Sun Drenched

The plants on our back deck have a few more weeks of growing before they are ready to eat, but I’m already dreaming of biting into a juicy, sun-drenched tomato.  Does anything taste better?

Several of my friends have started dieting recently and I hope that they will include lots of nature’s wonderful vegetables and fruits in their weight loss plans.   They are using a variety of diets and most of them include some carb restrictions.  I have no problem with restricting carbs made from processed foods, but many of these natural sources of carbs offer great health benefits for a relatively low carb expenditure. 

When we lost weight last fall, we increased our veggie intake.  My daughter reduced the pasta serving size in several of our favorite dishes and substituted stir-fried cabbage.  It has been an easy habit to maintain, as we like this version better than the original.  Green salads, coleslaw or veggie sticks are part of almost all our dinners and they provide a lot of satisfying color and texture to our meals.     I do have a sweet tooth and have found ways to indulge it.  Reducing portion size is one way.  We also take advantage of low carb snacks to help us enjoy some sweet treats.  Thin sliced and low carb breads piled high with lots of fresh veggies give us the satisfaction of a hearty sandwich without the threat of weight gain.

We look at our changes as part of an improved lifestyle, not a get-thin-quick scheme to lose a lot of pounds in a short period of time.  That tactic may result in quick reduction, but it rarely produces a sustainable weight loss.    Best of luck to anyone, who is working on weight loss and a healthier lifestyle.  Slow and steady really does work.