while treat is good but indulging in it regularly gives you nothing but unhealthy extra calories. 

 Other foods that have empty calories (taken from Wikipedia):

• Sweets, soft drinks, beverages with a low juice component, and other foods containing sugar
• Margarine or shortening
• Butter, lard, and other high-saturated fats

While these foods are tasty (damnit!), it’s more healthy to eat them rarely or not at all.  Even eating them in moderation seems to be too much.

Nutritional Knowledge Quest

Eating right is the most challenging part of being healthy for me. I have always LOVED my McDonald’s cheeseburger & fries, baked potatoes, rich desserts, and cheese crackers. If someone puts a plate of anything (except vegetables) in front of me, it doesn’t have a prayer - I will attack that thing like there is no tomorrow. I realize that exercise is not enough for me to be healthy, I must be healthy on the inside as well as on the outside. And if I don’t start now, I will have a much harder time later in my life. So, I am on a quest to be conscious and smart about what I put into my body.

I bought three books the other day to help me with this. The first I purchased on Amazon.com called Nutrition for Dummies (I must start at the very beginning since I know nothing), and the other two I bought from a bookstore, Eat Better, Live Better and Diet & Health.  I have already started reading Eat Better, Live Better and am very excited about what I’m about to learn.
One thing that I have done to help myself eat better is to plan my meals.  I pack my lunch and snacks the night before so I am not stumped as to what I will eat for lunch the next day.  Whenever I find myself unprepared, I usually buy the most unhealthy things.  So, planning my meals for the next day is one way that will help me stay on track.

As I read and learn, I will keep you updated on how well *crosses fingers* I am doing.  Cheerio!