Getting Back On Track and Staying Mindful of My Physical Well-Being

Soundtrack: Arcade Fire - Suburban War

So I've been trying to be more mindful in my eating of  late (says she who is currently munching on Party Mix). I've been a chubbier girl most of my life; certainly from adolescence onwards, though by no means am I the "f" word but I do tend to be over a healthy BMI for my height. I've struggled with depression over the years and one of my coping mechanisms has always been food. Plus, eating is a huge source of pleasure in life for anyone. I take great pride in cooking an amazing meal for people and I love trying new restaurants. Food is a way for me to travel without springing for a plane ticket.

I've had some medical issues over the last decade or so and wasn't able to be as active as I might like, which also made it really easy to sit at home watching DVD's and stress-eating. I used to demolish a pint of a certain brand of ice cream from Vermont in one or two sittings on a regular basis.

I had to have surgery in December 2008 and again in April 2009. This forced me to weight myself as the anaesthetist requires that info. I was forced to confront the fact that I was inching my way closer and closer to 200 lbs, which was a shock (I'm only 5'3. Well, 5'2.5 but it's easier to say 5'3).

Starting in early 2009 (as soon as my doctor cleared it) I began to make a conscious effort to walk more, plus I began taking salsa dancing lessons. I was living in Vancouver at the time and it was very easy to be active year-round. In May 2009, I had lost 15 lbs on my own when I realised I needed help to move beyond that. I joined an internationally recognised diet company and started attending weekly meetings. By June 2010, I had lost 60 lbs in total and felt great.

Unfortunately, the last two years or so have been really rough for me personally and I've been slowly creeping back up. Lately it's been creeping up at an alarming rate. I think you can all understand why I've needed to be more mindful recently - or at least try. I can't afford to go back to weekly meetings, but I do know the strategies and how the program works. I'm attempting to go it alone in my own way bit by bit but without the rigidity I had when I first started the program. I just don't have the will or discipline to limit myself like that. This blog is part of my strategy. It's forced me to actually prepare my own food instead of eating out - saving me calories and money.

So in the interests of being very virtuous (as well as trying to get in more veggies) I bring you:

Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Walnuts

2 cups raw baby spinach
4 strawberries, washed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
5 walnut halves, chopped

Toast walnuts in a dry pan at med-high heat until they smell toasty and get a little brown, making sure not to burn them. Remove from pan and put to the side to cool a bit so they don't wilt your spinach.

In a bowl, rip up the spinach and put the chopped strawberries on top. Sprinkle with walnuts and top with about a tablespoon or two of your favourite balsamic vinaigrette.

Serves 1 person as a side or add some chicken to make it a meal.

I didn't make my own dressing this time, but I often do (I'm assuming I'll likely post an actual recipe at some point in the future, but today is not that day). If you are, I suggest making the dressing in your serving bowl before adding any other ingredients. That way, you can save on washing one more dish. I usually do a 3:1 oil to balsamic vinegar ratio and add some sort of mustard and a little salt. Make sure you use good-quality oil or you might as well just use store-bought. I'm serious about this. I've found amazing bottles of salad dressing-quality (ie. Not to be cooked with, only to be used raw) extra-virgin olive oil at my local gourmet market for $10, so it is possible to find good-quality oil at a discount if you're on a budget. Most gourmet markets have oil and balsamic vinegar samplings on weekends so you can try before you buy.

Anyway, enjoy my efforts to be virtuous (but not too virtuous!) and eat well.