I’ll start off by saying that I do not shy away from sodium. My blood test always seem to show low levels regardless of how much I consume and so if I don’t use extra salt then I take a salt supplement. It’s like the best deficiency in the WORLD to have, so things like pickles, pickle “juice” or salty soups and broth are my form of CrAcK! It’s usually pretty obvious when I’ve gotten too low because I start craving, which leads me to purchasing pickles by the case online, late at night so that my husband doesn’t catch me. He is STILL trying to figure out how my last $63.50 purchase could be claimed as a tax credit if it were a “Closing Gift for Clients,” but he isn’t brave enough (yet) to claim 6 cases of pickles in the name if his fancy pants real estate brokerage. Anyway, I get the large individually wrapped pickles so that I can hide them through the house like horrible green Easter Eggs because my crack-head thinking has deducted that someone is going to break in and take my green gold…more likely that the devil(s) are ALREADY inside the walls, which would explain why I have to dress up as Gandalf and proclaim loudly to my kids from the kitchen, “YOU SHALL NOT PASS!” …OK, so maybe I shouldn’t think of my kids as the Balrog, or my kitchen as the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, but I’m trying to keep this story relatable, you know?
Ok, back to the original….ahem. ;)
I don’t shy away from salt/spices, protein or healthy fat, but I do try to minimize carbs like bread, pasta & rice. I do eat it, but it is rare. When I’m intentionally cutting my caloric intake, I plan my meals for every 3 hours and before I eat, I ask myself, “Are you eating because you are hungry or are you bored?” If I’m really hungry and the next meal is over 1 hr away, I’ll have a protein snack from this little list. If I’m still hungry in 15 min., I’ll get a protein shake. But if I’m bored and just want a snack, then I will make some broth with salsa, or have some Sugar Free Jell-O, or have part of a pickle AND drink 12-16 oz. of water. If I want lemon/lime water, I put a pack or 3 of True Lemon or Lime in there. I use to try to keep fresh citrus, but like clockwork, I would use one and then the rest of the bag would go bad. I like the True Lemon products because it taste really good and last WAY longer. You can find it online or in the drink flavor section of the grocery….or maybe you have a green thumb and can actually USE fresh lemons properly. I’ve yet to master that...not to mention that the last time I was juicing them, some got on my granite counter and lets just say that the whole process came to an end that day and I now have an ugly dull spot on the counter to remind me that lemon KILLS GRANITE AND ANY OTHER PORUS STONE YOU MAY BE JUICING ON….BUT…you know, I’m not bitter or anything…. :/
Before I get off on ANOTHER tangent, I really MUST start this “list of favorite things,” or we may not make it to the weigh-OUT on time. (It’s not that I talk slow, I just won’t shut-up…)
Dill & Kosher Pickles 1 Large = 25-50 calories
Sugar Free Gum 0-5 calories
Sugar Free Jell-O .5cup = 10 calories
True Lemon/True Lime 1 packet = 1 wedge = 0 calories
Knorr Chicken Broth(1c.) + Salsa(1oz.) = 20 calories
Low Fat Cottage Cheese .5cup = 90 calories (14g protein)
Sugar Free, Fat Free Frozen Fudge Pops 1 Fudgsicle = 40 calories
Lettuce Cups (To replace bread) 1 leaf = 5 calories
Egg (1 Large Organic/Cage Free) 70 calories (6g protein)
Canadian Bacon (3 slices) 68 calories (9g protein)
Organic Chicken Breast (4 oz) 120 calories (25g protein)
Low Fat Plain Greek Yogurt (.5c) 90 calories (11g protein)
Low Fat Plain Kefir (.5c) 55 calories (6g protein)
Crystal Light = 0 calories
Coffee & Tea = 0 calories
Baby Spinach
Fresh (2c) = 10 calories
Chopped & Frozen (1c) = 30 calories
Canned (1c) = 50 calories
There is also a low calorie coleslaw that I love, and for some strange reason reminds me of key lime pie….I know that sounds weird but it’s true. When I’m snack starved, it’s good to know that I can make shredded cabbage taste like pie! (I said TASTE like key-lime…nothing was said about the TEXTURE of key-lime pie.) Maybe I was just starving, but I really didn’t care at the time. Here is the recipe:
1c. Shredded Cabbage
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil Mayonnaise
1 packet Truvia Sweetener
1 packet True Lemon (or 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice)
1 packet True Lime (or 1 tsp. fresh lime juice)
You can tweak this to your taste with more or less citrus and mayo. I make this one serving at a time because I mix in red cabbage as well, and the citrus causes the red to “bleed” making for an odd pink juice that turns me off. I guess I could just use the green cabbage…live and learn, right? ;) It’s very pretty when it is fresh, though…very bright flavors and crisp.
Last but not least, the Epsom Salt & Baking Soda Bath Soak. At bedtime, I add 2 cups of Epsom and 1-2 cups Baking Soda to a HOT bath and soak for 30 minutes, or as long as I can. I bring a large glass of iced lemon water with me to keep hydrated and comfortable. The salts soften the skin, relax aches and muscle soreness from exercise and helps me to sleep more sound. Don’t forget to lock the door, because there is SOMETHING about trying to SOAK in a RELAXING TUB that makes E V E R Y O N E want to check on you…even the cat…and the dog…makes the delivery truck that you’ve been waiting for all week miraculously appear…no shit. Lock the door(s). Maybe it’s just me, but I’m convinced that this soak is veiled in some sort of summoning charm.
Well, I’ve killed (butchered) too much of your time… But maybe somebody got something out of it, even if it was just a memory of something that they did long ago that would help us all now by sharing in the comments below.
Lov's from Aaron