This must be the biggest non-news item of our time. Three news postings today about how fat we are, or that we don't know we're fat....and our kids are getting fatter too. We actually need to be concerned because our kids aren't fitting into child seats, and our dead are almost too big to handle.
Now, am I carting around a few extra pounds? Like many people I sure am. My penchant for Pocky could be to blame, or my desire for fine wines and cheeses. Maybe the Internet is to blame. Genetics, environment...oh whatever!
The point is this. Instead of reading about how fat we all are as a nation, I can do something about preventing the insidious creeping of pounds. Once I post this story, I'm going to do at least 30 minutes of exercise. Really. Yoga. For dinner I have decided to do entirely plant-based: vegetable curry with brown rice. Yum. For dessert, a perfect pear with a sliver of delicious aged goat cheese.
The equation is simple, if you spend more calories than you eat, you will lose weight. Research shows that it may not matter overly much which diet you follow (although I STRONGLY urge a well-balanced diet and exercise that you enjoy, more on that later). What matters is that you pick a way of eating that is enjoyable to you and sustainable. I don't care if Mary at the office lost 90lbs on Atkins or if Joe lost 10 lbs on the Subway diet, or if your mother lost 15 on Weight Watchers. If YOU don't like boatloads of meat, can't stand veggie subs, or just plain don't want to track your food intake, then these plans simply won't work for you.
Now, hit the floor and give me 20!
Clean-out-the-fridge Vegetable curry
OK this is really just something I throw together--I just add veggies that I have on hand, toss in a can of chickpeas, and call it a meal. Don't be shy to use what you have on hand, and I won't even scold you for using ready mixed curry powder.
1 Tbs oil (olive, canola, whatever)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbs fresh ginger, minced
curry powder: to taste OR make your own blend using ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, and a pinch of chile flakes
A total of about 2-3 cups vegetables, green beans, spinach, tomatoes (canned are fine), zucchini, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, etc.
Water (Enough to keep the curry from drying out)
1 can chickpeas or kidney beans
Saute the onion, garlic, and ginger in the oil until fragrant. Stir in the spices and cook until you can smell the spices getting toasty. If your veggies are already cooked (as in leftovers) just toss them all in at once. If they are raw, add them in order of hardness...harder vegetables taking longer to cook than softer ones. Stir in water and beans. Simmer at leat 15 mins for flavors to meld.
Serve with rice (I like brown rice).