Eating to live ...

This morning I was running late and didn't have any oatmeal in a jar to grab. I've been really trying to prep food so that this doesn't happen, but what I had in the fridge this morning was some individual portions of soup (not something easily eaten on the go) and a few cold baked potatoes. So I grabbed one of the latter and a banana from the fruit bowl.  Not necessarily what you, or I, would think of as a wonderful breakfast, but sometimes ... food is just fuel. I've had to remind myself of that fact a couple times this past week. And I have to admit, since adopting a whole food, plant-based diet a few weeks back I've been fueling my body with some awesome eats ... a lot of delightful, delicious, very picture worthy entrees, soup, salads and desserts. And now this. On the surface it doesn't seem noteworthy, certainly not impressive. And yet ... it is. This red potato had everything I needed to keep me going for a few hours until lunch. Here's what the humble potato has going on:

• It contains no fat, cholesterol or sodium. (Not on it's own. I did add a sprinkle.)
• It's gluten free.
• It provides nearly half the adult daily requirement of vitamin C.
• It contains more potassium than a banana.
• It is a good source of vitamin B6
• It is full of fiber, magnesium and antioxidants.
• It is high (really high) on the satiety index. 

I say potatoes are a lot like Mary Poppins ... practically perfect in every way! And, if you are counting calories a 5.3 oz. skin-on spud is only 110! I haven't been counting calories ... or carbs ... or points, but I have been eating a lot of potatoes. Usually they are dressed better than this one ... topped with mushroom gravy, or creamed corn, or smashed with garlic and herbs. But sometimes ... food is just fuel. And that's OK. After all, it's about eating to live, not living to eat, right?! And since I've been fueling my body with whole, plant-based foods, including lots of potatoes, I've lost 11 pounds, have lowered my cholesterol, have brought my fasting glucose down by over 100 points and have actually been able to stop one of my diabetes medications. Now that's living!

Day One ... of the rest of my life!

I love that song by Matthew West. I am officially adopting it as my theme song.  ... *"It's day one of the rest of my life ... Day one of the BEST of my life ..."

And it's day one of my new blog. A place where I can post all the pictures I want of healthy, nutritious and healing foods, and not feel like I'm bombarding all my Facebook friends! A medium I can use to journal about my journey to better health by adopting a whole food, plant based diet. A tool that will help with accountability (for myself -- no food police, please).  And, hopefully, a place that will offer encouragement and inspiration to others who find themselves in similar circumstances, dealing with health and/or food struggles.

I've tried this before.  If you are interested you can find my old blog here.  I thought then that I was focused on health and healing, but the scale and its digital display reigned supreme and I became obsessed (to put it mildly) with counting ... counting ounces, counting calories, counting carbs, counting fat grams, counting the time between meals, counting days ... etc. ad nauseam. And what did it get me? ... burnt out with counting and keeping track and results that didn't last. But I like what Dr. John McDougall has to say ... all my past, perceived failures have really served me well in that they have set me up for success now (my paraphrase).

I'll probably be referring to the McDougall diet often, as it is what started me down this path years ago. I have "dabbled" in a low fat, vegan diet for years with good results ... until I stopped dabbling and went back to the SAD (standard American diet) way of eating. No more! I'm done dabbling. I'm diving in. *"I'm marching on to the beat of a brand new drum, yeah, here I come, the future has begun ... Day One!"

Today's lunch ... Coleslaw with kidney beans and red potato, dressed with Bryanna Grogen's no oil poppy seed dressing. I've never put kidney beans or potato in coleslaw before today. But I like potato salad with kidney beans. And I like coleslaw, so I thought they just might be good together. I was right! It was very good and very filling. There was actually twice as much as is shown and I ate it all. Healthy, healing, whole foods ... no need to count calories, carbs, points, etc.

* Lyrics from Day One by Matthew West