Hi everybody! 

A week has passed, and I do hope you all started drinking a glass of water before each meal. If you did, I would not be surprised if that first pound came off your hips, tummy, derriere or wherever you put on weight easily.

However, drinking more water is not only about feeling full faster.

It's also about your digestive system being able to do its job. Picture eating a PBJ without the jelly......it is kinda dry and not so easy to get down. Well, that’s what you are asking your tummy to do when you don’t drink enough water.  

So again, if you have not started to drink more water, right now is a good time to gulp down an entire glass of it. 

Today I’d like to talk about how much food we eat per meal. How much of it do we put on our plates versus how much do our bodies really need?

 Personally, I do not put my food on a plate. I always use a soup bowl. Take a look at the images below and you instantly see why I do that.  

I prefer seeing a bowl piled up high versus a regular plate half empty. Sure, it is the same amount I am eating. I just like fooling myself sometimes:) 

Most of us do not need a regular plate full of food 3- times a day. The average height for American women is 5'4". This translates, if moderately active, to about a needed 1600 -1800 calories a day.

Now please take a look at the calorie chart below. I copied it from Burger King and don't think all the counts are accurate as a sesame bun itself already contains 150 calories. But Ladies and Gents! .....you get the idea very clearly.

So, within portion size, the quality of the food we eat matters just as much. If we focus on unprocessed foods we can eat our hearts out, not gain weight, not feel hungry and feel fully energized. In other words: we get to eat more!!

Traditional fast-food places do not offer high quality foods. I have to admit, I never had a meal from any of them. An almost livelong vegetarian and picky eater, they simply offer nothing I want to eat besides the occasional portion of French fries. That includes their salads. They are never fresh, are loaded with cheese and bacon bits and then topped off with a dressing brimming with preservatives. Those salads are EXACTLY what we are trying to avoid eating. 

My friends! I am not asking you to give up your favorite food places. Not at all. I am asking you to become aware of what you are eating and make adjustments. If you are eating fast food or pizza 4 times a week, consider slowing it down to 3 times. Make a sandwich instead or bring leftovers to work. Or bring a hearty soup.  

I am asking you to start utilizing your own kitchen for it is key to a healthier YOU without going broke. Good quality foods do not have to be costly. Not at all. They just need to be cooked. I don't spend much time in the kitchen anymore. My son is grown and I don't have the passion for it at this point in my life. However, I do cook just about all I eat from scratch. It's simple. It's tasty. It's healthy and it keeps me at my regular weight of 150 lbs. I am 55 years old and 5'9" to put that into perspective. I enjoy lifting weights at work and at the gym, do a lot of walking and am generally an active person. I consume about 2000 calories a day.   

This is the recipe to one of my favorite soups/ stews: Dal. It is an Indian staple, super cheap, takes no time to make besides bubbling away on the stove, tastes great, is high in protein while low in calories and will keep you happy for hours.

Change any part of the recipe you like. I don't measure when I cook. I just cook:)

 1 bag of red lentils

one large onion

2 heads of garlic, peeled, whole cloves

a cup or two of chopped celery

some peeled and chopped carrots

maybe a tomato or two 

bouillon cubes

pepper

Sauté onions, celery and carrots for a few minutes and then add the garlic cloves. I like to keep them intact for this stew. Garlic turns sweet when boiled and  I love tasting the whole thing. Add the lentils, toast them for a minute or two and then add water. I have no clue how much water I add. The lentils soak up a lot of it. Just check regularly and add more to get to the consistency you like. I am in the habit of not adding the Boullion until it's all done. I feel it gives a smoother consistency. Sometimes I add a little curry into the mix. 

THIS IS YOUR HOMEWORK FOR THE WEEK

Make a pot of Dal or lentil soup or maybe even black bean soup this week. Make it thick. Load it with celery and carrots. You can add tofu or any kind of additional protein if you like. Eat this for dinner for one week. Skip your late-night snack. Just do it and I guarantee you that not only will your pants fit you a little better afterwards...but you will realize that dinner does not have to be a large meal rich in calories. It just needs to be balanced and lentils ARE balanced all by themselves.   

And if you cave in one evening, just get back on track the next. Remember, we are NOT dieting. We are making changes in our lifestyles. Slacking off is part of that.

Thank you all for your time. Please do remember that I am neither a doctor nor a dietician nor a nurse. However, after eating several times a day for over 55 years I do feel that I am a qualified food expert. We all are.