Healthy Chicks

[source]

Oof, I feel all backwards today! Upside down, out of whack, all discombobulated. You know…something just feels a bit off. Luckily, I know exactly what that something is this time. You see, I’ve been away since Friday morning on a New Hampshire getaway with my family and The Boy. We had a wonderful time relaxing in the steam room, sauna and pool, drinking my cousin’s killer margaritas along with some specialty hard ciders that the boy got me into (they’re gluten free!), hiking in the snow, and eating our little hearts out.

Why am I feeling all backwards then, you ask? Well, it was most definitely the eating part. I ate completely backwards – or would you say upside down? – than I normally do. Back in my tiny Boston apartment, where I cook most of my meals for myself, I have a pretty structured diet: a humungous, nutritious breakfast,  a good-sized lunch and a smaller dinner followed by a little “treat” and a cup of tea. I rarely eat any other way, as this daily menu makes me feel my ultimate best – inside and out!

It usually goes like this: half egg white omelet with lots o’ veggies and light cheese with a piece of Ezekiel toast, some fruit and coffee for breakfast; open faced sandwich with hummus or meat OR a large salad with loads of fresh vegetables and some type of protein  i.e. tuna or turkey breast for lunch; then a light protein/veggie combo for dinner such as grilled salmon with some sauteed spinach OR a few turkey meatballs with spaghetti squash; dessert is a few pieces of dark chocolate, a few mini peanut butter cups (I’m a sucker for the chocolate-peanut butter combo), or some fresh fruit ‘n’ yogurt.

Other favorite breakfasts? Oatmeal with banana, almond butter, agave syrup and a glass of soy milk; gluten free waffles with turkey bacon and fresh berries; open-faced egg and cheese sandwich with a bowl of fruit or sliced apple; quinoa flakes with nut butter, shredded almonds and fruit. Lunches: homemade soup and veggie salad; brown rice pasta with fresh pesto, mozzarella and tomatoes; sushi (I’m a sucker for Spicy Tuna even if it isn’t the healthiest of rolls); Mediterranean wrap consisting of hummus, chopped red peppers, spinach, onion and feta cheese; turkey and cheese roll ups with salad on the side. Dinner Ideas: sauteed squash, zucchini, spinach and onion with a piece of toast; open-faced veggie or turkey burger with sliced cucumber salad with dill on the side; lean ground turkey burger sauteed with fresh spinach and onion; sweet potato “fries” (baked) with garden salad; any kind of fish either baked or pan fried in olive oil; small bowl of pasta primavera and veggies with olive oil, garlic, lemon and a dash of Parmesan cheese… There you have it. This is my “feel good” diet. Except for it’s NOT a diet (I hate the word diet-ew); it’s a lifestyle.

Let’s just say I ate the exact opposite this weekend: a measly breakfast like a piece of toast or a muffin and fruit, decent sized lunch like turkey roll ups, and out-of-control appetizers followed by an even more out-of-control dinner. The first night we arrived in N.H. I downed approximately half a block of cheese, way too many chips, one too many glasses of wine followed by two to three servings of my mom’s famous Chicken Divan. What can I say? It was staring at me and I don’t get to indulge in it that often. Was I upset with myself? No. Was my body upset with me? Hell yes. It was grumbling and yelling at me all night…and the BLOATING…gosh the bloating was awful.

Come day #2, I was feeling like a big bloated blob of food. Not to mention I was…er, “backed up”. Not a good feeling, especially when you have a cute boy trying to cuddle you 24/7. “Do NOT touch my belly!” I shouted. “I’m a big girl right now.” And really…I felt like one. It was not a good feeling, I’ll tell you that much.

So what do you do to avoid the terrible feeling of feeling inside out? Why you eat inside in! Think like a triangle: your biggest meal should be breakfast and your smallest meal should be dinner. And you shouldn’t indulge in a plethora of appetizers and tasty cocktails in between either…that is if you don’t want your belly grumbling all night while your boyfriend’s trying to kiss you.  Rather, have a glass or two of wine, and cut yourself off after a few slices of cheese and crackers or heavenly spinach & artichoke dip because you know how much more delish dinner is going to be if you do. Oh, and drink loads and loads of water so you can flush yourself out and not have to deal with a big, bloated belly like myself for an entire weekend. Talk about not romantic.

But when it comes down to it, all of us get a little backwards at times…but when you do just pick yourself right back up and get back on track…moving forward. You’ll be back to your normal self in no time.

What’s your daily diet like? Do you ever feel backwards? What do you do to straighten yourself out?