Taking a healthy dip

So I'm technically done with the Whole30, but I'm still adhering to a lot of the things I learned and I am also slowly adding foods back in. One thing that I seriously enjoyed while on the Whole30 was baba ghanoush. A friend who was doing the program with me mentioned that one thing she really missed was being able to dip vegetables into hummus. I got through that craving by making the best baba ghanoush ever (recipe not surprisingly from The Clothes Make the Girl).

Baba ghanoush is a traditional middle eastern dish made with roasted eggplant and tahini. There are tons of recipes out there and I have made it in the past, but not with as much success as this version. I have made it twice now and changed the consistency based on how long you let it go in the processor. The next time I make it I will reduce the tahini and see if the taste can be as awesome with a little less fat.

This is a great way to change up your raw vegetable consumption. The flavors are amazing and it is a wonderful way to eat some eggplant, a vegetable not everyone consumes as often as they should.

Now that I am back trying to follow the container system of the 21 Day Fix, the only bummer that I'm seeing is that due to the tahini, I'm only allowed 2 TB of this a day and then it cancels out other healthy fats, like avocados. That is one of the areas that might be a little gray for me now that I have finished the Whole30 and have less fear of healthy fats, but we'll see.

What is your favorite dip?

The 21 Day Fix

On Monday I started another round of following the meal plan from the 21 Day Fix. I eat a pretty healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables, but when I need to get myself back on track and focused, the 21 Day Fix is just what the doctor ordered.

So what is the fix?

Beachbody's 21 Day Fix is a meal plan that makes you portion out your food but avoids weighing, knowing the appropriate measuring cup or counting calories. The package comes with 6 color coded containers and a booklet that explains what can go in each container and how many you are allowed per day based on your current weight. It does require some planning or you might find yourself struggling to make dinner (or without any containers left), but it also forces you to be incredibly mindful of what you are putting into your mouth.

One of the big things that I learned during my first go round on the fix was that my biggest enemy wasn't my love of sweets, but rather, my mindless munching on processed carbohydrates. It was during the first round that I decided to cut pasta out of my diet entirely. My family couldn't get behind whole wheat pasta and it seemed pointless to make enough so I could have a half a cup serving. I also discovered that spaghetti squash and zucchini noodles were so much tastier and more filling, let alone being healthier.

The concept with the containers is to help you balance your food groups. For example, on a 1500-1799 calorie range, you are allowed 4 greens, 3 purples, 4 reds, 3 yellows, 1 blue, 1 orange and 4 tsps a day. As I mentioned, for me the problem initially was feeling like I didn't have enough carbs (especially since I was actually a slot down and was only allowed 2). Some people struggle to eat their vegetables, but that has never been my problem.

What does a sample day look like?

B - oatmeal and apple (1 yellow, 1 purple)

S - strawberry shakeology with unsweetened almond milk (1 red, 1/2 yellow)
L - salad with 2 slices of turkey, feta and 1/2 an orange of dressing (2 green, 1 red, 1 blue, 1/2 orange)
S - 1/2 purple of blueberries and ricotta cheese then 1/2 apple with peanut butter (1 purple, 1 red, 2 tsp)
D - Asian chicken with vegetables, brown rice, green beans (1 red, 2 green, 1 yellow)

But it isn't all about the food!

The fix also comes with 7 days of workouts, each clocking in at 30 minutes a piece. Autumn Calabrese did a wonderful job at coming up with innovative workouts that work every muscle in your body. There were some moves that I struggled with due to a bum knee, but there are always modifiers and the modifiers were easy to follow and shown on screen consistently.

I'm personally not a fan of counting calories, especially since I make nearly everything from scratch. I also struggle with general food journaling. The 21 Day Fix was a way for me to get a clear picture of what I was eating and by having a chart, somehow keeping track of my foods became less of a problem. I would highly recommend the 21 Day Fix to anyone trying to get a handle on their eating. 

During my first go round in March, I was thrilled to lose 6 pounds and 10 inches in 21 days. And the weight keeps coming off while I am in the best shape of my life. 

They say that it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. Whether or not that is true, this is a great program to try. If you think you are ready to make a change, email me at healthywithmichelleg at gmail dot com.