The other day, I was at job two, and I had not brought a lunch. Why didn’t I? No excuse really, just didn’t even think on it. And I got super hungry. Sometimes I have bought a prepared salad from Walmart. Umm…. yuck. Seriously hate those. They aren’t awful really just they taste funky to me. I have well defined taste buds.
I have a real love for fresh. At times I have just bought lettuce, olive oil and a bowl lol… but I was not in the mood, so I went to the Subway in the store and got a small chopped salad. I asked for all veggies, no meat or cheese. Salt, pepper and olive oil. I was excited, lol… no kidding! I love fresh chopped salad! I just like that taste of all of it together. It always has a unique flavor.
Actually, I was thinking that I wonder if you can buy one of those chopper things from Walmart.com or Amazon! I am sure they sell them! Maybe that will be a little gift from me to me! Ahhhh… my head is going fast again, getting side tracked.
My actual favorite salad spot is Greens, up near Dr. Jack’s office, on Transit Rd., which he recommended to me. I got hooked, immediately, I admit. Theirs is the best, hands down. But this would do. I got lettuce and spinach, cucumbers, peppers, banana ring peppers, jalapeño, and olives. I skipped the tomatoes, trying to keep the sugar at bay a little. Why don’t they have more vegetables…. like artichokes, or radishes. I sat down in the back and put my phone away. Too easy to eat mindlessly staring at your phone, although I have done that too.
Another associate from the store sat down to talk with me on her break. She expressed her concerns about Sara and offered me a piece of her sandwich to go with my salad. I politely refused, explaining that I don’t eat that stuff. “Still? Like you don’t eat carbs? How do you live like that? It’s a wrap, that’s really healthy!” Now I could have gone on for an hour about my disease and how that kind of stuff affects me, but, I just wasn’t feeling it that day. So I smiled and just kept eating.
“You know that really isn’t healthy, like how you eat.” Hmmmmmm……. now my curiosity was heightened. Well, it turns out we have very different ideas about what is healthy, no surprise. She started telling me about her “diet.” Weight watchers… I rolled my eyes, I am sure I did. I apologized and said, I know lots of people who have successfully done weight watchers, and I am happy for them. But I have a disease, and that weight watchers helped me gain ten pounds, Atkins, five every time I tried it, and we don’t even want to talk about South Beach or the million others I tried, gained and felt horrible.
That was when we really got into “healthy.” She told me her breakfast consists of whole wheat toast and peanut butter. Ummmm….. no and no for me. Gluten and I do not get along and peanut butter is sugar loaded. “It’s protein,” she argued, “What about almond butter or or cashew.” Actually I would rather eat the almonds then have them as almond butter. I told her I eat eggs with veggies or protein shakes, sometimes leftovers in the winter, like soup. I like that best. She argued that too many eggs aren’t good for you and I smiled. I eat organic eggs, approved by the best nutritionist I have ever known. That’s who I take advice from. I used to eat her “healthy,” and felt awful and his “healthy” and feel on top of the world. Hmmmm…. which way would you go if you were me?
She told me her lunches consisted of frozen weight watcher food or such…. hmmm… double no thank you. Is that stuff even real food? And it’s loaded with my nemesis, preservatives. I explained that I had learned just how awful I do with preservatives and that the quickest road to feeling awful for me is whatever icky stuff they put in preserved foods. This salad was not my best option, the best option would have been if I made it myself, but it was an okay choice for today.
When she started talking protein bars, my head was about done. In the time I have been with Dr. Jack, I have tried one, yes one, protein bar, one that he sort of approved of, that they sell at the chiropractic office where he works. Best option? No, but emergency? Not the worst choice either.
Lol…. it was really sweet and it did the “emergency” job but I don’t think I would make it a habit. I ate it in June on my class trip. I actually divided it and ate only parts of it at a time. I had it because it was easy to carry and I am often in stituations where food I do eat may not be available, and I wanted to try it. I have another one, saving for an emergency lol…. but I think I will order a box in fall, to store one or two, in my emergency school bag of stuff, like extra supplements, and two protein shakes. Not a bad idea, just not the best option. Fresh is best.
She explained that she drinks a pea based protein shake she gets somewhere locally, I don’t recall. Ummmm… no thank you. I drink only the protein shakes through Solutions4. Gluten free, soy free and no sugar added, no spikes in energy or sugar. She explained that she has to keep shaking hers as the stuff settles to the bottom. Mine are shaken and good for the whole drink, naturally sweet. And even those are too sweet. I usually make popsicles out of them now and have them for breakfast. Lol… feels like I am doing something wrong. Ha ha…..
When I first started with Dr. Jack, I remember him making a comment that I have never forgotten……..”…… and those diets do nothing to teach people how to really eat…”. I often think about that. I had tried all those other ways. None of them worked. “If you give your body what it needs and let the inflammation go down, and the weight will just come off. Weight is a symptom. ”
I think that is one thing I have truly learned by his education and by just messing up, trying to do it my way, or doing things and finding out what does and doesn’t work for me. Some people can handle more things than I can. My body is just not made to fight off all kinds of junk. I do feel better when I eat his way, and now truly “my way.” I feel more full, I feel less symptomatic. I don’t feel exhausted or have those high and low sugar rushes. I just feel better all the way around. Not one day, but every day.
“You really should consider eating a better variety, more whole grains, more protein, and up your exercise.” I just smiled, thinking how too much exercise really slows down weight loss, but that is an argument for another day, as she finished her meal with four Reese’s peanut butter cups, because it was her “reward day.” I do not reward nor punish with food. He thankfully got me out of that mind set a long time ago. I eat for my health. I thought I was doing great right where I am, but thanks to her, for reminding me that I am actually rocking this!!
Healthy….. as Dr. Jack is always saying, educate yourself.