Another day here, another day gone. All with something accomplished.
School wasn’t canceled for the kiddies today but they had a two hour delay due to the ice on the roads…you know I used that as an excuse to get up later and go out to work the same time they went to work! Why does the rule only apply to them eh?
I was boring and had my apple pb oats this morning with lots of cranberry sauce. I have fresh cranberries in the freezer I’m thinking of using…because I love things that are tart! Nom nom! I wonder how much it would hurt my face…?
I headed out into the field and was quite surprised when I went down almost 2,000ft in elevation and there is easily almost two inches of snow! Think of it this way, this field was covered in poppies back in May when I first got there…Crazy!
While I went out to look for some pretty birdies I stomped upon these pretty paw prints! I have no idea what they are!
Cause they’re a lot bigger than you think…you can see my footprint in this photo for comparison…and I only wear a size 9. They were about a 1/3 of the length of my shoe! Anyone know anything about mammals? I know there are coyotes and bobcats in the area but otherwise I’m clueless!
I got home just after noon with a raging stomach (filled with coffee to keep me awake, though I was tired due to lack of food) and Whit back from Hawaii!!!! YAY!!!!
I quickly made a tofu veggie sandwich so I could get to talking to Whit about his wonderful Christmas and New Years on the Hawaiian Island in 80*F weather! Jealous!
The afternoon flew by with a much needed nap and catch up time. Before I knew it it was time for dinner…and something I’ve been avoiding for YEARS.
PASTA. I have written about pasta as my fear food but tonight I decided to fight that. Kamut pasta with TJ’s Marinara, broccoli and brussel sprouts.
More on that in a minute. And just to prove to myself that pasta won’t kill me, I ate a Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Joe Joe (like Monica said, that’s a freak’n mouthful!)
[[Side Notes: Fear Foods Revisited: Pasta
I wrote in my post about What I Want To Do in 2011 on my growing desire to no longer restrict foods or avoid those that I have been afraid of for years. I have been doing well along the lines of Peanut Butter and Potatoes but Pasta has been the biggest doozie as of yet.
I don’t know quite what the big fear about pasta is for me…but I know that one of them has to do with being afraid it is so high in calories. My mind has it programed that the amount I do eat won’t keep me full and therefore cause me to eat more (which equals more calories). In my head I know that this fear just makes me anxious and just want to eat but not actually feel hungry after the meal, but it still sticks.
So with the advice that so many provided in the Fear Foods Post about it, I decided to add some bulk to my bowl with fiber rich broccoli and brussel sprouts. At first I was anxious and just stared at the bowl on the table, then realize how weird I probably looked to Whit and just dug in. I’d never had this kind of pasta before (Kamut Ditalini by Eden Foods) and actually enjoyed the taste of it versus other pastas I’ve had.
Having it with lots of veggies eased my mind a lot, but the thing that was in the forefront of my mind was that they meal contained very little protein compared to what I normally have in a meal. I didn’t have any chickpeas or other beans on hand to mix in, so actually ended up eating a few piece of tofu I baked last night to compensate for the unsettled feeling in my belly…or brain. Same difference at this point.
As much as it sounds like I triumphed over this meal tonight, I’m still a bit on edge. But the sheer fact that I did it, and will wake up tomorrow morning the same person I am now as I type this, will help reassure me that pasta can continue to be in my diet without fear.
One step at a time. ]]
21 comments:
I used to eat pasta a lot as a child, but stopped somewhere along the way when I learned about macronutrients. I sorta convinced myself that I didn't really like it but the truth is I do! I mean, it's the same as other carbs right? Bread, pretzels, cereal.
Your body needs carbs to function so just look at it as a fuel for your brain/muscles. For the record, I was much thinner back in the day when I ate pasta everyday :)
I love reading your blog. I totally understand what you're saying about food fears. Great job with the pasta dinner! Have you ever tried protein pasta? Barilla makes a whole line of protein pastas & they're great!
Thanks for the great writing!
Sometimes it's best not to think about the macros of certain things and just enjoy them. Having Whit there must have helped you a lot, which is great! It's like when I went out to dinner a week or so ago and I had garlic bread for a starter, pasta for the main and chocolate torte for dessert. It was all carb! carb! carb! but I enjoyed it soo much more because I wasn't thinking about what I was missing from that meal. It's all about the pleasure most of the time :)
You are doing so well tackling your fear foods head on!!!
xxx
p.s. this word verification wants me to type in "nololog"!! I can't stop laughing hahaha
I don't think eating protein pasta would help at all, regarding the previous comment above...
I had the same exact problem with pasta. Pasta was THE fear food for me. The first time I allowed myself to eat pasta, however, I went all out. I had 4-cheese gnocchi. No major protein sources except the cream and the cheese...and the white, "processed" carb.
It was a revelation for me. I could eat the scariest thing on earth for me, and yet...nothing drastic happened. Heck, I didn't even gain an ounce after that fateful day.
It sure changed things for me after that regarding fear foods (not completely, but it was definitely one of my turning points).
I tend to avoid pasta these days, too, which is funny because I used to LOVE it. I guess it's not really a fear food for me, but I just don't crave it as much as I used to.
As for the fresh cranberries in your oatmeal...DO IT! I have them in my oatmeal every morning...it's an addiction! Something about the pb/ab takes the edge off the tartness...soooo good :)
Did you know that I use to not eat mangos and watermelons and pasta for the same reason as you? Full of sugar. I'm glad you are okay with your meal..itll take some time to ease into it but take it at a pace that will be comfortable for you. I'm glad Whit is back in your life...you need a hug in the form of a buff tan dude sometimes. Xoxo melissa!!!!
pasta and rice are still challenges of mine, but like Allie said -- our bodies need the carbs for energy and proper muscle function! i'm working hard at trying not to label foods as 'good' or 'bad'. food is food. a calorie is a calorie.
You should be so proud for eating that pasta! A lot of the whole grains one do have a fair amount of protein, but I know what you mean being worried about the protein content and thinking it won't fill you up well enough. Congrats though! And that joe-joe looks yummy :)
Congrats on the pasta! I wrote a post on overcoming my fear of pasta too. I have it occassionally now as long as I make it myself and can control the portion, veggies, sauce etc. I still won't order it at restaurants. For me it's just knowing that it's always WAY too big of a portion, not enough veggies, and creamy oily sauces.
Also, I'm leaving it up to you to determine the the mystery of the dead birds falling. You're my bird expert. My guess was Aliens :)
You are exactly right - one step at a time. That is one of my favorite mantras!
My friend gave me a box of those cookies (I don't live near a Trader Joes) and they are AMAZING!
your picture of the orange flowers is so beautiful!
Wow. That's awesome. When the edge wear off your gonna look back and just remember how good it tastes. And repeat.
I get the past a thing, girl.
I'm working on rice right now. Pasta will have to wait.
~Missy
Great pics, the snow is beautiful. And great eats! I understand the pasta fear as something I strayed away from a lot not that long ago. I adore your honest writing, thanks!
Maybe those were mountain lion tracks? I remember hiking around Montana and trying to figure the difference between a grizzly and a black bear track and I never could tell the difference, so maybe don't take my word for it, lol.
In my opinion, the best way to conquer fear foods is to eat them repeatedly. At least, that's what worked for me.
Congrats on the pasta! I've viewed pasta as a fear food before, but I find that when my mom cooks it with her amazing homemade sauce, it is a real treat. It's totally "worth" the calories (I hate that terminology, but whatever). :)
Your landscape photos are always gorgeous and those footprints are pretty huge!
Bulking up pasta with veg is a trick I use too as I find that one serving of pasta is not enough to fill me. And I think that baby steps with this type of meal is the ticket for you...
Definitely awesome about the pasta! Way to kick a fear food's butt. I convinced myself for ages that I liked spaghetti squash better than actual pasta and would only eat that. I still eat it sometimes since I do genuinely like spaghetti squash but every so often I try to have a pasta dinner with the boyfriend. And it is tasty! I always, always add veggie meatballs or veggie crumbles for protein though since the protein calms me down too.
One of the first times I had to eat pasta was at my boyfriend's house. It was the summer we started dating, and though I'd come a long way and was eating enough, pasta was still a huge fear food. I had to eat it because I was a guest, and I'm glad I had to tackle the fear in that way....plunging ahead is the best way to prove to yourself that it won't change anything, and that it's just food!! Congrats on tackling your fear girl :) If you're looking for a protein source with it, you can try making a tempeh bolognese sauce to put over it. Really good!!
One step at a time, friend. I'm glad you found a way to try pasta again!
Oops, that last one was from me :)
Congratulations on taking a big step! :D I know how you feel. Pasta is still one of the foods I get a little wary about. I eat it once in a blue moon and I have a box of pasta that's been in my fridge for over 2 months now- unopened. And with my half- marathon this Saturday, I know that I need to start carbo loading, but I'm afraid to. :/ But reading your posts gives me hope. :D
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