My ongoing hunt for the elusive enjoyable veggie has taken some interesting turns. I ordered several Walden Farms dressings online. These are so low in carbs, sugars and fat to be not only acceptable on my program but are also considered a condiment. While I have to admit, no connoisseur would be greatly impressed. If you expect these to have the taste or consistency of a full fat, high carb dressing you will be mistaken. However, if you have realistic expectations, you will be pleasantly surprised that they are surpassed. Then when you consider the Bacon Ranch dressing actually tastes like bacon any deficiencies are quickly made up for. Does this help with making my veggies more palatable? Well, for me anything becomes tasty if dressed in bacon. And I do mean anything.
Another useful dressing is their Honey Dijon. I’ve used this for preparing a pork roast. I coat the roast with Honey Dijon dressing, sprinkle with a mixture of garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper and paprika. Roast in the oven, and portion out for several days’ meals. The roast comes out tasty and juicy. I put the portions into Ziploc bags and refrigerate. They are so good there is no need to heat them up to eat—they are great cold. It’s not as good as cold fried chicken—but is anything?
Besides the new dressings to improve other veggies, there was another veggie discovery. In the past I’ve tried zucchini and only liked it in bread. Today my wife decided to help by preparing my lean and green portions for me. She sliced zucchini thin (about ¼ inch thick) and grilled it on my cast iron grill plate. It was surprisingly delicious. I will definitely be having this again. Grilled zucchini and asparagus with Bacon Ranch dressing was a great combination.
The biggest concerns from this weekend are small, but possibly important. One is the question of my wife’s Korean bean sprouts. They are so good and, fortunately, I found bean sprouts on the guide of what is allowed. I’ve had a small amount of these in a couple meals—I’m always careful to limit the amount. However, the list shows Mung bean sprouts, but when asked, my wife said these were Soybean. The species may make little difference, but I need to make sure.
The second question involves my job and church, which for me are identical. I found myself wondering how much impact the elements of Communion might have. For those who don’t know, for us, this involves once a month taking a small piece of cracker and a small cup of juice. As the officiating pastor abstaining would not really be appropriate. I found myself momentarily worrying if this small amount of each would be enough to bounce me out of fat burn and stall my weight loss.
I concluded after a short consideration that my diet is to serve me and my needs. One of my needs is to be able to partake of Communion. If my diet were so fragile that the miniscule elements of Communion, taken once a month, undid everything then the diet would not be workable for me. An important consideration when deciding on a weight loss program is how much of one’s life it should change and how much should not. A weight program that requires long term unworkable changes lifestyle changes will not last. Of course some changes are essential. Even something as minor as changing the amount eaten or the frequency of meals is a life change. The important consideration is what changes should be made permanent, what changes should be made short term and what changes are just too far. When you look at a program that requires laughable changes that are impossible to maintain long term then move along. With the Take Shape for Life program I’ve made some huge changes. My meal sizes are cut down, my meals are on a strict schedule, and eating out is pretty much off limits. Neither can I have bacon, bread, pasta or tortillas—my previous four food groups. While making these limitations into unwavering, unbreakable absolutes for the rest of my life is not really workable, they are short time changes I am willing to make. They will also help me to lay a ground work for transitioning back into a normal, but healthy lifestyle.
Keep in mind when looking for a weight loss program that such programs are to put you back in control of your life. Most of us with serious weight related health issues have been controlled by our food. We stopped eating to live and instead lived to eat. Exchanging one master (Food) for another master (Diet) is still to be enslaved by what you eat. My diet is to be my helper and guide, not my master.